Narwhal on a Sunny Night

Magic Tree House #33

by Mary Pope Osborne, A.G. Ford (Illustrator)

The #1 bestselling Magic Tree House series is ready to whisk you away through time with Jack and Annie! This time, meet famous explorer Leif Erikson and help save a narwhal!

When the magic tree house whisks Jack and Annie to Greenland, they're not sure what time they've landed in, but they immediately know what their mission save a narwhal! Then they meet a young hunter named Leif Erikson and they ask for his help. But Leif has other ideas...

Track the facts with Jack and Annie in the nonfiction companion to this Narwhals and Other Whales .

Did you know that there's a Magic Tree House book for every kid?
Magic Tree Perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books
Merlin More challenging adventures for the experienced reader
Fact Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

If you're looking for Merlin Mission #33: Carnival at Candlelight , it was renumbered as part of the rebrand in 2017 as Merlin Mission #5.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Chapter Books, Adventure, Middle Grade

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2020

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4 stars

My daughter picked this book out for me to read it to her and her brother. She picked it up last year at a school book fair - I look forward to having those again someday! (For those reading this review in the future and wondering why I say that - I am writing this review in 2020; school book fairs unlikely for the foreseeable future!)

Narwhal on a Sunny Night is right in the middle of the Magic Tree House series. While the main characters mention a few things that may not make sense if you have not read the rest of the series - and there are a few "Remember that time when . . ." moments when they recap a previous storyline - it is not bad enough to distract from the plot overall. This is especially important if you have a kid excited to read - just hop on in wherever!

The writing was okay - it obviously had to be kept at an elementary level. However, I have read a few elementary books with my kids where the narrative and dialogue flowed a bit better.

My kids really got into this book and said they want to find more in the series. Also, they were excited to learn all about Greenland. The problem is now they want to see a Narwhal and one of the things we learned is that narwhals can't be kept in captivity. Guess it is time for me to start planning that trip to Greenland!

[Scottsdale Public Library]

Dive into the Arctic waters with Jack and Annie to meet the elusive narwhal. The story beautifully blends adventure with environmental awareness, teaching readers about marine life and the importance of conservation. The enchanting descriptions and magical elements make it a standout in the series. Perfect for young nature lovers and fans of marine animals.

-Teen Volunteer Adhyyan R.

[Book2Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to the Arctic Circle, but this time to Greenland. (is it green??) In the summer the sun never stops shining, even at night. This theme also ties into the myth of the Unicorn. It's coo-l-l-dd out there!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While they love their Pennsylvania home, Jack and Annie also relish the trips to other places and times they are able to take, thanks to their Magic Tree House. In this, the thirty-third book in the series--isn't that crazy?--they travel to the inappropriately-named Greenland, rescue a stranded narwhal, and meet a Viking boy named Erikson, son of Eric the Red. At first the boy, Leif, is reluctant to give up a chance to kill the narwhal for its horn, but Annie persuades him to help them free the narwhal. In this version of history, the youngsters give Leif a map of North America that he will later use for his own exploration of the area. The story moves quickly, if somewhat improbably, and readers can learn a little bit about narwhals and Viking culture from reading this account. Plus, it all takes place in a timely fashion with the siblings back home in time for supper. Fourth and fifth graders will enjoy this one as well as its nonfiction companion. The black and white illustrations add even more interest to the story, and I had to wonder how those youngsters would explain their arrival in a tree house rather than a boat.

[Victoria Whipple · Rating 2 out of 5]

Annie and Jack travel through time and place to Greenland when it was first being settled. They befriend a young Lief Erikson and experience a slice of daily life with him.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken]

Eleanor and I both really love narwhals so this book was an obvious one for us to read. We are also super excited to read the fact tracker.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Magic Tree House #33: Narwhal on a Sunny Night by Mary Pope Osborne, 87 pages. CHAPTER BOOK Random House, 2020. $14.

Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Jack and Annie go on a time traveling adventure to Greenland. While there, they see a narwhal that is trapped in the ice and help to free it. They also meet a boy named Erikson and learn that he is the son of famed explorer Leif Erikson.

Much like other Magic Tree House books, this is a fast and simple adventure for young readers. I liked the setting of Greenland, the information about Narwhals and the explanation on how the sun stays in the sky during the night in Greenland. There are interesting black and white drawings that help tell the story and that help break up the text for younger readers.

Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blake was two when we started reading these books for bedtime stories. He's almost 11 now and we still read together. We now can read one in two nights, but still, it's a lovely time that I know I'll always cherish. Plus, unicorns of the sea? You can bet we'll be reading it!

[Noam Bader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The bringing of two worlds together, the making of someone change a world, and the love for animals and the presence of fiction makes this book like sheer magic and that magic makes me want to read this book 1,000 times!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great children's story.

[Jan Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

0 out of 5 for scared faces. They look interested and happy.
Jack and Annie travel back in time to Greenland and meet Leif Erikson as a boy and Erik the Red. They free a narwhal trapped in ice.
There are fun facts about whales at the end and facts about Greenland in the story.

[Lover of books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Narwhals!! That is all.

[Kelsey]

We saved a narwhal, met Leif Erikson, and learned the importance of expressing gratitude. <3

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean can you really rate a magic treehouse book low? Nostalgic

[Aneesa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this one was a little weird, but excellent illustrations.

[Cheryl]

I think this series probably deserves its popularity. Educational, and fun, and short. I chose this for a Children's Books group theme of polar animals, and I'm glad I did.

[Kelly Hohenstern · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read. Always love the little nuggets of facts and information peppered throughout these stories. My daughter loved it as well.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Annie and Jack are sent to Iceland during the viking era. While there they see whales, dolphins and narwhals. They also meet Eric the Red and his son Leif and learned about their lifestyle of living. We love learning with Jack and Annie.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always learn something new when I read a Magic Treehouse book. That’s one of the reasons I think they’re amazing. This one had some interesting facts about narwhals and the exploration of Greenland. Great story!

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in the mini series of four in which Jack and Annie must go and help four animals in the magic tree house. They are sent back to ancient Greenland to meet Vikings and save a narwhal. I love seeing Annie getting more into learning about animals, as she has a huge love fore whales, and especially these unicorns of the sea. Along the way, they run into Lief Erickson. Narwhals and Other Whales: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #33: Narwhal on a Sunny Night is the fact tracker

[Meghan Schulte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super quick read for adults and upper readers. For readers just beginning to dip their toes in chapter books, the Magic Treehouse series is a great place to start. The beautiful thing about series (particularly for striving readers) is that the pattern of the plot is similar book to book, and the main characters stay the same so a reader isn’t starting completely over each time. These books are structured with enough fact blended with fiction to keep the reader hooked. Her notes in the back also serve to clarify the fact from fiction. Highly recommended for read aloud or independent readers who are just beginning.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack and Annie visit Greenland during the time of the Vikings. They meet Erik the Red and his son Leif. Along with Leif, they help rescue a narwhal that became trapped in a small area after being chased by an orca. Through the story they learn that thanking others for the help that they give unites people together even across times. This is a great addition to the Magic Tree House series. It would be a highly recommended purchase for those libraries with a fan base for Jack and Annie.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it because of the narwhals, and the orcas were fun, too.

In this book, Jack and Annie take the magic tree house to Greenland where they meet Leif Erikson and they save a narwhal. They go to Leif Erikson's house. They learn that saying thanks is important -- even 1,000 years ago.

And it was fun to learn about Leif Erikson. He was a real person a long time ago.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

How does one adequately review another addition to one of the most popular series for elementary children? Number 33 in the series, Osborne gives up another hit for fans. Here we meet Lief and Eric the Red in Greenland.

Many curricula and interest links, as with all of the books in this series.

[Ainsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book because it had real famous people in it (Erik the Red and Leif Erikson). Annie and Jack told the truth and the magic person named Morgan Le Fay had a magic treehouse and wanted to keep it a secret so Annie and Jack said the person who owned the ship wanted to keep a secret so her magic wouldn't go away!

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie to Greenland. They are to save a narwhal. They meet a young hunter named Leif Erikson and they ask for his help. But Leif has other ideas.

A great read that sparks the imagination of kids of all ages.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Magic Tree House wasn't my favorite but it wasn't bad. My favorite was the Jackie Robinson one.

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my kindergarten son Calvin, and we enjoyed it, but it wasn't one of our favorites.

[Dmitry Sedor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love narwhals

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story.
Adventure.
Nature.
History.