I had just started the Magic Tree House novel set with my six year old when I learned about this new reimagining of an old favorite. As an educator, I'm a huge fan of graphic novels. They captivate my third grade students, providing a bridge between early chapter books and the longer ones they'll encounter in the years to come. They are colorful and engaging, and Dinosaurs Before Dark did not disappoint. The plot remains almost identical to the original, which will thrill parents and educators who remember reading these years ago, but the vibrant colorful illustrations add so much to the story (props to twin sister illustrators (Kelly and Nichole Matthews).

My only critique would be the missed opportunity to add some inclusivity to the novel by not changing Jack and Annie's ethnicity. There is nothing in the original books to hint at their background, and it would have been a wonderful addition to this book to show BIPOC characters.

Kids from 6 to 12 will be thrilled to read this one, and it shouldn't matter if they've read the novel version or not. I can see students who HAVE read the novel version enjoying a more illustrated version, and also kids who have not read the chapter book wanting to after reading this graphic novel. I will be purchasing for my classroom.

This was such a fun graphic novel. My students are big fans of The Magic Tree House series and also of graphic novels. This is the perfect combination! I can’t wait to purchase this for my classroom and the ones that come after it!

This is a very accurate, vivid adaptation of the original art and story of Dinosaurs Before Dark. Unlike many graphic adaptations, this book does not add new dimension to the original story.

Having read many of the Magic Tree House books, I was excited to see it become a graphic novel series. The pictures were wonderfully done and brought a whole new experience to reading the book. I would have to read the books side by side to determine how well they matched, but as a standalone, it was enjoyable and I think many kids would like it. Will recommend to my students.

The Magic Tree House books are still very popular, and it seems a clear choice to adapt into a graphic novel series. While I haven't read the books myself since I was a child, this seems to be a fairly straightforward adaption. As in the original, Jack and Annie find a treehouse full of books, and when Jack sees some pictures in a dinosaur book and wishes he could go there, the siblings are whisked away and his wish is fulfilled. This adaption is perfect for kids who love the stories and want more as well as for those who are reluctant readers and prefer graphic novels. The reading level seems to be about the same as the original book, and the format will help guide kids who have difficulty reading books with too many words on a page but who want to experience the same adventures as their peers.

I did have a couple small issues with the book. The first is that a Pteranodon isn't technically a dinosaur, and while it makes sense that eight-year-old Jack would call it one, I wish there were some sort of acknowledgment in the story that this isn't accurate, whether that's in the story itself or in backmatter. (Will kids read backmatter? Maybe not, but it's still worth putting in, and some of them will.) I realize this is taken from the original book, which was written nearly 30 years ago, but this definitely could have been updated for this edition.

The other issue was with the artwork of the children's faces, particularly Annie's. Her face was sort of... offputting?... in every view except for a closeup. I think it was something to do with the eye style. It didn't ruin the book, but I kept finding myself thinking how odd the faces looked, like there wasn't enough detail to actually look like faces in images where they were farther away. I did read a digital version, so it's possible that this will look better in print. Other than that, though, the artwork was good and all of the text was black font on white backgrounds, which I appreciated as it made it very easy to read.

Overall, I think this was a great adaption of a popular and much-loved early chapter book series.

My elementary school students will certainly be delighted to have access to a Magic Tree House graphic novel. The books are one of the most popular in my Media Center. It seemed inevitable that Osborne would soon join the graphic novel bandwagon and add to her written collection.
The illustrations in this book are so colorful and vibrant. The book was beautifully adapted to produce pictures accompanied by an easy and sweet narrative. Jack and Annie's adventure to visit dinosaurs will be welcomed by new and old readers alike. I love that they were able to return home in time for dinner.
Sure to be a hit!

So many popular children books are becoming graphic novels from The Baby-Sitter's Club to I Survived, it was only a matter of time that the Magic Tree House books capitalized on this as well. Fans of the original series, will adore the illustrations that accompany the text. I think even younger readers will have the ability now to access these books. It was a quick read that was exciting the whole way through. So many kids are interested in dinosaurs so it was a perfect beginning to the series. The Magic Tree House books are a little young for my 4th grade students but I think rereading them in graphic novel form will be a fun way for them to revisit a beloved story from their childhood.

First of all, I’m always on the look out for high quality graphic novels that some of our younger students can enjoy. So, I was thrilled to see that a favorite series amongst our 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders was coming to graphic novel format. Dinosaurs Before Dark the graphic novel was short, yet intense and adventurous and set the tone for the series to come. The illustrations are attractive. The story line is easy to follow. The sibling relationship between Jack and Annie and their thirst for knowledge are established right away. The book makes you want to climb right up into that magic treehouse and start exploring all it has to offer. This book and series is going to make so many readers jump for joy and beg for the next one.

It has been a long time since I have read an original Magic Tree House book, but from what I can remember, the books had illustrations as well as text. The characters in this graphic novel do not look exactly like the characters drawn in the original books, but they looked close enough that I could recognize Jack and Annie.

Jack and Annie discover a tree house walking home one day. They climb up into the tree house to discover it is full of books. Jack opens a book about dinosaurs, wishes he could be there, and suddenly the tree house transports them to the time of the dinosaurs. Jack and Annie meet a few friendly dinosaurs and one not so friendly. They then find the book for their hometown, wish they could go there, and find themselves back home. They agree not to tell anyone about the tree house because no one would believe them.

Jack and Annie return to the page in this stunningly illustrated graphic novel adaptation of their first adventure.

Siblings Jack and Annie are walking through the woods one day when they stumble upon a tree house. Once inside, they see a whole library of books. Annie opens one on dinosaurs and suddenly, they are transported back in time. Can they find their way home?

This was a great retelling of the classic series. The illustrations were very vibrant, which will enchant new and returning readers. The dialogue is easy enough for even young and emerging readers to understand. This also allows a whole new audience to experience the Magic Tree House stories. This is sure to be a hit with kids.