Parents' Guide to

Knight at Dawn: Magic Tree House, Book 2

By Megan McDonald, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Predictable -- choose other books in this series.

Book Mary Pope Osborne Fantasy 1993
Knight at Dawn: Magic Tree House, Book 2 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 6+

Based on 2 parent reviews

bec45
bec45 Parent of 3 and 6-year-old
January 28, 2010
age 7+

Good idea, but the role models need better character!

I think it's great that this series is trying to get kids interested in non-fictional items (science, history) through adventure books, but the reading level is low for the age I feel would be appropriate. Annie says "dummie" and does not listen to her brother's advice. The brother says "I'm going to kill her." I also have a problem with the premise that the kids are sneaking around and keeping a secret from their parents. These are not good role models for kids. What can't we have some true heroes who stand up for integrity and are respectful in these kinds of kids books?
bellaMOM
bellaMOM Parent of 7-year-old
September 12, 2009
age 5+

Get beginner reader series

This book held my sons interest enough that he wanted to pick it up and read some himself. I just started reading from the Magic tree house series based on recommendations from 2 media specialists because I was looking for something to peek his interest in reading. This series did that! He is excited and gets into the stories. The sentences are nice a short and it is a series to intorduce hesitiant readers into chapter books.
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What's the Story?

Eight-year-old Jack and his 7-year-old sister Annie recap their first adventure with the dinosaurs. Upon finding a blue leather bookmark in the pages of a castle book, they wing their way via traveling treehouse to the Middle Ages.

Here, they witness a feast in the Great Hall. When they are questioned, \"Who art thou?\" the two run for cover, finding themselves caught in a room full of armor. Three unsavory guards corner them in the dungeon, until Annie pretends her flashlight is a magic wand and stuns them.

A trapdoor provides easy escape into the moat filled with crocodiles, when along comes a knight on horseback, delivering them to safety. At home, Jack notices an M on the bookmark, and concludes that the same person who dropped the coin in the first adventure also owns the books and is responsible for the magic in the tree house.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

The Middle Ages fascinate kids, but this is one flying tree house adventure with a ho-hum plot that never really gets off the ground. Jack does his usual observing, and Annie her characteristic disappearing act, but witnessing the Middle Ages from doorways and through windows is not enough.

Still, kids will find a dash of humor to enjoy, such as eating peacocks, the silly names of the three guardsmen -- Squinty, Mustache, and Red (who ask them if they are "Spies? Foreigners? Egyptians? Romans? [or] Persians?") -- not to mention the moment when the two central characters discover the meaning of precipice and tumble into a moat.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the medieval background. How much of this is true, how much made up? If they read other books in the series, they could talk about what they like best, and what about the main characters stays true throughout.

Book Details

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