Mary Pope Osborne's tremendously popular Magic Tree House series offers young readers a chance to immerse themselves in spellbinding adventures even as they learn about history. The terrible San Francisco earthquake is described with great historical accuracy, but with admirable age-appropriateness. (Ages 5 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

'What if...' he said. 'What if...'

In the distance, a tree suddenly burst into flames.

'We're looking at a wildfire!' he said."

On a magical mission from the mysterious tree house near their home in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, Jack and his sister Annie find themselves in the wilds of Australia during a drought. Things heat up pretty quickly for this adventuresome pair, as what initially appears to be a campfire turns into something a lot more frightening. Meanwhile, one exotic animal after another crosses their paths, from koalas to kookaburras to kangaroos. In previous episodes of the Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie found three of the four gifts they must receive in order to free an enchanted dog from a spell. Now they must track down "a gift from a kangaroo." But can they find this gift before the forest--and all its furry and feathered residents--burns up?

This enormously popular series by award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne is full of thrills and enchantment. She manages to infuse each easy-to-read chapter book with heaps of historical, cultural, and geographical information, without ever missing a beat. (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter