Osborne, Mary Pope. The Magic Tree House: Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve. New York : Random House, 2003.
Plot: After receiving a summons on an oak leaf, Jack and Annie return to their magical tree house to answer Merlin's call. The two find themselves in Camelot with a quest to return a duke's castle "to order." They discover the castle is not messy, but haunted by invisible occupants due to the theft of the Diamond of Destiny. However, the act was not accomplished by mere mortals, but thieves consisting of an army of ravens lead by an evil sorcerer. The siblings, with their friend, Teddy, must use their wits and magic to stop the feathered fiends.
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Reading Level: Grades 4-8
Similar Titles: Eve of the Emperor Penguin, The 39 Clues
Personal Thoughts: The story promises high adventure and mythical links. Unfortunately, the characters and plot are poorly developed and the story quickly becomes predictable. The two protagonists become the super-smart non-magic users that understand magic better than the sorcerers, while the villain falls to an almost comically expected trick. Overall, the title seems to miss its full potential.
This is the third title in the Camelot story arc.
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