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4.01 of 5 stars
JACK AND ANNIE are on a mission to save Merlin from his sorrows! Charged with finding the second of four secrets of happiness, the brother-and-sist... read full description

reviews

Feb 13, 2011
Frank rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This book is one of the best books I have ever read. The book was interesting because Leonardo da Vinci was in it. He was very much into the nature and loved buying birds and then setting them free. They say that he wrote in a notebook that a bird had visited him in his cradle. At the beginning I thought the book was about finding the secret of happiness. Later Leonardo thought that fame was the secret of happiness. At the ending of the book, the secret was really curiosity. One true fact was th More...
Oct 21, 2011
Shauna rated it: 2 of 5 stars
In the 38th episode of the Magic Tree House series, Jack and Annie travel to Florence, Italy during the Renaissance period to learn the secrets of happiness from Leonardo DaVinci. After the embarrassing, accidental destruction of one of his frescoes, Leonardo threatens to pack up and move away, and recounts his previous statement that fame brings him happiness. Jack and Annie summon the powers of their magic wand to show Leonardo that true happiness is actually found in curiosity. Implausibil More...
Mar 16, 2009
Teresa rated it: 2 of 5 stars
I read it with my daughter, after finishing Coraline. I wasn't impressed at all. For me any tree house is already magic and this thing of using the tree house to travel in time and show the kids exposed to historic figures seems kind of lame. I much more prefer the way Monteiro Lobato did with Reinações de Narizinho or any of the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo gang. I'm wonder if there are any English translations of them.
My daughter loved the book and it even sparked the interest on her in goin More...
Nov 04, 2009
Dolly rated it: 4 of 5 stars
This is yet another fantastic story from Mary Pope Osborne. This time Jack and Annie travel through time and space to visit Leonardo da Vinci in Renaissance Italy. They are tasked to help him throughout the day and discover his secret to happiness in order to help Merlin. This is a fun introduction into the mind of a genius and a fun perspective on his "mysterious" painting, Mona Lisa.

We have read all of the Magic Tree House books up until this point and we realize that More...
Oct 26, 2010
Acton rated it: 5 of 5 stars
The series is about Jack and Annie who have a magic tree house a few blocks away from their house. In this book, they go to Florence, Italy and search for Leonardo da Vinci. They find him in a birdshop where they get in trouble for setting free one of the birds. Then Leonardo da Vinci leads them to his paintings and they have to put out a small fire because they cooked something too long. Then Leonardo da Vinci goes up a hill and puts on the Great Bird, one of his inventions, and tries to fl More...
Mar 09, 2009
Cheryl rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I let my students pick some books for me to read this week. I've read most of this series with my children when they were younger. So it was fun to have a reason to read some of the new ones. This series of books absolutely saved my oldest son when he was young. There were so few series for boys at the time. These were just new at the time. He loved the idea of a magic tree house and it truly made him a awesom reader.

This one deals with Leonardo DaVinci and I really enjoyed it!
Apr 02, 2009
Ella rated it: 2 of 5 stars
i WOULD GIVE THIS BOOK ABOUT 4 STARS BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT SCIENCE AND I KINDOF LIKE IT BUT I ALSO LIKE ARTISTS because i am an artists.but it is also about artist named leonaedo da vinci who is also a fameis painter.this book is also a reserch book wich i can learn things from. there were other characters. their names were Jack and Annie.leonardo da vinchy made a flying michin he named it the grate bird.then leonardo tryed the grate bird out and it did not work.then anei remembered the wand that More...
Feb 19, 2010
Cathy rated it: 4 of 5 stars
What a great cover! Who wouldn't be curious about this story from seeing that?

Picky: It was probably good to define apprentice for the readers, but Jack knows that word because Teddy and Kathleen are Morgan's apprentices, so it was odd for him to ask.

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I used the word curious before I read the end!
Apr 15, 2009
Sharon rated it: 4 of 5 stars
My first Magic Treehouse narrative! Jack and Annie are delightful bro/sis team who go back in time to Renaissance. They spend a day with Leonardo da Vinci who tells them the secret of happiness is fame. As the day progresses, Jack, Annie and Leonardo learn otherwise. Nice quest, perfect for bringing Renaissance to life for young readers.
Mar 19, 2009
Rachel rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I complained a lot about this series when Nick first got interested in it, but the Merlin adventures are a lot better. They're written at a higher reading level, and they're just better written in my opinion. Also, I like Da Vinci, and this was a good intro to him for little kids.
Apr 03, 2011
Cynthia rated it: 4 of 5 stars
Added this to my list of MTH books. I really do like the history in this series. The main characters travel through time to meet an historic figure during a time of disapointment. They inspire him/her to keep following their dream.
Sep 29, 2010
Anna rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Leonardo da Vinci always had a dream to fly like a little bird. He made this machine to fly and he went on to the top of the hill and tried it and it didn't work at all so Jack and Annie made his wish come true by using their magic.
Jul 23, 2011
Wendy rated it: 4 of 5 stars
This book was so adorable! Had this series been around when I was 7 or 8, I totally would have read every single one of them. It's a very interesting way to introduce younger children to different historical periods in a fun way.
Apr 16, 2010
Joyce rated it: 4 of 5 stars
It's fascinating how Ms. Pope Osborne "humanizes" the legend that is Leonardo da Vinci ... makes him more accessible to her target audience. I'm glad my 7-1/2-year-old got me hooked on this series. :)
Sep 02, 2011
Jodi added it
Another Magic Tree House book set in Italy with Leonardo Di Vinci. Could Mona Lisa not have smiled because she didn't want him to finish the portrait. Liked that Jack and Annie learned the secret to happiness is curiosity!
Jul 29, 2011
Deni rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I'm obviously too old for these books, [I'm 16] but they're like a guilty pleasure. I'm rating it three stars because they are basic and repetitive. However, they're great books for little kids!
Jul 29, 2009
Emily rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I started reading magic tree house in 1st and 2nd grade i'd read like one a day cuz my elementary library had all of them=) i haven't read them in a while though so i need to catch up a bit.
Jan 23, 2009
Thomas rated it: 5 of 5 stars
You need a motor for every flying thing unless you're a bird. [when asked about bats and insects:] Let's just say that bats and insects and birds have their own motors.
Jan 01, 2012
Lily rated it: 4 of 5 stars
I liked this book because Jack and Annie traveled to Florence, Italy and got to help Leonardo Da Vinci. They got to watch him paint. It was good.
Jun 21, 2010
Vashini rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I so far read that leunardo was a great artist and many other things. Ialso found out that he was a lover of birds.
Sep 16, 2009
Christian rated it: 4 of 5 stars
this book was reall good!!!!!!!! I highly recommend this book becuase it was one of my favorites!!!!!!!!!
Jun 19, 2009
Carsyn rated it: 5 of 5 stars
I liked reading about Leonardo Da Vinci. Now I want to read the non-fiction guide about him. Luckily my mom has it!
Jun 17, 2010
Pearly rated it: 5 of 5 stars
This is my favorite book. It was a good book and fun. I hope I can read it again. It's funny.
Feb 03, 2012
Twyla rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Jack and Annie went to go help a genius all day long.When they found the right answer to the question they went home.Auryn 8yo
Nov 20, 2009
Zack is currently reading it
You should be kind to everyone even if you do not know them. you should still be nice.
Sep 13, 2008
Brynn rated it: 3 of 5 stars
Book review for school library system book #5...

I'm so glad this was included in my box, I've been saying for ages that I need to read one of these books all the way through just to get a sense of the series.

Like the other books, this one is fun, informative, relatively historically accurate (some leeway given to the fact that we're trying to entice 2nd graders into historical fiction), with illustrations that keep transitional readers engaged. The info at the back of t More...
Aug 04, 2010
Holland rated it: 3 of 5 stars
I learned in this book that friendship is importent to everybody even me.
Sep 06, 2009
Alison rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Read every single one of these in the car. The kids love them.
Sep 30, 2010
Faria.706 rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Great Book! I read it with my little brothers alot!
May 04, 2010
Joyce rated it: 5 of 5 stars
Very cute quick read for Chrildren and very informational.