I'm a parent of an almost first grader and we have started reading these books together as our summer reading at home. I read a chapter and my son reads a chapter. I'm having a hard time understanding why anyone would knock these books--especially for the supposed bad grammar. Now, I suppose if one expected young children to be reading classical literature we could debate proper English use. But who are we kidding? We should be fostering a love of reading in today's children--goodness knows there are a million other gadgets, gizmos and shows to draw kids away from books. These books are simple enough for early readers, high interest and suspenseful enough to keep them engaged in the first chapter style books as opposed to picture books, and has enough new vocabulary that my son and I talk about the new words in context--one that stands out is the description of a dinosaur who turned and "loped" down a hillside. My son and I acted out what "loped" was and, as a parent, I'm just delighted to have him engaged in reading and picking up great new words in context. It has one objectionable phrase in it for me, and it was only in the first book...when the brother mutters that he's "going to kill" his sister for rushing ahead of him. Seemed odd, and my son was actually a bit worried about it until I explained what an "expression" was. We've read five others in this series and I've been thrilled with everything else so I'll give it a pass. Fight the good fight parents, get these books for your emerging reader and spend a quiet hour away from a computer screen, wii, tv show, iphone, etc. and read these together. This is pleasure reading, pure and simple. When adults read Stephen King, Patterson, Koontz or whomever, they don't get tripped up on modern English use and the word "and" starting a sentence. Just read and have an adventure with your kid! And teachers (yes, I know, I started this sentence with "and"), please lighten up and bring the fun back to reading. As a former high school teacher who saw teenagers completely give up on reading because it was "work" (an attitude that follows for the rest of life when the love of reading has been schooled right out of them) I beg you to just encourage kids to read, read, read and suspend personal opinions. Let's keep the joy in reading! *I'm adding this note after more discussion with other parents about the whole "sentence structure" issue (or non-issue). As I said, my son and I take turns reading this out loud and it is very fun to read out loud. There is great pacing, wonderful phrases that add to suspense and can be read with high drama, and my son has started to pick up on a high oral reading skill of pre-reading the "he said" part--for example, the mind sees the words "she whispered" before it actually reads them out loud and yet the reader knows to whisper that line. Awesome. I have not found one parent who really debates the grammar issue here that some people have commented on. Everyone is entitled to an opinion (obviously, as I wax on) so just wanted to add something here for parents of emerging readers to encourage both silent and oral reading. Give it a try...let the kids speak for themselves.

I always had these books on hand for my children as they were growing up. They loved them and would spend hours just reading book after book. Now that they are all grown, I purchased these for my grandchildren. It took some persuasion but they are now completely invested and enjoying every book. I really appreciate how the books take a "made up" story and incorporate real facts. These kids get to enjoy a story and learn some factual information in the process. It is a win win situation.

When I was little, these books were some of my first chapter books. I remember them as being huge at the time, but not dauntingly so. I do remember being proud and bragging that the first one was the biggest book I'd ever read. Now I'm older, and am ready to pass these stories on to the next generation. As a child, reading a chapter felt like an accomplishment, not because it was long or difficult, but because it was a *chapter.* Looking at the books now, the chapters are short -- only about two or three pages on average. I think the longest chapter in the first four books is something like six or eight pages, though that might be later on. The font is large, but not overwhelmingly so. It's small enough to give it a "grown up" feeling, while still being large enough for young eyes to focus on and track easily. There are pictures every couple pages, as well. Again, spread out enough to give a feeling of reading a "real" book, like an adult, while still acknowledging that the readers are still very much children. The stories are fast paced, which is perfect for keeping the attention early readers, especially when you're bridging them from picture books to chapter books. In the first ten pages of the first book, Jack and Annie are introduced and given basic characterization (Jack is the older brother and an academic, his younger sister Annie is the adventurer). The children discover a tree house full of books, and accidently end up in pre-historic times with dinosaurs outside the window. The explore the area, take notes, and meet the big baddy, all within the first sprint of pages. Throughout the books, Jack has his handy dandy notebook that he fills with notes on his adventures. In the first book, he takes basic notes on each dinosaur or strange event that happens. This helps set up a foundation for learning *how* to take notes, and why they are useful. In the beginning, Jack's notes are short and simplistic. "Friendly" and "Eats grass" being good examples. Later on, his notes become slightly more complex, though it takes several books for this to occur. Even then, it's not a sudden jump -- it's gradual. In later books (I think starting in book two, but not really coming into play until book four) Jack actually refers back to the notes he's taken so far and uses them to put together the pieces to a puzzle. Jack also makes a habit of carrying the book they wished on in his backpack every time they go on an adventure. Any time the children encounter a new word, something new or strange, they open up the book in question and look up information. Rather than saying "They flipped through the book until they found what they were looking for," the author makes a point of saying *how* they found it. For example, showing Jack and Annie looking through the table of contents, or searching under "K" for knight. The author doesn't write a sermon on how to take notes or look up information -- remember, the stories are fast paced. Instead, she shows glimpses of the children doing this overtime until a clear pattern emerges on how to do these things. The stories are based around the children going someplace far away from home and encountering strange and new things they had never seen or heard about before, expanding their knowledge. There's also a high level of risk involved. When they go to Pompeii, for example, they need to get back to the tree house before the volcano explodes. These two elements paired with the fast pace of the stories provide a grand feeling of adventure, which is exactly what you want when trying to get kids hooked on reading books. In addition to being fun, they also do a good job of sneaking in basic study skills, all while providing a basic foundation for learning about whatever time and place the children go to in whichever book. In The first one, for example, they learn about dinosaurs. Definitely a well rounded series and a great starter set for transitioning kids into chapter books. Even if the books are a bit beyond your child's reading level at the moment, read the books to them anyway. Odds are that they will get hooked on the story, and when they are able to read them on their own, they'll already have a head start. If nothing else, they will still be learning while you read to them, even if they don't follow along with their eyes. There's no way to lose.

my mother in law had heard about this series, and bought the 1st set for my then 7&9 yr old girls. they devoured them, particularly the 7 year old. they read all of them by the first week and requested the full series. the younger girl read up to 3 a night, leaving the family evening movie so she could get a head start on the next book in her bedroom. several of the books she read over 8 times. as they aged out they requested to get the merlin series. I wish the graphic novels were an option for them back then. there's a great variety of subjects covered, tho they do seem America-centric at times. since we don't live there, it was an interesting way to learn different history for us; but I wish there had been a bit more of the world stuff. the san Fransisco fire was one of the faves tho; read multiple times. since boy/girl main characters this is excellent for boys and girls, no matter their reading level. I think they aged up to Merlin around 10; but even when we sold the series on, one kid kept the Pompeii book since still her fave. the story lines are so good, that I think if a 10 yr old that wasn't enjoying reading at school, this could be a good way to get them into it. the graphic novel versions are more recent, so haven't read them; but I think it's a great idea, as my now 10&12 yr olds are really enjoying that medium.