Sunlight on the Snow Leopard

Magic Tree House #36

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 to the snowy mountains of Nepal!

The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie to Nepal with a mission to find. . . a ghost! As frightening as that sounds, the mission is clear: find the ghost and save the world. But what does all this have to do with a mountain, an old man, and a snow leopard? The journey is dangerous and the path uncertain, but Jack and Annie can do this -- they're the only ones who can!

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

If you're looking for Merlin Mission #36: Blizzard of the Blue Moon, it was renumbered as part of the rebrand in 2017 as Merlin Mission #8.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Audiobook, Fiction, Animals, Adventure

97 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

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

[hadley 🧡 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a quick comfort while I fall asleep

[Jenny Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good addition to the Magic Tree House series. The fact tracker for this is Snow Leopards and Other Wild Cats

[Nolan Brendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it because they went on this cool adventure with this one dude, I forgot his name, and they found this cool snow leopard and it was the Gray Ghost.

[Cristofer Jimenez]

it was interesting when they went up to the mountains and it's named after a leopard.

[Jan Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 for terror look on their faces
The Adventure part was fairly short compared to other books in the series. There was more post story info about cats in general and snow leopards 🐆 in particular, so yay cats with spots.

[Julie Swartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the last of the Magic Treehouse books that I've read with my 2 daughters over the past 2 years or so. We've read all of the original series as well as the Merlin Mission series and the special edition. We've loved this series so much and my girls learned so much from them. I encourage anyone with kids in early grade school to read them together.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7-year-old gasped when she saw the cover and her favorite animal on the book, and we spent a (very snowy) afternoon reading the book together in one go. This is one of the first titles I remember in the Magic Treehouse series discussing grief and loss and community, and I thought it was a really good book for us to read right now as we know children who have recently lost their parents and parents who have recently lost their children.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF!
I was really disappointed in this book. It was hardly about snow leopards, the kids were annoying, especially the boy. You would think with all the adventures they supposedly had that they would know better. There was even a hint at white saviour mentality. I feel like I could mention other issues with this book but I feel I've given it more than enough time.

[diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a very fast-paced book. I really liked how they didn’t just state facts throughout the book, but instead made it into an adventure for little kids to enjoy.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good grief! How could there be 36 of these Magic Tree House books, each of which keeps youngsters engaged while teaching them about different places, cultures, and even animals! It would seem that the author, Mary Pope Osborne, is nowhere close to running out of inspiration. The cover of this book (No. 36) with its snow leopard in between two children gives away the mystery before readers even open the book and start reading, but it's a fun journey in an unexpected place so that's perfectly okay. Those who don't look at the cover or know much about Nepal, the Himalayas, and snow leopards will be mystified for part of the book as its protagonists, Jack and Annie leave their home in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, for Nepal and the gray ghost their mentor, Morgan, has asked them to seek. Could this ghost be something scary and supernatural? Well, as it turns out, that's not the case at all, and thanks to an experienced mountain climber named Tenzin--a name possibly used in tribute to legendary climber Tenzing Norgay who helped Edmund Hillary summit Mount Everest--they solve the mystery and complete Morgan's quest. There are important messages about friendship, being alone and not always being aware that there are those who care for us even when we don't see them. The youngsters also experience the marvelous Festival of Colors, a celebration heralding the arrival of spring. Interestingly, the story begins on a dreary day in Pennsylvania, and then when the siblings time travel to Nepal, it is also dismal. But after they come off the mountain, the clouds have abated, and rays of sunshine are warming the region. It's impressive how much this author can pack into such a short book and how she distinguishes Jack from Annie, each with very different personalities and ways of dealing with challenges. While Tenzin's swift recovery from depression is a bit unrealistic, it does offer comfort to others who are dealing with grief and losses. There will be plenty of second, third, and fourth graders who will be thrilled to read this book.

[Elle Bouchard]

I did not love this book, which was expected. While this series has always been a popular early chapter book series for children, I was never interested in it. I find it hard to become engaged with the premise of the magic tree house in general, it just isn’t my kind of fictional story. However, I can recognize that for many it is a great way to become introduced to chapter books. The plot is fantastical while keeping educational elements throughout, allowing children to use their imagination while also learning fun facts about various topics (for this book, they learned about Nepal and the animals in the Himalayas). Because of this, I would still recommend this book for children to read even though I did not enjoy it myself. It can enhance skills under multiple umbrellas while also providing entertainment, which I think is important because it will encourage kids to enjoy reading for fun rather than just as a task. I like that there are a few pictures still included regardless of it being a chapter book because this can help make the transition between types of literature feel less abrupt for the readers.

[Sam Atkis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I read this book only because of childhood nostalgia, and also it was about Nepal, my home?
YES.
I only just realized that I had spent my entire childhood waiting for Mary Pope Osborne to write about a place I was familiar with.

Plus, the description and the illustration captures Nepal well. (You just KNOW that Mary Pope Osborne and her husband went hiking in Nepal with her money and free time.)

“It’s so quiet and peaceful here,” murmured Annie. “No cars. No trucks. No computers. No television. No radio. No phones….” She yawned.
“Yeah, it is a peaceful place,” said Jack. But he thought it was a sad place, too. The people worked so hard, yet they seemed poor. And there were no hospitals nearby.”

“Love hides in plain sight. We are never all alone." [...] “And remember him dancing at the festival, so happy to be surrounded by people who love him?” said Annie. “Well, their love was always there, too, even when he was staying alone in his house. He just forgot it for a while.”

[Phillip Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic Tree House #36: Sunlight on the Snow Leopard was an unexpected wave of nostalgia that hit me right in the childhood. Opening this book felt like dusting off an old memory box—suddenly I was ten years old again, curled up with Jack and Annie as if no time had passed at all.

This installment has that classic Magic Tree House charm: a sprinkle of history, a touch of magic, and an adventure that feels both comforting and exciting. Even as an adult, I realized I still hold these books in a special place in my heart. Jack and Annie weren’t just characters—they were my childhood adventure buddies, the ones who first made reading feel like stepping into another world.

Sunlight on the Snow Leopard reminded me exactly why this series meant so much to me growing up. It’s sweet, imaginative, and filled with the kind of wonder that makes you remember why you fell in love with books in the first place.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a short audiobook to play in the car while driving my 6 and 7 year old grandsons around and this one was only 1 hour long so it was perfect.

I worried it would be confusing because it was number 36 in a series we’d never read any of yet. But it wasn’t too bad. The kids in the story went into a mysterious treehouse and instantly traveled to a different location in clothes and gear suited for the new environment. The boys never questioned it, just put it up to being magic, I suppose.

It kept my rowdy grandsons calm and fully entertained the entire trip and inspired them to learn more about the animal mentioned in the story (snow leopard).

I will definitely remember this series for future trips with them.

[Mystic DreamClouds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack and Annie travel to their next adventure in Nepal. Their mission is to find the mysterious Gray Ghost and learn its secret.

This was a very touching read. This is one of those instances where I wish the book was longer. The message behind this installment was a comforting, warm, kind and also sad one. I really recommend everyone to give this book a read once whenever they’re feeling down or lonely.

The adventure to Nepal felt short. As usual Jack and Annie met new friends and discovered a bit of the land and history but not enough to fully appreciate its beauty.

Jack as usual shows the most emotions in these books while Anne stays strong and fierce. Jack was scared of seeing a ghost and although didn’t directly voice it, one could tell from his demeanor. Jack is also more cautious and worrisome throughout. Annie on the other hand, seems a bit careless yet strong and confident. However, since her personality doesn’t change or have many fluctuations it’s not as interesting and becomes flat.

The plot of this story wasn’t very interesting. The mystery introduced by Morgan through her poem loses interest fast once a local’s story is received. With no further leads or reference to the original mystery it becomes forgotten. I found Tenzin’s story and personality much more interesting.

Overall, this was a touching story and one I recommend to read for the overall message. I’m not sure if this is the end to the Magic Tree House series but it wasn’t a conclusive end so I’m guessing there’s more to come!

Read more reviews @ Mystic's Review Shelf

[Emma Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Magic Treehouse books are the first chapter books I ever read as a child and that lifted off and turned into a Magic Treehouse obsession all through elementary school. They do a great job of showing different cultures and exploring different parts of the world but in a more imaginative way. In this specific one, Annie and Jack take an adventure to Napal to find a secret from the grey ghost. But, they don't know who the grey ghost is or how to find him. They journey through Napal in search of help on their journey.

[Scottsdale Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Embark on a journey to the Himalayas with Jack and Annie in search of the elusive snow leopard. The adventure is filled with suspense and wonder, highlighting the beauty of the natural world. The story also teaches valuable lessons about conservation and respect for wildlife. This book is a great pick for animal lovers and fans of thrilling adventures.
~Teen Volunteer Adhyyan R.


Find a Copy at Scottsdale Public Library

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read aloud to my 5 yo twins. At first they were scared to continue with this book once we got into it because of the “ghost” they were to find. I read ahead and discovered what the “ghost” was. When I let them know it wasn’t anything to be scared about, they wanted to know what it was. I told them, and we continued on with the story. It’s a very quick read, just like the others. We finished it in one morning.

[Shelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know how to describe what I feel has been lost from the essence of this series, but the last few books have lost a bit of their charm the earlier editions had. Jack and Annie's missions come across as pointless at times. There tends to be a sweet moral tagged on but not much else. I think my journey in the Magic Tree House has come to an end, it was a nice ride while it lasted and I would still recommend this series to get kids excited about reading - but mostly the earlier books.

[Cherish Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4☆ Would recommend)
I learned about this series from my 6-year-old son. He loves these books. I liked how the books aren't super long, so emergent readers & younger kids can enjoy them. I liked how the personalities of Jack & Annie are so different. I really enjoyed how the story encompasses books & learning. I liked how the book started where the last one ended. I really enjoyed this book. I'm excited to read the rest of the series. Would recommend.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morgan has a quest for Jack and Annie; to find s ghost and figure out it's secret. Jack and Annie travel to Nepal to the Himalayas to find someone to help them find the ghost and it's secret. While there they learn about different animals in the Himalayan mountains, join in on the Festival of Colors, and meet new friends. They also find the ghost and her secret.

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book where it was trying to get a feeling of both the animal of the book and the surroundings. I feel like this one did do it better than the llama book.

Last Magic Tree House book until the rhino one comes out in January!

[Mari Johnston]

Read with Elliott

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun adventure for Jack and Annie, this time in Nepal. We made it through the audiobook in less than a day, they enjoyed it so much.

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the tree house book are entertaining and fun. Great kids and their world.

[Electroclan17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the way that the pictures are integrated into the story. I also feel like over the years the illustrations have gotten better.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Butterfly Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book again. I read this series when I was growing up. Can't wait to pass these on to my kids.

[Ciera Legue · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved learning about the snow leopard and all the facts about cats at the end

[Shankar B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked when they went hiking on the Himalayas 🥾. I didn’t like when they wandered off without telling anyone.