So many popular children books are becoming graphic novels from The Baby-Sitter's Club to I Survived, it was only a matter of time that the Magic Tree House books capitalized on this as well. Fans of the original series, will adore the illustrations that accompany the text. I think even younger readers will have the ability now to access these books. It was a quick read that was exciting the whole way through. So many kids are interested in dinosaurs so it was a perfect beginning to the series. The Magic Tree House books are a little young for my 4th grade students but I think rereading them in graphic novel form will be a fun way for them to revisit a beloved story from their childhood.

First of all, I’m always on the look out for high quality graphic novels that some of our younger students can enjoy. So, I was thrilled to see that a favorite series amongst our 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders was coming to graphic novel format. Dinosaurs Before Dark the graphic novel was short, yet intense and adventurous and set the tone for the series to come. The illustrations are attractive. The story line is easy to follow. The sibling relationship between Jack and Annie and their thirst for knowledge are established right away. The book makes you want to climb right up into that magic treehouse and start exploring all it has to offer. This book and series is going to make so many readers jump for joy and beg for the next one.

It has been a long time since I have read an original Magic Tree House book, but from what I can remember, the books had illustrations as well as text. The characters in this graphic novel do not look exactly like the characters drawn in the original books, but they looked close enough that I could recognize Jack and Annie.

Jack and Annie discover a tree house walking home one day. They climb up into the tree house to discover it is full of books. Jack opens a book about dinosaurs, wishes he could be there, and suddenly the tree house transports them to the time of the dinosaurs. Jack and Annie meet a few friendly dinosaurs and one not so friendly. They then find the book for their hometown, wish they could go there, and find themselves back home. They agree not to tell anyone about the tree house because no one would believe them.

Jack and Annie return to the page in this stunningly illustrated graphic novel adaptation of their first adventure.

Siblings Jack and Annie are walking through the woods one day when they stumble upon a tree house. Once inside, they see a whole library of books. Annie opens one on dinosaurs and suddenly, they are transported back in time. Can they find their way home?

This was a great retelling of the classic series. The illustrations were very vibrant, which will enchant new and returning readers. The dialogue is easy enough for even young and emerging readers to understand. This also allows a whole new audience to experience the Magic Tree House stories. This is sure to be a hit with kids.