Kinney
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
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Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney - 19 books
A completely different genre but the same age group. If your kid reads everything in sight, Wimpy Kid delivers humor where Magic Tree House delivers adventure.
Series - Books in order
Magic Tree House books in order
by Mary Pope Osborne - 37 books - 1992-2024 - Updated June 2026
Jack and Annie discover a tree house full of books in the woods of Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. Each book transports them to a different time and place in history, from dinosaur era to ancient Egypt to the moon landing. Osborne designed the series to make history exciting for early readers, and it works. The books are short, accurate enough to spark curiosity, and structured so kids can read them independently. The first 28 books form the original run. Books 29 onward (originally published as Merlin Missions) add fantasy elements and longer plots.
Osborne
Dinosaurs Before Dark
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1
Osborne
Dinosaurs Before Dark
✦
1
The short answer
Read in publication order, starting with Dinosaurs Before Dark (1992). publication.
37 books - read in publication order
Show orderPublication order
Contains affiliate links| # | Book | Published | Rating | Where to read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dinosaurs Before Dark Dinosaurs Before DarkStart | 1992 | 4.1 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 2 | The Knight at Dawn The Knight at Dawn | 1993 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 3 | Mummies in the Morning Mummies in the Morning | 1993 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 4 | Pirates Past Noon Pirates Past Noon | 1994 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 5 | Night of the Ninjas Night of the Ninjas | 1995 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 6 | Afternoon on the Amazon Afternoon on the Amazon | 1995 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 7 | Sunset of the Sabertooth Sunset of the Sabertooth | 1996 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 8 | Midnight on the Moon Midnight on the Moon | 1996 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 9 | Dolphins at Daybreak Dolphins at Daybreak | 1997 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 10 | Ghost Town at Sundown Ghost Town at Sundown | 1997 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 11 | Lions at Lunchtime Lions at Lunchtime | 1998 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 12 | Polar Bears Past Bedtime Polar Bears Past Bedtime | 1998 | 4.1 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 13 | Vacation Under the Volcano Vacation Under the Volcano | 1998 | 4.1 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 14 | Day of the Dragon King Day of the Dragon King | 1998 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 15 | Viking Ships at Sunrise Viking Ships at Sunrise | 1998 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 16 | Hour of the Olympics Hour of the Olympics | 1998 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 17 | Tonight on the Titanic Tonight on the Titanic | 1999 | 4.1 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 18 | Buffalo Before Breakfast Buffalo Before Breakfast | 1999 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 19 | Tigers at Twilight Tigers at Twilight | 1999 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 20 | Dingoes at Dinnertime Dingoes at Dinnertime | 2000 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 21 | Civil War on Sunday Civil War on Sunday | 2000 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 22 | Revolutionary War on Wednesday Revolutionary War on Wednesday | 2000 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 23 | Twister on Tuesday Twister on Tuesday | 2001 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 24 | Earthquake in the Early Morning Earthquake in the Early Morning | 2001 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 25 | Stage Fright on a Summer Night Stage Fright on a Summer Night | 2002 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 26 | Good Morning, Gorillas Good Morning, Gorillas | 2002 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 27 | Thanksgiving on Thursday Thanksgiving on Thursday | 2002 | 4.0 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 28 | High Tide in Hawaii High Tide in Hawaii Final book in the original 28-book run. | 2003 | 4.1 | Kindle $4.99Paperback $5.99Audible $4.99Bookshop $6.99 |
| 29 | Christmas in Camelot Christmas in Camelot First Merlin Mission. Longer format with more fantasy elements. | 2001 | 4.1 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 30 | Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve | 2003 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 31 | Summer of the Sea Serpent Summer of the Sea Serpent | 2004 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 32 | Winter of the Ice Wizard Winter of the Ice Wizard | 2004 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 33 | Carnival at Candlelight Carnival at Candlelight | 2005 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 34 | Season of the Sandstorms Season of the Sandstorms | 2005 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 35 | Night of the New Magicians Night of the New Magicians | 2006 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 36 | Blizzard of the Blue Moon Blizzard of the Blue Moon | 2006 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
| 37 | Dragon of the Red Dawn Dragon of the Red Dawn | 2007 | 4.0 | Kindle $5.99Paperback $6.99Audible $5.99Bookshop $7.99 |
Dinosaurs Before Dark
4.1
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
The Knight at Dawn
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Mummies in the Morning
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Pirates Past Noon
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Night of the Ninjas
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Afternoon on the Amazon
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Sunset of the Sabertooth
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Midnight on the Moon
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Dolphins at Daybreak
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Ghost Town at Sundown
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Lions at Lunchtime
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Polar Bears Past Bedtime
4.1
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Vacation Under the Volcano
4.1
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Day of the Dragon King
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Viking Ships at Sunrise
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Hour of the Olympics
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Tonight on the Titanic
4.1
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Buffalo Before Breakfast
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Tigers at Twilight
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Dingoes at Dinnertime
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Civil War on Sunday
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Revolutionary War on Wednesday
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Twister on Tuesday
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Earthquake in the Early Morning
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Stage Fright on a Summer Night
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Good Morning, Gorillas
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Thanksgiving on Thursday
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
High Tide in Hawaii
4.1
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Christmas in Camelot
4.1
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Summer of the Sea Serpent
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Winter of the Ice Wizard
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Carnival at Candlelight
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Season of the Sandstorms
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Night of the New Magicians
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Blizzard of the Blue Moon
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Dragon of the Red Dawn
4.0
KindlePaperbackAudibleBookshop
Our recommended reading order
publication
Osborne
Dinosaurs Before Dark
✦
Best book to start with
Dinosaurs Before Dark
Book #1, and still the best on-ramp. It sets up everything that makes this series work.
Similar series
If you love Magic Tree House, try these next.
Sutherland
The Dragonet Prophecy
✦
Wings of Fire
Tui T. Sutherland - 15 books
A step up in complexity for kids who have outgrown Magic Tree House. Dragon politics and war, told at a middle-grade level.
Messenger
Keeper of the Lost Cities
✦
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Shannon Messenger - 9 books
Another step up for advancing readers. A girl discovers she belongs to a hidden world of elves. Longer books, more complex plots, same sense of wonder.
Frequently asked questions
The first 28 books have a loose ongoing story about who Morgan le Fay is and why she sent Jack and Annie on their missions. Reading in order is best but not required. Each book visits a self-contained time period.
The original 28 books are shorter and focused on real historical settings. Starting with book 29 (Christmas in Camelot), the books add fantasy elements (Merlin, magic) and are slightly longer. They were originally published as a separate Merlin Missions series but are now numbered continuously.
Ages 6-9 for the original series. The Merlin Missions skew slightly older (7-10). These are often the first chapter books kids read independently.
Contains affiliate linksUpdated June 2026