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'Magic Tree House' series to be adapted into graphic novels starting May 2021
Penguin Random House

Comic Books

‘Magic Tree House’ series to be adapted into graphic novels starting May 2021

The first title in the Magic Tree House series, Dinosaurs Before Dark, to release May 4, 2021.

Press Release

Today, Penguin Random House has revealed Mary Pope Osborne’s young reader series Magic Tree House will be adapted into graphic novels starting in May 2021. The new graphic novels will be written by Osborne and Jenny Laird and will feature full-color illustrations from comic artists Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews.

The Magic Tree House books are highly regarded among parents, teachers, and librarians and read to children in PreK and kindergarten classrooms. Osborne’s award-winning Magic Tree House series has sold in excess of 143 million books worldwide since its debut in 1992. It has been translated into 35 languages in more than 30 international markets. The ongoing series spans over 100 titles across its four subseries and various expansions.

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The first graphic novel will be the first title in the series Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark. New installments will release every six months with the final The Knight at Dawn scheduled for Fall 2021.

Magic Tree House

“I’m so excited for Jack and Annie’s time travel adventures to reach a new generation of readers who are drawn to the thrilling visual experience that graphic novels provide,” says Osborne in a press release sent to AIPT. “As with all of my books, I hope these adaptations will inspire children to learn more about world history and instill in them a lifelong love of reading.”

Osborne took to Twitter to share the news.

For more on the upcoming project read the official press release below.

New York, NY (October 27, 2020)—Mary Pope Osborne’s globally cherished Magic Tree House series will be transformed into graphic novels, to be published by Random House Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, it was announced today by Mallory Loehr, Executive Vice President, Publisher, Random House Books for Young Readers group. The new editions will be written by Mary Pope Osborne and Jenny Laird and will feature full-color illustrations from sisters and comic art team Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews. The first graphic novel installment, on sale May 4, 2021, will be an adaptation of the first title in the series, Magic Tree House #1: Dinosaurs Before Dark. A new installment will release every six months, with The Knight at Dawn graphic novel scheduled for Fall 2021.

Highly regarded among parents, teachers, and librarians for its power to instill a passion for reading, Osborne’s award-winning Magic Tree House series is an international phenomenon that has sold in excess of 143 million books worldwide since its debut in 1992. It has been translated into 35 languages in more than 30 international markets. The ongoing series spans over 100 titles across its four subseries and various expansions.

“I’m so excited for Jack and Annie’s time travel adventures to reach a new generation of readers who are drawn to the thrilling visual experience that graphic novels provide,” says Osborne. “As with all of my books, I hope these adaptations will inspire children to learn more about world history and instill in them a lifelong love of reading.”

“We are thrilled to offer a fresh take on the Magic Tree House series,” says Loehr. “These books have captivated young readers for almost thirty years, with early fans now sharing them with their own children. Through vibrant colors and active scenes, these graphic novels will allow longtime readers to engage with Jack and Annie in an entirely new way, while also enticing the next generation of readers to discover Mary’s stories.”

Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the New York Times #1 bestselling Magic Tree House series, as well as co-author of the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker series, along with her husband, Will, and her sister, Natalie Pope Boyce. For more information, visit the Magic Tree House® website at MagicTreeHouse.com.

Jenny Laird is an award-winning playwright. She collaborates with Will Osborne and Randy Courts on creating musical theater adaptations of the Magic Tree House® series for both national and international audiences. Their work also includes shows for young performers, available through Music Theatre International’s Broadway Junior® Collection. Currently the team is working on a Magic Tree House® animated television series.

Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews are twin sisters and a comic art team, living just north of the Emerald City under the watchful eyes of their cats and dog. They get to do their dream job every day, drawing comics for a living (when they’re not playing video games). They’ve worked for Boom! Studios, Archaia, the Jim Henson Company, Hiveworks Comics, and now Random House! Follow them on Instagram at @kickingsh0es and on Twitter at @kickingshoes.

Random House Children’s Books (rhcbooks.com) is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, and nonfiction, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

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