The Magic Tree House is an educational and entertaining series of children's books written by Mary Pope Osborne. The series follows the adventures of Jack and Annie, two siblings who discover a magic tree house that can transport them through time and space. The Magic Tree House books are known for their blend of history, mythology, and fantasy. Each book takes Jack and Annie to a different time period or location, such as ancient Egypt, medieval Europe, or the American Wild West. Along the way, they encounter historical figures, mythical creatures, and solve puzzles or complete tasks to fulfill a mission assigned to them by Morgan le Fay, the magical enchantress who owns the tree house. The books are popular among young readers due to their engaging storytelling and educational value.
Lower promenade on Carnival Magic Club O2 onboard Carnival Magic Club O2 onboard Carnival Magic
Looking forward on the Lanai Starboard side of the Lanai looking forward Starboard side of the Lanai looking aft Hot tubs on Carnival Magic s Lanai Entrance to the Lanai. Ocean Plaza onboard Carnival Magic Upper Magical Promenade onboard Carnival Magic Fun Hub and another Pixels onboard Carnival Magic Plaza Bar onboard Carnival Magic Plaza Cafe onboard Carnival Magic Alchemy Bar.
The books are popular among young readers due to their engaging storytelling and educational value. Osborne weaves in historical facts and cultural details, making the stories both entertaining and informative. Children can learn about different time periods, cultures, and historical events while following Jack and Annie on their adventures.
Carnival Magic Virtual Tour
I recently had the chance to board the Carnival Magic in Miami. While I was touring the vessel, I took the opportunity to photograph the ship for a comprehensive tour. This review will cover the public areas and staterooms.
All Carnival ships have a theme and some are more subtle than others. While the Magic’s public rooms are themed after, surprisingly, Magic, the decor isn’t in-your-face about that. What is, are the copious use of shiny metals, bright neon lights and the color turquoise. This is the last ship that their main interior designer and polarizing industry figure Joe Farcus worked on.
The ship is in the Dream-class of vessels launched in 2011. She’s a middle sister in the class, joining her younger sister Carnival Dream (2009) and older sisters Carnival Breeze (2012) and Costa Diadema (2014).
Let’s start the tour with our noted obligatory photos:
Obligatory hallway photo
Hallway on Carnival Magic
Obligatory elevator lobby photo
Random forward elevator lobby onboard Carnival Magic
Obligatory stairwell artwork photo
Artwork adorns the stairwells onboard Carnival Magic
Deck 01The bottom-most deck normally accessed by the public contains only cabins. There’s both inside and outside cabins with windows and portholes on this deck.
Deck 02 Deck 03Main theater onboard Carnival Magic
Aft of that is the Shore Excursion and Guest Services desks.
Guest Services onboard Carnival Magic Shore excursion desk onboard Carnival Magic
Those stop at the main bank of elevators and the ships main lobby.
Main lobby onboard Carnival Magic Magic Lobby
Another new feature of this class is that instead of entering the ship on the promenade and then walking into the atrium, you walk directly into the atrium.
Entrance to Carnival Magic
At the end of the atrium is one of the ships main dinning rooms.
Northern Lights dining room onboard Carnival Magic
Deck three is one of those split decks on Carnival Ships. This means that to reach the aft area, you need to go a deck above or below and then head aft to go back up.
Before entering the dining room, like the previous classes have, the Dream-class have this neat mini-atrium.
Aft atrium onboard Carnival Magic
At the very aft of the ship is the other dining room.
Southern Lights dining room onboard Carnival Magic
As keeps getting mentioned she’s an evolution of the Conquest-class. One noticeable change is the exterior profile of the aft part of decks 0, 1, 2 & 3.
As a result, the windows in the dining room slope the other way.
Southern Lights dining room onboard Carnival Magic
Deck 04Showtime Theatre onboard Carnival Magic
Walking out of the theater is the Pixels photo gallery.
Pixels onboard Carnival Magic
Surrounding the atrium is a Bar and library.
Magic Atrium onboard Carnival Magic
Past those is the second level to the midships dinning room.
Northern Lights dining room onboard Carnival Magic
Unlike other ships of previous class, to reach the aft part of this deck you do not need to walk through the dining room. They created a hallway that leads directly to the aft dining room. Also gone is this area is the large bar/lounge (that’s been moved up one deck).
Restaurant hallway onboard Carnival Magic
I can see myself hunkering down in one of these and getting work done.
Seating in hallway onboard Carnival Magic
Past the midships dining room is the conference center and conference rooms.
Gallery on the Way onboard Carnival Magic Conference center onboard Carnival Magic Conference center onboard Carnival Magic Secret stairway connecting both promenades
Past the conference room is the arcade and teens club off the Lower Magical Way Promenade.
Lower promenade on Carnival Magic Club O2 onboard Carnival Magic Club O2 onboard Carnival Magic
The lower promenade ends at the second floor of the aft atrium.
Aft atrium onboard Carnival Magic
At the very aft is the second floor of the aft dining room.
Southern Lights dining room
Deck 05Looking forward on the Lanai Starboard side of the Lanai looking forward Starboard side of the Lanai looking aft Hot tubs on Carnival Magic’s Lanai Entrance to the Lanai
Back inside at the very front of the deck is the top floor of the main theater.
As you exit that, you are at the top-most deck of the main atrium in which you can completely walk around it.
Overlooking the Magic Atrium Overlooking the Magic Atrium
Surrounding the atrium are the Fun Shops.
The Fun Shops onboard Carnival Magic
At the aft part of the atrium you see the Cherry on Top candy store.
Cherry on Top on Carnival Magic
Exiting the atrium you walk through the Hat Trick Casino.
Hat Trick Casino on Carnival Magic
Exiting only on the starboard side you emerge in Ocean Plaza. This is the reimagining of the bar/lounge from a deck below. The area contains a bar, cafe and the Fun Hub.
Ocean Plaza onboard Carnival Magic Upper Magical Promenade onboard Carnival Magic Fun Hub and another Pixels onboard Carnival Magic Plaza Bar onboard Carnival Magic Plaza Cafe onboard Carnival Magic Alchemy Bar
Just outside on the starboard side is the first of two signature Guy Fieri restaurants onboard. This one is Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que.
Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que joint onboard Carnival Magic
Past the Ocean Plaza is a shorter promenade with seating on the starboard and the Red Frog Pub on port.
Red Frog Pub Red Frog Pub Red Frog Pub
Aft of the pub is the night club Vibe Dance Club.
Vibe Dance Club onboard Carnival Magic
Exiting the promenade there’s the Play It Again Piano Bar.
Piano Bar onboard Carnival Magic
Opposite that is the Prime Steakhouse.
Prime Steakhouse onboard Carnival Magic Prime Steakhouse onboard Carnival Magic
At the very back of the deck is the alternate lounge Spotlight.
Top of the aft atrium Spotlight Lounge onboard Carnival Magic
Hat Trick Casino on Carnival Magic
In addition to the books, there is also a Magic Tree House website and a companion series called the "Magic Tree House Fact Trackers." The website offers additional games, activities, and resources for children to further engage with the series. The Fact Trackers provide non-fiction companion books that delve deeper into the topics explored in the main series, providing more educational content for curious readers. Overall, the Magic Tree House series is a beloved and influential children's book franchise that sparks imagination, curiosity, and a love for history and reading. Its combination of captivating storytelling and educational value has made it a staple in many classrooms and households around the world..
Reviews for "Discovering the Magic Within: Costco's Tree House Collection"
- John - 1/5 stars - I purchased the Magic Tree House book set for my children based on the high ratings and positive reviews, but I was utterly disappointed. The storylines were predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and did not resonate with my kids at all. The writing style was simplistic and did not engage their interest. I would not recommend this series to anyone looking for quality children's literature.
- Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for the Magic Tree House series after hearing so many good things about it. However, I found the books to be repetitive and formulaic. The same plot structure seemed to be used in every book, making them feel monotonous and uninteresting. Additionally, the writing style seemed to talk down to the reader, which I found patronizing. Overall, I was disappointed and would not continue with this series.
- Sarah - 1/5 stars - As an elementary school teacher, I was excited to introduce my students to the Magic Tree House series. Unfortunately, they did not live up to my expectations. The books lack depth and substance, and the characters fail to develop over time. The vocabulary used is too simple for the targeted age group, and there is a missed opportunity to introduce more advanced concepts. I would recommend exploring other children's book series that focus more on engaging storytelling and character development.
- Michael - 2/5 stars - My daughter was excited to start reading the Magic Tree House books, but I found them to be very repetitive and lacking in originality. The same formula is used in each book, which can become tiresome after a while. The characters and dialogue are also quite simplistic and lack depth. I would suggest exploring other options that offer more engaging and varied storytelling.