The Magic Tree House 1
Dinosaurs before Dark
by Mary Pope Osborne
Eight-year-old prospective scientist Jack and his imaginative little sister Annie
discover a tree house full of books, the first of which magicks them into the age of
reptiles with a friendly Pteranodon they call Henry, a not-so-friendly T. Rex, and a
drove of other dinosaurs.
— Michael Main
“Wow,” whispered Jack. “I wish we could go to the time of Pteranodons.”
Jack studied the picture of the odd-looking creature soaring through the sky.
“Ahhh!” screamed Annie.
“What?” said Jack.
“A monster!” Annie cried. She pointed out
the tree house window.
Dinosaurs before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne (Random
House, July 1992).