What do you think?
Rate this book
Magic Tree House "Merlin Missions" #1
Christmas in Camelot
Merlin's Missions are more detailed than regular Magic Tree House, fast-paced, detailed, easy to read.
Jack and Annie quest to save Camelot. Beleaguered King Arthur learns that children and imagination really can make a difference.
Jack and Annie quest to save Camelot. Beleaguered King Arthur learns that children and imagination really can make a difference.
116 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 2001
About the author
Mary Pope Osborne
951 books2,331 followersMary 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews
January 1, 2023
Mary Pope Osborne is a fantastic children's author. This book takes a reader back in time to the Knights of the Round Table and how Jack and Annie rescue them from another world and bring them back to save Camelot. Jack and Annie have to deal with temptation and courage to fight the dragons to solve the situation. Excellent series for the 6-9 year old readers.
December 14, 2023
Entertaining Christmas listening 🎶🔰
This is a kindle e-book from my local library by Mary Pope Osbome book one of the series.
Jack and his sister use the invitation in the Magic Free House to travel to Camelot. They find Camelot under a magic spell making everyone unhappy. Jack and his sister go off to bring back happiness. They are successful.
I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers looking for a quick Christmas Season story. 2023 👒😀👑🏰
I was looking for a Christmas story and came across this novella in the library. Happy Holidays Season 😀
This is a kindle e-book from my local library by Mary Pope Osbome book one of the series.
Jack and his sister use the invitation in the Magic Free House to travel to Camelot. They find Camelot under a magic spell making everyone unhappy. Jack and his sister go off to bring back happiness. They are successful.
I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers looking for a quick Christmas Season story. 2023 👒😀👑🏰
I was looking for a Christmas story and came across this novella in the library. Happy Holidays Season 😀
January 23, 2010
My first Merlin Mystery! There is a big shift in theme here. This book doesn't deal with the kids on an adventure into history, but instead into fantasy. Instead of facts and history, they learned about the power of memory and imagination. Maybe even that some things don't have to be true to be important. Jack doesn't even have time to take notes! Anyway, it was a traditional fantasy adventure, quest and all. Some of the fun mythological elements, in addition to Camelot and it's denizens, were the white stag, the dancing fairy circle, dragons and the magic cauldron. The book is also a bit longer than the previous stories. My favorite part was the very end and Jack's adventure at home. Maybe now I know why my little guy is suddenly writing chapter books of his own...
I was excited to read this knowing that it had been my guy's first real fantasy and Arthurian adventure. It wild to think about all of the stories he will read in the future with these characters, themes and elements and that all will be shaped to some degree by reading this book first. I'm glad I went on this journey with him and I look forward to the rest of the series. And I really wish the library had book 30! I don't want to wait (petulant old lady here).
I was excited to read this knowing that it had been my guy's first real fantasy and Arthurian adventure. It wild to think about all of the stories he will read in the future with these characters, themes and elements and that all will be shaped to some degree by reading this book first. I'm glad I went on this journey with him and I look forward to the rest of the series. And I really wish the library had book 30! I don't want to wait (petulant old lady here).
December 26, 2018
Just Delightful! A beautiful tale about two kids who travel through time to save Camelot, bringing joy and laughter and music and color back to the castle at Christmastime. Its also the introduction of Merlin, who becomes a key figure in the series, sending the two kids on lots of magical adventures. Since my older kids were young, they have now split the series into the regular Magic Tree House Series and the Merlin Missions. This one is Magic Tree House number 29, and Merlin Mission number 1. Great times are ahead for Jack and Annie and for Cameron and Mom.
Here's his dictated review....
"I really liked that. Jack and Annie are superstars! I wish there were a thousand books in the series. This is the best series ever!" He says the same about A to Z mysteries, Ballpark Mysteries, (which I truly think are his favorite), Horrible Harry (mine), and now the Third Grade Detectives.
Happy holidays and new year everyone
Here's his dictated review....
"I really liked that. Jack and Annie are superstars! I wish there were a thousand books in the series. This is the best series ever!" He says the same about A to Z mysteries, Ballpark Mysteries, (which I truly think are his favorite), Horrible Harry (mine), and now the Third Grade Detectives.
Happy holidays and new year everyone
December 26, 2020
Fun festive book to read with the family today. I'm sure I've read this at some point but had forgotten enough of the story that it felt fresh.
May 22, 2012
This is one of my favorites! No wonder it was made into a stage play!
December 22, 2022
Nothing wrong with this book, it was just aimed at a far younger audience than me and there are honestly other children's books that I, even as an adult reader, have enjoyed a lot more than this one. This book is probably best for kids who are just getting into chapter books and who's parents want to introduce them to fantasy with an extremely simple, short (Seriously, the audiobook version was barely an hour long), and safe adventure.
Part of the reason I read this (aside from being Christmassy at Christmas time) is that I thought because the cover AND Goodreads said that it was the first in this series I could pick it up without being lost from having not read the rest of the series. But upon starting the book there was this whole rundown of these kids' previous adventures in Camelot, and things that they did on those previous adventures got referenced throughout. So apparently it's actually the first book in a spin-off of another series. I actually didn't feel that it did that well at standing on its own as the start of a spin-off series since it felt like I'd missed out on a ton of stuff that was kind of essential to know who these kids were and why they knew these people from the legend of King Arthur. So, heads up to parents looking for books for their kids: you may find yourself buying an entire series just to prep your kid to read this 27-book spin-off series. If your kid's a voracious reader, that may not be a bad thing, though.🙂
In summary, this is probably a perfectly fine read for young elementary school kids, but I didn't grow up with the Magic Treehouse series, so it holds no nostalgia for me and this story did very little for me as an adult who typically still enjoys many children's books. Even as a kid, I was testing on a college reading-comprehension level by 3rd grade, so probably grew out of books this simple really fast. Just not what I was hoping for, unfortunately. But again, there are very young children who would like it.
Content Advisory:
For parents who want to know, this book is perfectly appropriate for the age range intended so long as they enjoy magical fantasy. The adventure has extremely mild peril (Everyone in Camelot is under a sleeping spell forever unless the kids succeed at bringing back magical water, some knights are enchanted into dancing for eternity unless the kids save them... that kind of thing) that the kids problem-solve their way out of. No one gets hurt at any point, and the kids succeed in their quest to save Camelot.
The magic in the story is of the same variety as one finds in the original King Arthur legend. Morgan le Fay is an enchantress from the original legend who is apparently responsible for having summoned the kids to Camelot from their own world (via the magic treehouse) during their past adventures and the kids seem to be good friends with her. As the title of the series suggests, they also meet Merlin who does some magical shape-shifting during the story. But the "how it's done" of the magic never gets delved into. It just happens.
I think the girl said "darn" out of frustration once.
Part of the reason I read this (aside from being Christmassy at Christmas time) is that I thought because the cover AND Goodreads said that it was the first in this series I could pick it up without being lost from having not read the rest of the series. But upon starting the book there was this whole rundown of these kids' previous adventures in Camelot, and things that they did on those previous adventures got referenced throughout. So apparently it's actually the first book in a spin-off of another series. I actually didn't feel that it did that well at standing on its own as the start of a spin-off series since it felt like I'd missed out on a ton of stuff that was kind of essential to know who these kids were and why they knew these people from the legend of King Arthur. So, heads up to parents looking for books for their kids: you may find yourself buying an entire series just to prep your kid to read this 27-book spin-off series. If your kid's a voracious reader, that may not be a bad thing, though.🙂
In summary, this is probably a perfectly fine read for young elementary school kids, but I didn't grow up with the Magic Treehouse series, so it holds no nostalgia for me and this story did very little for me as an adult who typically still enjoys many children's books. Even as a kid, I was testing on a college reading-comprehension level by 3rd grade, so probably grew out of books this simple really fast. Just not what I was hoping for, unfortunately. But again, there are very young children who would like it.
Content Advisory:
For parents who want to know, this book is perfectly appropriate for the age range intended so long as they enjoy magical fantasy. The adventure has extremely mild peril (Everyone in Camelot is under a sleeping spell forever unless the kids succeed at bringing back magical water, some knights are enchanted into dancing for eternity unless the kids save them... that kind of thing) that the kids problem-solve their way out of. No one gets hurt at any point, and the kids succeed in their quest to save Camelot.
The magic in the story is of the same variety as one finds in the original King Arthur legend. Morgan le Fay is an enchantress from the original legend who is apparently responsible for having summoned the kids to Camelot from their own world (via the magic treehouse) during their past adventures and the kids seem to be good friends with her. As the title of the series suggests, they also meet Merlin who does some magical shape-shifting during the story. But the "how it's done" of the magic never gets delved into. It just happens.
I think the girl said "darn" out of frustration once.
March 19, 2014
“Christmas In Camelot” begins when Jack and Annie find a book about Merlin. The book is all about the feasts and celebrations in Camelot. Jack and Annie are excited to go to Camelot to see what it is like. When they get there Camelot looks nothing like the book said it would. An evil witch casted a spell over Camelot that took away all the celebration. Jack and Annie go visit the King and Queen of Camelot. They tell Jack and Annie that three of their knights are missing. Jack and Annie soon meet a Christmas Knight who tells them that someone needs to try to get the kingdom’s joy back. Jack and Annie agree to help the Christmas Knight. Once they reach the otherworld they find the three missing knight who are under a dancing spell. Jack and Annie break the spell, and the knights then help them find the kingdom’s joy. They find the joy and then return back to Frog Creek.
The main characters are Jack, Annie, and the Christmas Knight. Jack and Annie are in every book. They are siblings that love to go on adventures with each other. The Christmas Knight helps Jack and Annie find the kingdom’s joy. The Christmas knight is really Merlin in disguise.
The setting starts off in Frog Creek and then moves to a kingdom in Camelot. The time period starts out in the present, but then moves back in time.
The theme of this book is happiness and celebration. Camelot had its happiness taken away until Jack and Annie agree to help them get it back. Camelot now a very happy place with feasts and parties.
I recommend this book to younger children. This book is easy to read and understand. This book is about a great adventure that will keep children interested.
The main characters are Jack, Annie, and the Christmas Knight. Jack and Annie are in every book. They are siblings that love to go on adventures with each other. The Christmas Knight helps Jack and Annie find the kingdom’s joy. The Christmas knight is really Merlin in disguise.
The setting starts off in Frog Creek and then moves to a kingdom in Camelot. The time period starts out in the present, but then moves back in time.
The theme of this book is happiness and celebration. Camelot had its happiness taken away until Jack and Annie agree to help them get it back. Camelot now a very happy place with feasts and parties.
I recommend this book to younger children. This book is easy to read and understand. This book is about a great adventure that will keep children interested.
December 19, 2011
I'm not sure I would have given this quite so high a rating, but I asked my fifth-grade reading partner. She said five stars, and that's the opinion that counts.
I asked her what she liked about it, and she mentioned the part where the water spilled. I can't go into that without spoiling it, however.
Some of the devices in "Christmas in Camelot" struck me as imitative. It's winter, but not Christmas (thank you, C.S. Lewis). We get past the evil forces in an invisibility cloak (thank you, J.K. Rowling).
I like the concept that this series takes its readers into historical (or, in this case, legendary) scenarios. I like the way the author develops her protagonists, Annie and Jack. Both my reading partner and I soon understood that Annie was more impulsive and adventurous; Jack more cautious. It made for an easy line of discussion. ("Do you think you're more like Annie or Jack?") I like that the author doesn't shy away from somewhat challenging vocabulary. My reading partner reads so well that if there weren't an occasional harder word, I would have nothing to do. One word that was new to her today was "bewildered."
We read the author's note at the end, and I thought it was excellent. My reading partner stumbled over "Celtic myths," and I pronounced "Celtic" for her with a hard "C," of course. I'm only hoping she doesn't hear about the Boston Celtics any time soon.
I wouldn't at all mind if our next book also was from the Magic Tree House series.
I asked her what she liked about it, and she mentioned the part where the water spilled. I can't go into that without spoiling it, however.
Some of the devices in "Christmas in Camelot" struck me as imitative. It's winter, but not Christmas (thank you, C.S. Lewis). We get past the evil forces in an invisibility cloak (thank you, J.K. Rowling).
I like the concept that this series takes its readers into historical (or, in this case, legendary) scenarios. I like the way the author develops her protagonists, Annie and Jack. Both my reading partner and I soon understood that Annie was more impulsive and adventurous; Jack more cautious. It made for an easy line of discussion. ("Do you think you're more like Annie or Jack?") I like that the author doesn't shy away from somewhat challenging vocabulary. My reading partner reads so well that if there weren't an occasional harder word, I would have nothing to do. One word that was new to her today was "bewildered."
We read the author's note at the end, and I thought it was excellent. My reading partner stumbled over "Celtic myths," and I pronounced "Celtic" for her with a hard "C," of course. I'm only hoping she doesn't hear about the Boston Celtics any time soon.
I wouldn't at all mind if our next book also was from the Magic Tree House series.
July 12, 2017
We listened to this on a longish road trip from Yellowstone to MIssoula, Montana. It's at the first in the Merlin stories and is a good 5 chapters longer than all the previous installments. Thus, it is also a bit more complex -and interesting!
We liked this one quite a lot. And it inspired my son to want to read more about King Arthur !
We liked this one quite a lot. And it inspired my son to want to read more about King Arthur !
December 11, 2015
Cute, cute, cute!
October 15, 2023
When they introduced Camelot, 9-year-old me was shook.
THIS WAS THE BEST MAGIC TREE HOUSE BOOK AND NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
THIS WAS THE BEST MAGIC TREE HOUSE BOOK AND NO ONE CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
Read
December 20, 2022Exactly the spring of joy I needed this Christmas season
March 6, 2024
Magic and kind story for 7 year old kids
April 7, 2022
``AHHH!``
Jack careful, cautious, records rhymes and trip, hopes enemy retreat, yet dances in daze, joins sis. Annie rushes to danger, finds weapons, attacks, experiments to be invisible.
Bad guys are good. Skims myth of Arthur, still Keep the Faith. Art is smooth grey detail.
52:2022: # Apr mini 3 'RAIN'deer on cover
Jack careful, cautious, records rhymes and trip, hopes enemy retreat, yet dances in daze, joins sis. Annie rushes to danger, finds weapons, attacks, experiments to be invisible.
Bad guys are good. Skims myth of Arthur, still Keep the Faith. Art is smooth grey detail.
52:2022: # Apr mini 3 'RAIN'deer on cover
November 13, 2023
I loved this book! When I learned it was being written, I was so excited because I had thought that the Magic Tree House Books were over. I still had that thought and it lingered. It could just be a Christmas special book.
I was so excited to read it on Christmas eve. But when I read the part about it being "the last adventure" I was so sad and shocked. It was really crazy.
The rest of the book was so magical and it just took me there and I lived it. I got to see so much happen and hear all the sounds and voices. Jack and Annie are my Childhood heroes, hands down.
When the book was over, I was happy. It was a beautiful close. And it left me to just wonder and imagine, and make my part of the story continue and live on forever.
I was so excited to read it on Christmas eve. But when I read the part about it being "the last adventure" I was so sad and shocked. It was really crazy.
The rest of the book was so magical and it just took me there and I lived it. I got to see so much happen and hear all the sounds and voices. Jack and Annie are my Childhood heroes, hands down.
When the book was over, I was happy. It was a beautiful close. And it left me to just wonder and imagine, and make my part of the story continue and live on forever.
July 31, 2020
This was a childhood favorite of mine. I've got a twelve or so page story handwritten on loose leaf notebook paper and self-edited in bright green pen, from when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. It's SUPER inspired by this book, almost to the point of plaguerism during one scene.
October 15, 2021
First of the more advanced series of "Merlin Missions," in which it is Merlin, rather than Morgan LeFay, who instigates the action of the plot. There is similar plot to Gawain & the Green Knight - Jack & Annie visit Camelot at Christmas, when a mysterious knight appears (dressed in red and green - Christmas colors - rather than a Green Knight) & presents a challenge (to this point similar to Gawain), to visit the Otherworld and obtain the Water of Memory and Imagination. And like the Gawain story, it is untested youths, Jack & Annie, who accept the challenge. The Water of Memory and Imagination can save Camelot . . . if Jack & Annie can succeed where the greatest of the Knights of the Round Table have failed . . .
December 6, 2019
from Dolly's review: This is a new set of stories in the Jack and Annie saga. The stories are more in depth, longer and with more chapters. ... This book was much more involved with fantasy and magic than the earlier stories.
This is only the third book that I've read in the MTH series, but it did seem to be more involved than the others, so Dolly's comment clarified questions that I hadn't yet posed. Again, the books in this series should be read in order.
The word 'Christmas' is in the title, and appears in the 'invite' to Camelot, but otherwise it isn't a Christmas story -- it could be a winter tale, or simply a bit of Merlin magic. This is an easy way to introduce kids to Camelot.
This is only the third book that I've read in the MTH series, but it did seem to be more involved than the others, so Dolly's comment clarified questions that I hadn't yet posed. Again, the books in this series should be read in order.
The word 'Christmas' is in the title, and appears in the 'invite' to Camelot, but otherwise it isn't a Christmas story -- it could be a winter tale, or simply a bit of Merlin magic. This is an easy way to introduce kids to Camelot.
May 27, 2022
Creo que esta fue la primera historia de Magic Tree House con Merlín. A diferencia de las historias anteriores, cuando los niños visitaban tiempos y lugares históricos, visitaban un lugar legendario lleno de magia e imaginación. Siempre me han encantado las leyendas artúricas, así que esta fue una forma divertida de presentar la historia a los niños. Este libro es más largo que los libros anteriores, pero para los niños que han disfrutado de estos libros antes, esta es una buena manera de estirar sus habilidades de lectura.
December 3, 2020
3.5 for the magical aspects. i liked the aspect of magic and the kids saving the kingdom mixed with hints from different tales and legends. it did, however, not give me a lot of christmassy feelings, and was a little fast paced in the beginning. i feel like it would suit as an advent story for young children!
February 24, 2021
My son asked me to read his Magic Treehouse books with him, so I started at #1 of this series (he's on #8) and we sit on his bed, side by side, and read these before his bedtime.
I have to say, while the plot's pretty straight forward and the characterization is minimal, the first book was solidly engaging for a chapter book aimed at elementary school kids. The protagonists are clearly defined, there's some fanciful events, and the heroes are given a poem/riddle to help them solve the problem - sure, the riddle doesn't amount to much beyond mile-markers on their journey and the obstacles are relatively mild - but it gives younger readers a chance to feel their way through the story.
All in all, a solid offering for kids who are starting to read chapter books for the first time. And if you're a parent asked to read along, well, it's light and breezy and you'll zip right through.
I have to say, while the plot's pretty straight forward and the characterization is minimal, the first book was solidly engaging for a chapter book aimed at elementary school kids. The protagonists are clearly defined, there's some fanciful events, and the heroes are given a poem/riddle to help them solve the problem - sure, the riddle doesn't amount to much beyond mile-markers on their journey and the obstacles are relatively mild - but it gives younger readers a chance to feel their way through the story.
All in all, a solid offering for kids who are starting to read chapter books for the first time. And if you're a parent asked to read along, well, it's light and breezy and you'll zip right through.
March 28, 2024
It has a lot of traveling and I like when Annie and Jack goes to the magical water and then a dragon comes out and also the part at the end Jack was trying to bring the cut of magical water to pour the water on Morgan and then he tripped and fell then dropped the cup but then a golden cloud made her come back to life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 24, 2020DNF at about 40% - it's a cute story but neither my 5 year old nor me felt very invested. There was a lot of repetition of phrases and I think we just didn't feel much excitement. Might be better for a young reader to read alone rather than it being read aloud.
October 1, 2020
What a fun read! We, my son and I, traveled to Camelot and helped bring back Christmas. We went on a quest to the Otherworld and saved three knights, fought four keepers of the Cauldron of Memory and Imagination and saved Camelot. Love these books, love reading them with my son.
December 28, 2017
I loved the different feel to this tree house book.
December 7, 2018
Reread this book before I gave it to my third grade reading buddy! I remember loving it when I was a young thing.
Read
January 2, 2019My son and I enjoy reading magic treehouse books before bedtime!
December 21, 2022
y’all don’t love this book the way i love this book
January 23, 2024
Listened to this on a nostalgic whim. Still good fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews