Leprechaun in Late Winter (Magic Tree House (R) Merlin Mission)

This is a great story about an interesting, but not very well known (to me anyway) lady from Irish history, Augusta, later known as Lady Gregory. I won't give away what she becomes in case anyone doesn't know, because this story kept me guessing until the end and I don't want to ruin it for anyone.

Jack and Annie are taken back in time and transported to Ireland to help Augusta for reasons unknown to them, but through a series of trial and error, and of course high adventure they find out their purpose and get the job done, putting Augusta on the right path. A lesson about how helping others doesn't always translate into being a good person if you aren't very nice is also thrown into the story, which I thought was a nice added element. A lot of attention is given to the si (pronounced shee) or fairies of Irish folktales which is a lot of fun for kids and adults to read about. This was a great adventure story, enjoyed by all who attended the kid's book club I hosted it with(including myself).

I absolutely love how educational and inspirational this series is for my kids and young readers. Mary does an amazing job with not only taking kids on a history lesson in this story by taking them back in time to the mid 1800's in Ireland, she also teaches readers about this Irish lore, and introduces them to a real historical figure, Lady Gregory. I for one was fascinated about the lore of Irish fairies, known as Shee in this story, and the role they played in Jack and Annie's quest to help young Lady Gregory.

Jack and Annie once again set off another adventure for Merlin and this time it's to help a young Irish girl find her inspiration. When Jack and Annie set off in this lush, green and soaking wet country side of Ireland to find her, they didn't except to find someone who stopped believing and stopped telling stories. Young Lady Augusta Gregory remembered every story she was ever told and used to love roaming the country side looking for the Seer with her brothers. Now all that's changed and she no longer believes. With Jack and Annie's help and the help of an old friend of Lady Augusta Gregory's old nurse maid, Willie the Leprechaun, they set off to help Lady Gregory in a rather unexpected way.

This is truly a fun magical journey that introduces young readers to the enchanting lore of the Irish. I loved the history, the perfectly described setting and the characters that are introduced in this story. I was impressed with the amount of research that Mary put into this story. I liked that she not only lets readers know her inspiration for this story, but she includes detailed information about the Shee, Lady Gregory, as well as some fun games in the back of the book. This is a fabulous read for 1st and 2nd grade readers.

My six year old grandson has loved all of the series. I enjoy the stories because they tell history that makes it interesting for the child to understand. The history lesson encourages discussion on ethics of the time verses now.

Your older readers will enjoy this tale. It is an enjoyable spring time read. Children 5-8 might enjoy this as a read aloud over several story times.

Packing protected book. Shipping was fast, as noted. The student who received the book loved it.

Great books for children in 1st to 3rd grade. They are adventure books and this one in particular is quite interesting. My child loves them!

My grandsons loved this book

My 8 year old son devours the Magic Tree House books! Reading level is suitable, education level is right on target and holds interest well. More please...

Good story, keeps his attention. This is a great past time for kids. Speeds through these always eager for the next book in the series.

When my older 2 grandchildren were little, we created a special time as a read these books to them. Once they outgrew them, I passed them onto the youngest grandchildren. The older 2 are now teenagers and they periodically mention our reading time and how much it meant to them. The younger ones have enjoyed them as they learned to read for themselves. They books teach about places and things while entertaining children. I recommend them to create a special time for you, your children, or grandchildren