Civil War On Sunday (Magic Tree House #21) (Paperback)

by Mary Pope Osborne (Author), Sal Murdocca (Illustrator) "Jack looked out his window..." (more)
Key Phrases: special writing, Clara Barton, Civil War, Frog Creek

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Traveling back in time from the rumbling thunderstorms of present-day Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, to the booming of Civil War cannonballs near Richmond, Virginia, Jack and Annie set out on their 21st Magic Tree House adventure. The mysterious Morgan le Fay, magical librarian of Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur, has left the brother and sister a message in their magic tree house, asking for their help saving Camelot. "Please find these four special kinds of writing for my library: Something to follow, Something to send, Something to learn, Something to lend." Jack and Annie enthusiastically transport themselves to a field near the fighting, and soon are enlisted as volunteer nurses assisting none other than Clara Barton, legendary "Angel of the Battlefield," as she drives her horse-drawn ambulance right onto the battlefields to help save wounded soldiers--including one with a very special connection to Jack and Annie.

Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series launches into a new realm, as Jack and Annie are challenged to save Camelot. Young readers will effortlessly learn the basics of Civil War history, while losing themselves in another gripping tale that has turned many a nonreader into a bookworm. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

Product Description
In the newest Magic Tree House adventure, Jack and Annie are whisked back to the Civil War where they meet Clara Barton and save the life of their very own great-great-great-grand-father.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; illustrated edition edition (May 23, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067989067X
• ISBN-13: 978-0679890676
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,082 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Children's Books > Early Reader Series > Magic Tree House
  #10 in	Books > Children's Books > Educational > Explore the World > Fiction
  #11 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( O ) > Osborne, Mary Pope

• This is item 21 in The Magic Tree House Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Series, Great Installment, June 8, 2000

By	A reader in Northern Virginia (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews

I've now read 21 Magic Tree House books to my son, and he truly has enjoyed them all. In this series, the author employs a creative time travel portal - siblings Jack and Annie visit exotic times and places through the books they discover in Morgan le Fay's enchanted tree-top bookmobile. My son particularly enjoyed following Jack and Annie on their adventures in Pompeii (featuring Hercules), outer space, under water, and the Wild West (where he learned the song Red River Valley). He's reveled at accompanying Jack and Annie when they've met pirates, ninjas, knights, mummies, and Eskimoes. Conversely, as a parent that frequently reads children's books aloud, I've often been disappointed with the books' repetition, limited vocabulary, and uninspired plot development. Fortunately, that was not the case with Mary Pope Osborne's most recent tree house installment, Civil War on Sunday. Like her other books, Osborne offers young readers an intriguing view of a complex subject, in this case the Civil War. She also introduces Clara Barton and provides some insight into the birth of the Red Cross. As is often the case, Jack and Annie learn a difficult lesson in compassion. But the Civil War on Sunday goes deeper. Rather than serving as mere interlopers in significant chains of events, here, for the first time, Osborne actually makes Jack and Annie relevant to the thread of history. (Sorry, but I can't explain how without spoiling the story.) This minor adaptation goes a long way, particularly towards keeping a young reader's attention through the closing chapter. (Even four-year-olds quickly discern that the concluding chapters in most of these books - once the Tree House returns to Frog Creek - are not very entertaining.) This is Osborne's most complete effort, and I hope she continues her series in this new direction.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A new Adventure, October 21, 2002

By	Christina Fox (Richmond, KY) - See all my reviews

Having taught 2nd graders who enjoyed the Magic Tree House series books as read alouds last year, I decided to embark on a new adventure with the tree house books, this time choosing to read #21 Civil War on Sunday. Like the previous books, the two main characters, Jack and Annie, are transported through time via a magic tree house that only they are able to see. In Magic Tree House #21, Jack and Annie are sent to fullfill the task of finding a special piece of paper with writing of "something to follow". After discovering a civil war book in the tree house and wishing to go there, Jack and Annie are soon transported back to Civil War times as they encounter Nurse Clara Barton and her field hospitals. Throughout the remainder of the book, Jack and Annie spend their time helping Clara and the other nurses care for the wounded soldiers. Jack soon realizes that war is not a glorious event as he had once thought. The book interestingly ends with a close personal connection to Jack and Annie.
After having read previous Magic Tree House books written by Mary Pope Osborne, I was quite surprised to find her writing a children's book on such a complicated subject as the Civil War. I was skeptical the children would be able to understand and relate to the subject of the Civil War. However, my skepticism was quickly put to ease. Ms. Osborne does a very nice job of presenting an "overview" of the Civil War. She easily relates the Civil War to children through Jack's own personal feelings of what war is. This is an excellent book for children 8-9 years of age. Through its broad use of dialogue, language, and illustrations, children (and teachers) will quickly want to read of Jack and Annie's next adventures in Magic Tree House #22 Revolutionary War on Wednesday.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Civil War on Sunday was a FABULOUSE read!, February 28, 2001

A Kid's Review

I bet a lot of people have heard of the Magic Tree House series. Well I really like book #21 Civil War on Sunday. It is about Jack and Annie go back to the Civil War. They help some people and meet some people along the way of helping people.

My favorite part was when Annie and Jack were in the tent with the wounded drummer boy John. What they did for him was very nice. They were nice to cheer him up.

I would recommend this book for K-4. You might need to read it out loud to a kindergartner, first graders could get through it with some help, it is just right for second graders, but for third and fourth grade it might not be much of a challenge.

This book has 21 others in its series. The next book will come out in May of 2001. These great series of books can also help teach many different things. This book was written by Mary Pope Osborne.