Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lively, loony tale sneaks in moral about responsibility.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Andy and Terry have added 13 more stories to their wild tree house, with such delights as a baby-dinosaur petting zoo, a chocolate waterfall, and the world's scariest roller coaster. As usual, they haven't quite gotten around to working on their next book. Terry proudly unveils his solution: a Once-upon-a-time machine that can create their book for them. It seems like a brilliant invention ... until the machine locks them out of their tree house so it can write a superior book. The friends enlist the help of Professor Stupido, the greatest un-inventor who ever lived. But once again, their hoped-for solution becomes an even bigger problem. Professor Stupido ends up un-inventing the entire universe, and Andy and Terry need to set things right.
Is It Any Good?
THE 39-STORY TREEHOUSE brings back the easily distracted book-making duo of Andy and Terry on a third meandering but fast-paced adventure. Real-life author Andy Griffiths and illustrator Terry Denton keep inflating their original premise, but there's still lots of life left in this gag. Absurdity runs rampant, and the gross touches are aimed squarely at the older elementary school ages.
But there's reason beneath the madness: The Once-upon-a-time machine is a nod to HAL in 2001: A Space Odyssey and points the way to genuine lessons about responsibility, hard work, and creativity. Smart, compassionate friend Jill also infuses the story with needed heart. (And yes, the boys are going to build another 13 stories.)
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about morals in stories. Do you like stories that teach a lesson? Have you recently read other stories with a moral?
Do you ever find technology is more trouble than it seems worth?
What would you want to ask the authors about writing a book?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Terry Denton
- Genre : Humor
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Feiwel and Friends
- Publication date : April 7, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 6 - 10
- Number of pages : 352
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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