Guest Author - Taisha Turner
Summer Of The Sea Serpent, Magic Tree House Book #31 is by Mary Pope Osborne. Summer Of The Sea Serpent Magic Tree House Book #31 is the third in a group of the Magic Tree House Boxed Set 29-32. It is the third book of brother and sister's The Merlin Missions. In this four book collection, Merlin sends Jack and Annie on special magic tree house adventures.
In Summer Of The Sea Serpent Magic Tree House Book #31 Jack and Annie are back for another adventure. This time it the summer solstice, the first day of summer. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. There are more hours of sunlight than on the other days in the year. In the magic tree house, they find a blue seashell with a message from Merlin. “To Jack and Annie of Frog Creek: on this summer solstice, journey to a land lost in mist, to a time even before Camelot. Follow my rhyme to complete your mission.” On the seashell's other side there is a rhyme that tells the siblings they must find a shining sword, Sword of Light, before the end of the summer solstice or Camelot’s King Arthur “shall meet his doom.” There are directions on how to carry out their mission.
The magic tree house spins and takes the Frog Creek kids to their destination. It lands in a tree overlooking a sea. They look for the Water Knight, and find him riding a strange creature with a horse’s head and neck and front legs, but with a long fish’s tail instead of a horse's back legs. Annie and Jack climb behind the knight and ride through the waves to a distant rocky shore.
Jack and Annie meet an old friend, Teddy. Teddy introduces them to a new character, Kathleen. The four have many adventures before finding the sword.
The Frog Creek kids have the sword but things are not easy, because suddenly in comes a storm. They discover what they thought were green hills are not hills, but the body of a giant sea serpent. Jack and Annie are fearful, and the giant serpent demands they answer a question: “What is the purpose of the sword?” Jack and Annie answer giving different usages of a sword. For example, fighting your enemies, but then Jack remembers the last part of Merlin’s message: “Answer a question with love, not fear.”
Jack and Annie guess the answer to the serpent’s question. The Frog Creek kids say the sword should be used not to make people afraid, but to take away fear so people will not fight. Peace is its purpose. Its the correct answer, and the serpent turns itself back into the landscape again.
Teddy steps in and offers a rhyme. It and Kathleen’s help, turns the sword into a bridge in the sky. Jack and Annie walk on the bridge to a rocky sea cliff. Merlin awaits for the Sword of Light, also known as Excalibur. Merlin will return the sword to the Island of Avalon for the Lady of the Lake. She will give the sword to Arthur in the future.
As for Jack and Annie, another Magic Tree House adventure has come to an end. Merlin guides their way back up to the tree house and they return home for a summer afternoon at the lake with their mother.
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) by Mary Pope Osborne review copy is from a friend's library. Random House publishes Magic Tree House and Dr. Seuss Books.