Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Madcap mayhem perfect for Big Nate fans.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Andy and Terry have to turn in a new story to Mr. Big Nose, their publisher, tomorrow -- but they haven't even started it yet! They find it's hard to focus when you live in a 13-story treehouse with a game room, a bowling alley, a lemonade fountain, an underground lab, and a machine that shoots marshmallows into your mouth. Every time they settle down to work, they're distracted -- by a TV show, a sea monster, a burp-filled bubblegum bubble, a bunch of monkeys, a giant gorilla, flying cats. ... Eventually they realize they don't need to struggle to come up with a story.
Is It Any Good?
THE 13-STORY TREEHOUSE is a promising start to a series by longtime collaborators Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton. The plot is almost irrelevant: It's a light frame to support a string of ridiculous adventures. The black-and-white line drawings are delightful, packed with tiny gags. Treehouse invites comparisons to the Big Nate and Wimpy Kid books, but its humor is gentler. The boys are fun loving and carefree, and there's no social angst or middle-school sniping.
The treehouse is a boy's dream come true, with a vegetable vaporizer, a giant catapult, a tank of man-eating sharks, and seemingly endless amusements. It's no wonder the characters have a hard time focusing on their work. And this is just the start: The next book in the series tacks on another 13 stories packed with bumper cars, a skating rink, and more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the appeal of books that blend comics and narrative. How would 13-Story Treehouse work as a novel without pictures? Or as a comic?
Design your own over-the-top treehouse. What would you put in it?
Do you ever get distracted when you're trying to do your homework or another important task? What helps you stay focused?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Terry Denton
- Genre : Humor
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Feiwel and Friends
- Publication date : April 16, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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