The Magic Tree House Leprechaun is a popular book in the Magic Tree House series written by Mary Pope Osborne. It is the 43rd book in the series and was published in 2009. The story follows the adventures of Jack and Annie, two siblings who discover a magical tree house that can transport them to different times and places. In this particular book, Jack and Annie are transported to ancient Ireland on a mission to find a special kind of gold to help save their friend Teddy from a mysterious illness. They arrive in a lush green meadow and encounter a mischievous leprechaun named Paddy. Paddy tells them that the gold they are looking for is hidden at the end of the rainbow and gives them a riddle to solve to find it.
Goal: This specie has an intense instinct for nurture and protection. Because they see mortals just as weak, adorable and vulnerable creatures, their wish is to take care of them. Once they've captured a victim (usually one at a time), they extend the life of it as long as their own to live together for as long as they can. There's a tendency in capturing smaller animals than themselves, but this isn't a rule, which is why there are a few fairies who have captured bears or even lions.
Beast and Beauty Played with in an interesting way - Marianne is the beauty, and the Bog King is the beast, yet due to the different standards of beauty in each culture, the implication is that Marianne is seen as the beastly one by the Goblins. At the end of the film the Bog King starts singing it at the end of the film as part of his Love Confession, only to have Marianne interrupt him and end the film with Wild Thing by the Troggs.
Paddy tells them that the gold they are looking for is hidden at the end of the rainbow and gives them a riddle to solve to find it. Jack and Annie embark on a quest to solve the riddle and find the pot of gold. Along the way, they encounter various Irish folklore creatures such as a faun, a banshee, and even a friendly selkie.
Nymph king peculiar magic
The Wood Nymph and the Cranky Saint is the second book in the Daimbert series. The first, A Bad Spell in Yurt, was a surprise stand-out hit with its gentle, "cozy fantasy" vibes, and I've been saving its predecessor for the right moment. After damn-near reading a love story about a woman and her adopted, shape-shifting son, the idea of something gentle and cozy appealed to me. So I headed back to the kingdom of Yurt.
Daimbert, the royal wizard of the Yurt, has had some time to mature since we last saw him. He's still a bit of a rapscallion, but it's more light-hearted, and he takes his job seriously. He loves Yurt and its people and wants to do right by them. Which is good—the king is planning a trip, and Daimbert, along with the Regent and the Chaplain, will be in charge while he's gone.
Naturally, things start to go sideways the moment the king steps off the page:
- A duke reports unnatural creatures lumbering through the woods.
- The previous court wizard might be losing his mind in dangerous ways.
- An enigmatic man shrouded in mystery has captured the Duchess's eye.
- The Chaplain is beset by parochial drama that, separately, involves magical creatures, unethical capitalism, and the incomprehensible desires of saints.
- The Duchess has hired her own court magician, a young wizard fresh out of school who doesn't seem capable of anything other than causing problems.
If "cozy" stories revolve around one primary mystery—and it's my understanding that's how they normally work—I was somewhat flummoxed by the scope of the problems Daimbert faces. There were too many threads. How is it possible to bring them together neatly?
There was a more significant problem, though: the new wizard, whose name I've completely forgotten. I expect he's supposed to be a foil to the freshly matured Daimbert and a call-back to when Daimbert was a touch less dedicated to his kingdom, but it didn't work for me.
First off, He's a pain in Daimbert's ass pretty much every step of the way, from taking Daimbert's things without asking to behaving recklessly and dangerously for no good reason. As far as I can tell, he has no redeeming qualities.
Daimbert is also occasionally a pain in the ass. Still, we get to see him feeling insecure, or trying to reconcile his strange friendship with the Chaplain, or doing his best only for it to fail spectacularly. We know that Daimbert's not charging around the kingdom going, "Eh, fuck everyone else, I'm going to do exactly what I want to do." I can't say the same about backup-wizard.
I could have dealt with this annoying wizard a lot better if I had something substantial plot-point to latch onto, but everything felt a bit piecemeal. Daimbert's dashing across the kingdom to track eerie creatures only to run back to the old wizard's place and then skip back to the castle before taking off again. The scope never seems to narrow and bring the plots together; everything is its own thing. This feels like a major sin in the cozy genre, but I still wondered if Brittain would somehow blow me away in the home stretch with each puzzle piece falling perfectly into place.
The most interesting part of the novel is the wood nymph. Before you get too excited, though, I feel the need to warn you that the cranky saint isn't actually present in the book. This really put a damper on my dreams of the nymph playing colorful pranks of the saint. Still, the wood nymph highlights Brittain's ability to weave modern religion with fantasy to a thought-provoking and delightful effect.
It doesn't last long, though. All too soon, she fades into the background and Daimbert continues to be confused about what's happening, what he should be doing, and how everything is connected.
Things come to a head, as they must, but this sudden climax feels a little out of left field. It revolves around an interesting enough topic—mortality—but it needs to be explored before page 200-something of a 200-something page book. Then, in the wrap-up/denouement , we finally get answers to all the questions, and it's exactly what I feared:
Yurt's problems are incidental and individual; the connection between them is specious at best and filled with plot holes. There's never that beautiful moment when everything comes together, leaving you gaping at the intricacy of the plot. And with everything feeling so slapdash, it doesn't end on that cozy, gentle vibe that I expected. I just kinda scratched my head and went, "uh, okay."
Aside from the wood nymph and Daimbert's occasional interactions with the Chaplain, I don't think there's much I can look back on with fondness. I'm willing to keep going with Daimbert, hoping Brittain finds the genius she wielded with A Bad Spell in Yurt, but if this were the first Daimbert novel I read, I wouldn't continue.
Cover art by Dean Morrissey:
Reproduction: Nymphs are hermaphrodites and they reproduce laying eggs. They need the participation of two members of the same specie, although it's weird to see a couple of nymphs. They tend to prefer relationships with non-fairies. Because of the fleeting relationships in-between species, it's normal that only one of the parents take care of the offspring.
They receive help and guidance from the magical creatures as they solve the riddle and navigate through the lush Irish landscape. Throughout the book, the theme of friendship and teamwork is highlighted. Jack and Annie rely on each other's strengths and learn the value of working together to overcome challenges. They also learn about Irish culture, traditions, and legends as they interact with the magical creatures and explore the ancient land. The Magic Tree House Leprechaun is a captivating and educational book that combines adventure, fantasy, and historical elements. It takes young readers on an enchanting journey through ancient Ireland, introducing them to Irish folklore and legends. The book encourages curiosity, problem-solving, and learning while entertaining readers with its exciting storyline..
Reviews for "The Magic Tree House Leprechaun: A Friend to All Creatures Magical and Small"
1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Magic Tree House: Leprechaun". The story seemed predictable and lacked any real excitement. The characters were one-dimensional and I found it difficult to relate to them. Additionally, the writing style was monotonous and lacked any creative storytelling. Overall, I just couldn't get into this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1 star - I absolutely hated "Magic Tree House: Leprechaun". The plot was extremely weak and felt forced. The dialogue between the characters was unrealistic and cringeworthy. I also found the cultural representation of leprechauns to be inaccurate and offensive. The book failed to hold my attention, and I found myself skimming through most of it just to get to the end. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
3. Mike - 2 stars - "Magic Tree House: Leprechaun" was a major letdown for me. The writing was dull and lacking in creativity. The story felt disjointed and disconnected, making it hard to follow and engage with. The characters lacked depth and development, hindering my ability to connect with them emotionally. Overall, this book failed to captivate me and left me feeling unsatisfied. I wouldn't recommend it.
4. Emily - 1 star - I did not enjoy reading "Magic Tree House: Leprechaun" at all. The pacing was slow, and the plot felt predictable and uninteresting. The dialogue between the characters was forced and unnatural, making it difficult to engage with the story. Additionally, the book lacked any meaningful messages or themes. Overall, I found it to be a boring and forgettable read. I would not recommend it to others.