Mary Pope Osborne’s #1 Bestselling Magic Tree House Series to be Adapted into Graphic Novels
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Mary Pope Osborne’s #1 New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series will be transformed into graphic novels, to be published by Random House Books for Young Readers, 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.
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.