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The Internet Time Travel Database

Magic Time Travel

Time Travel Methods

Anno 7603

Literal: The year 7603

by Johan Herman Wessel
After lovers Julie and Leander wonder how the world would be if each other had the better qualities of the opposite gender, the fairy Feen takes them forward in time to see the effects that raising children in just that way has had.

Although the play is universally reviled for a lack of literary aspirations, it has developed a bit of a cult following as perhaps the earliest example of social science fiction (don’t pay attention to the fairy behind the curtain) and human time travel!

— Michael Main
Now my children! You wish to remake each other? Julie, you want your lover transformed into a more tender companion? And you Leander, you would rather that your Julie had a more aggressive bearing?
[ex=bare]Anno 7603 | The year 7603[/ex] by Johan Herman Wessel (Unpreformed play, 1781).

If

by Lord Dunsany
John Beal, a London businessman, is given a magic crystal that allows him to go back in time and change one act; he is happy with his current life, so he decides to merely go back to catch a train that he was annoyed about missing ten years ago—but the resulting changes are more than he ever expected.

This is the earliest story that I’ve seen where the hero goes back into his earlier body and relives something differently. Some of the later stories of this kind have no actual time travel, but merely give knowledge of an alternate timeline (e.g., Asimov’s “What If?”); others live out the two timelines in parallel (e.g., the 1998 movie Sliding Doors, also set in motion by a missed/caught train); and some, like If, are couched in terms of time travel (e.g., the 1986 movie Peggy Sue Got Married).

— Michael Main
He that taketh this crystal, so, in his hand, at night, and wishes, saying ‘At a certain hour let it be’; the hour comes and he will go back eight, ten, even twelve years if he will, into the past, and do a thing again, or act otherwise than he did. The day passes; the ten years are accomplished once again; he is here once more; but he is what he might have become had he done that one thing otherwise.
If by Lord Dunsany, at the Ambassadors’ Theatre (London, 30 May 1921).

The Worm Ouroboros

by E. R. Eddison
For the most part, the story is a high fantasy in which three chiefs of Demonland—Lord Juss, Spitfire, and Brandoch Daha—embark on a heroic quest to rescue the fourth lord from his imprisonment in the mountains of Impland. However, at the end, Queen Sophonisba undertakes a resolution to the final problem that could well involve time travel.
— Michael Main
Lord, it is an Ambassador from Witchland and his train. He craveth present audience."
The Worm Ouroboros by E. R. Eddison (Jonathan Cape, 1922).

a Gavagan’s Bar story

The Untimely Toper: A Gavagan’s Bar Story

by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt
A man kills a bat in Gavagan's Bar and a wizard curses him, unmooring his feet in time.
— Dave Hook
“The Untimely Toper: A Gavagan’s Bar Story” by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, July 1953.

Journey into Mystery #39

I Lived Four Times!

by Carl Wessler, Bob Forgione, and Jack Abel
Stefan Orjanski, a Hungarian soldier, is taken by his love to a sorcerer who can help him desert the army, but the help requires first living through part of the lives of four others.
— Michael Main
I felt so strange . . . as if I were not alone! As if I were not myself!
“I Lived Four Times!” by Carl Wessler, Bob Forgione, and Jack Abel, in Journey into Mystery #39 (Atlas Comics, October 1956).

Unusual Tales #9

The Day I Lived Over Again

by Joe Gill [?] and Bill Molno
While on the lam, hardened criminal Blackie Nelson gets a chance to live the day over—and this time he plans to evade the police and win the girl!
— Michael Main
The day’s starting over again! This doll’s going to fall for me . . . Only this time I’m going to work things different!
“The Day I Lived Over Again” by Joe Gill [?] and Bill Molno, Unusual Tales #9 (Charlton Comics, November 1957).

The Boy and the Pirates

by Lillie Hayward and Jerry Sackheim, directed by Bert I. Gordon
Young Jimmy Warren asks a genie to send him from present-day Massachusetts to the time of Blackbeard, and the genie obliges! But now, in order to avoid becoming a genie himself, Jimmy must trick the pirate into returning to Massachusetts.
— Michael Main
This is a funny lookin’ bottle—yeah, neat. But I bet if I took it home, Pop would say, “It’s just another piece of junk.” Nobody let’s me do anything I want to. I wish I was far away from here; I wish I was on a pirate ship.
The Boy and the Pirates by Lillie Hayward and Jerry Sackheim, directed by Bert I. Gordon (at movie theaters, USA, 13 April 1960).

Strange Tales #111

Face-to-Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo!

by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko’s second-ever story of the master of the mystic arts includes one panel that, based on Stan Lee’s caption, involves time travel. Even though it was just one panel, it got me wondering whether the phrase race through time could possibly have a meaning. What would it mean for one time traveler to arrive at the final destination before another? Isn't the whole set up kind of like Doc Strange saying to Baron Mordo, “I’ll bet I can think of a number bigger than you can.”
— Michael Main
Unseen by human eyes, the two mighty spirit images race thru time and space . . .
“Face-to-Face with the Magic of Baron Mordo!” by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, in Strange Tales 111 (Marvel Comics, August 1963).

Tales of Suspense #44

The Mad Pharoah!

by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, and Don Heck
Iron Man’s suit changes from grey to gold, and the golden Avenger is kidnapped and taken back to ancient Egypt where he upsets the plans of the consistently misspelled Mad Pharoah by winning the throne back for Cleopatra.
— Michael Main
For though I do not know your real identity . . . I, Cleopatra, have lost my heart to you!
“The Mad Pharoah!” [sic] by Stan Lee, Robert Bernstein, and Don Heck, in Tales of Suspense 44 (Marvel Comics, August 1963).

Strange Tales #148—150

Kaluu!

by Denny O’Neil, Roy Thomas, and Bill Everett
When Kaluu triumphantly sends the all-powerful Book of Vishanti back to the time of its origin, it falls to Doc Strange and the Ancient One to banish it to a timeless period so that it will never again fall into the wrong hands.
— Michael Main
We approach the time-space continuum of ancient Babylonia— It is there that the book which we seek was created milenniums [sic] ago!
“Kaluu!” by Denny O’Neil, Roy Thomas, and Bill Everett, in Strange Tales 148–150 (Marvel Comics, September to November 1966).

The Ghosts

by Antonia Barber
In the 1960s, a solicitor—Mr. Blunden—arranges for a widow and her children to move to an English house while the rightful heir is tracked down. The two children, Lucy and Jamie, soon meet two orphans, Sara and Georgie, who are living in the house—with their own version Mr. Blunden—exactly one century before! The orphans need help, so with the aid of a magic potion, Lucy and Jamie go back in time to the very day before the orphans will die in a fire (according to the gravestone that Lucy and Jamie found). They definitely have a fix-the-past mission, and they definitely succeed, but in the process, an amazing twist on the grandfather paradox arises (see the spoiler below).

The story has a kind of reverse grandfather paradox: [spoiler Lucy and Jamie’s great-great-grandparents are Sara and Tom (a boy who died trying to save Sara and George). So, initially, Lucy and Jamie actually have no grandparents (at least not on that side), and it’s only by Lucy and Jamie going back in time to save Sara and George (as well as Tom) that Sara and Tom live long enough to have offspring. So where did Lucy and Jamie come from initially in order to be able to go back in time and create the conditions so that they will be born? This is almost a single nonbranching, static timeline, except for the fact that initially, Sara, Georgie, and Tom did die (as evinced by what Lucy and Jamie see and hear in the graveyar), so Lucy and Jamie did change things. I think we need a new name for it, perhaps the grandchild paradox.[/spoiler]

— Michael Main
Lucy found it very confusing. “I don’t think I really understand this Wheel of Time business even now,” she said.

“Oh, I don’t understand it,” said Jamie cheerfully, “but then I don’t understand television either. But when you’ve seen it working, you can’t help believing in it.”

The Ghosts by Antonia Barber (Jonathan Cape, 1969).

The Amazing Mr. Blunden

written and directed by Lionel Jeffries
As in the The Ghosts, which formed the basis for the film, a mysterious Mr. Blunden arranges for a widow and her children to move to an old English house while the rightful heir to the house is tracked down. But in the film, young Lucy and Jamie are in 1918 rather than the 1960s, and the “ghost children” are from 1818 rather than the 1860s. Nevertheless, Lucy, Jamie, Sara, George, and Tom all have the same adventure in the past along with a cool Grandchild Paradox.
— Michael Main
Now is the time. Look straight ahead and don’t be afraid.
The Amazing Mr. Blunden written and directed by Lionel Jeffries (at movie theaters, UK, 30 November 1972).

The Mirror

by Marlys Millhiser
In 1978, a 20-year-old Boulder woman exchanges places with her grandmother in 1900 on the eve of their respective weddings.
— Michael Main
He thought she wouldn’t answer but finally she said, “What if I can’t go back? What if I have to live out Brandy’s life? She lives an awfully long time, Corbin.”
The Mirror by Marlys Millhiser (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1978).

Jubilee

written and directed by Derek Jarman
In this early punk movie, John Dee, advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, calls forth the spirit Ariel who transports Dee and the queen to an anarchistic and largely unintelligible) England not far beyond the 1970s.
— Michael Main
Now shall one king rise up against another. And there shall be bloodshed throughout the whole world, fighting between the devil, his kingdom, and the kingdom of light.
Jubilee written and directed by Derek Jarman (at movie theaters, UK, February 1978).

Merlin and the Sword

by David Wyles, directed by Clive Donner
When Katherine Davidson falls into an underground ice cave beneath Stonehenge, she finds that Merlin and his lover Niniane have been trapped there for a millennium, whereupon Merlin and Niniane proceed to show Katherine the story of how Morgan le Fay trapped them.
— Michael Main
Love cancels all curses, love breaks all spells. Love is a magic greater than any wizard or witch, warlock or shaman.
Merlin and the Sword by David Wyles, directed by Clive Donner (at limited theaters, Davao, Phillipines, 5 January 1985).

Time Barbarians

written and directed by Joseph John Barmettler
In an ancient world of swords, sorcery, loin cloths, and bejeweled bikinis, an evil thief kills King Deran’s queen before escaping to modern-day Los Angeles. Since the thief also took a magic amulet with him, a loinclothless wizardess sends Deran after him to retrieve the amulet and avenge the queen’s brutal death.
— Michael Main
The man you seek is in this world no longer. You must travel to another time to find him.
Time Barbarians written and directed by Joseph John Barmettler (direct-to-video, USA, circa 1990).

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).

The Magic Tree House 2

The Knight at Dawn

by Mary Pope Osborne
Cautious Jack and his gung-ho sister Annie have their second adventure through time when a book in the magic tree house sends them to the age of knights and chivalry. For the most part, they’re passive observers, but when they return back to Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, Jack discovers another clue about the magic person who may have built the treehouse.
— Michael Main
“My magic wand!” Annie said, waving the flashlight. “Get down. Or I’ll wipe you out!”
The Knight at Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, February 1993).

The Magic Tree House 3

Mummies in the Morning

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie go to the pyramids in Egypt where they help the thousand-year-old ghost of Queen Hupeti find her way to the next life. If this info from the queen is correct, that places them sometime in the period of 1500 BC to AD 700. They also ran into a tomb robber, the likes of which were a problem even in Ancient Egypt.
— Michael Main
“For a thousand years,” said the ghost-queen. “I have waited for help.”
Mummies in the Morning by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 1993).

The Magic Tree House 4

Pirates Past Noon

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie are thrown into a pack of pirates in the Caribbean who are intent on finding Captain Kidd’s treasure.
— Michael Main
“No one escapes Cap’n Bones!” he roared. His breath was terrible.
Pirates Past Noon by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 1994).

The Magic Tree House 5

Night of the Ninjas

by Mary Pope Osborne
The tree house finally returns to Frog Creek, but with only a note from Morgan[/ex] pleading for help, so the kids end up following a clue to medieval Japan where they find the first of four items that they’ll need to save Morgan.
— Michael Main
“The moonstone will help you find your missing friend,” the master said.
Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 1995).

The Magic Tree House 6

Afternoon on the Amazon

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel to the Amazon, encountering army ants, snakes, crocodiles (does the Amazon have crocodiles?), a jaguar, and a monkey who gives them the second object they need to collect in their quest to save Morgan[/ex].

This is the first tree house story where the kids’ desitination might be in the present time, although there is still some time travel since the tree house always returns to the same time that it left, presumably so The Parents don’t worry. In any case. we’ve decided to mark this type of possibly-present-day story as having debatable time travel to distinguish this kind of destination from those in the past or future.

— Michael Main
Jack nodded. Now he remembered. The ninja master said they wouldn’t be able to find the Pennsylvania book until they had found what they were looking for.
Afternoon on the Amazon by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 1995).

The Magic Tree House 7

Sunset of the Sabertooth

by Mary Pope Osborne
The tree house takes Jack and Annie back to the stone age where they run into Cro-Magnon man, a cave bea, a sabertooth tiger, a mammoth, a woolly rhino, and other prehistoric beasties before returning home with the third magic object to rescue Morgan.
— Michael Main
She stroked the mammoth’s giant ear. “Bye, Lulu. Thank you,” she said.
Sunset of the Sabertooth by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, April 1996).

The Magic Tree House 8

Midnight on the Moon

by Mary Pope Osborne
For the first time, the tree house takes Jack and Annie to the future and off the Earth!
— Michael Main
Jack nodded. “The book says the moon base was built in 2031,” he said. “So this book was written after that! Which means this book os from the future!.”
Midnight on the Moon by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, October 1996).

The Magic Tree House 9

Dolphins at Daybreak

by Mary Pope Osborne
The tree house transports the kids to a coral reef somewhere in the South Pacific or Indian ocean where a mini-submarine gives them a tour of the wildlife, including dolphins and giant clams. We’ve marked the story as having debatable time travel since the only certain time travel comes from returning to Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, at the moment of their departure.
— Michael Main
“You must show that you know how to do research,” said Morgan. “And show that you can find answers to hard questions.”
Dolphins at Daybreak by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, April 1997).

The Magic Tree House 10

Ghost Town at Sundown

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie head back to the Old West where they meet a piano-playing ghost, cattle rustlers, and a cowboy who’s a budding writer.
— Michael Main
“Slim, you should write your book,” said Annie.
Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, September 1997).

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s02e08)

Inna-Gadda-Sabrina

by Sheldon Bull, directed by Gary Halvorson
In a crossover involving all four of ABC’s Friday night family-friendly shows, Salem eats Sabrina’s time ball, sending their world back to the 1960s and sending each of the other shows’ characters to a different decade as well. You could argue that the time ball causes the whole culture to experience the world as if it were back in the 1960s rather than producing actual time travel.
— Inmate Jan
You hold it and your surroundings become whatever decade you think of.
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s02e08), “Inna-Gadda-Sabrina” by Sheldon Bull, directed by Gary Halvorson (ABC-TV, USA, 7 November 1997) \pt. 1 of the 1997 TGIF Crossover].

Boy Meets World (s05e06)

No Guts, No Cory

by Lara Olsen and Patricia Carr, directed by Alan Myerson
As part of ABC’s Friday night crossover, Salem (the cat from tag-4138 Sabrina) transports the Boy Meets World world to 1940s America where Cory, his dad, and Shawn all ship off to war.
— Michael Main
I don’t know how I would handle living back then. You know, I wonder what it was like during World War II.
Boy Meets World (s05e06), “No Guts, No Cory” by Lara Olsen and Patricia Carr, directed by Alan Myerson (ABC-TV, USA, 7 November 1997) \pt. 2 of the 1997 TGIF Crossover].

You Wish (s01e07)

Genie without a Cause

by Jeff Sherman, directed by Jeff McCracken
In the third part of ABC’s Friday night crossover, Sabrina’s cat Salem transports the You Wish gang to the 1950s Travis has a James Dean-ish drag race, Genie inspires a young Bob Dylan, and Salem tries to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Felix the Cat.
— Michael Main
I hope this is the one where she stomps on the grapes.
You Wish (s01e07), “Genie without a Cause” by Jeff Sherman, directed by Jeff McCracken (ABC-TV, USA, 7 November 1997) \pt. 3 of the 1997 TGIF Crossover].

Teen Angel (s01e07)

One Dog Night

by Michael Price, directed by Gary Halvorson
The final part of ABC’s Friday night crossover took Salem the cat to Teen Angel’s house where he transports Teen Angel and the family back to the time of disco and, apparently, altered the course of the 1976 presidential election.
— Michael Main
Oh, honey, you can go any time. Disco’s gonna last forever.
Teen Angel (s01e07), “One Dog Night” by Michael Price, directed by Gary Halvorson (ABC-TV, USA, 7 November 1997) \pt. 4 of the 1997 TGIF Crossover].

The Magic Tree House 11

Lions at Lunchtime

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel to the plains of Africa—probably with no time travel apart from returning to their exact moment of departure—where among the lions and giraffes, they solve the third of four riddles on their way to becoming Master Librarians.
— Michael Main
Jack watched as she hopped off the ladder. Then she started to walk through the tall grass, between the zebras and giraffes.
Lions at Lunchtime by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, February 1998).

The Magic Tree House 12

Polar Bears Past Bedtime

by Mary Pope Osborne
In the Arctic, a native seal-hunter and the animals of the north show Jack and Annie their way of life while the kids solve the final riddle in their quest to join the Ancient Society of Master Librarians.
— Michael Main
The tree house was on the ground. There were no trees and no houses, only an endless field of ice and snow.
Polar Bears Past Bedtime by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, April 1998).

You Wish (s01e09)

All in the Family Room

by Linda Mathious and Heather MacGillvray, directed by Jeff McCracken
Slighted by his sister, Travis uses Genie’s time travel portal to run away to a pirate ship.
— based on ShareTV
You Wish (s01e09), “All in the Family Room” by Linda Mathious and Heather MacGillvray, directed by Jeff McCracken (ABC-TV, USA, 29 May 1998).

The Magic Tree House 13

Vacation under the Volcano

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie take on their first mission as members of the Ancient Society of Master Librarians: retreiving a lost scroll from Pompeii!
— Michael Main
“This story was in a library in a Roman town. I need you to get it before thelibrary becomes lost.”
Vacation under the Volcano by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, June 1998).

You Wish (s01e13)

Gift of the Travi

by Daniel Paige and Sue Paige, directed by Jeff McCracken
When Genie gives each of the kids a Christmas wish, Mickey wishes for a white Christmas in LA, and Travis wishes that it would be Christmas every day. Yeah, like that ever works out.
— Michael Main
I wish every day was Christmas.
You Wish (s01e13), “Gift of the Travi” by Daniel Paige and Sue Paige, directed by Jeff McCracken (ABC-TV, USA, 24 July 1998).

The Magic Tree House 14

Day of the Dragon King

by Mary Pope Osborne
In ancient China, Jack and Annie meet the heavenly beings behind the legend of the Silk Weaver and the Cowherd, and they rescue the first written book that tells their tale.
— Michael Main
“Give a message to the silk weaver. You will see her at the farmhouse,” said the young man. “Tell her to meet me here at twilight.”
Day of the Dragon King by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 1998).

The Magic Tree House 15

Viking Ships at Sunrise

by Mary Pope Osborne
Another book for Jack and Annie to rescue, this time a collection of Celtic tales from the 9th century AD.
— Michael Main
The serpent’s neck was as tall as a two-story building. Its green scales were covered with sea slime.
Viking Ships at Sunrise by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, October 1998).

The Magic Tree House 16

Hour of the Olympics

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie meet Plato and learn about the treatment of women in ancient Greece, while also rescuing a fourth lost book from history for Morgan’s library
— Michael Main
At that moment, Plato returned. With him was a young woman dressed in a long tunic with a colored border. She was holding a scroll.
Hour of the Olympics by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, December 1998).

The Magic Tree House 17

Tonight on the Titanic

by Mary Pope Osborne
A note from Morgan introduces Jack and Annie to a little brown dog named Teddy who needs three gifts to free him from a spell. Then they all head back to the Titanic to find the first gift (but not to save the sinking ship).
— Michael Main
“Well, at least that’s good,” said Jack. “The ship won’t sink, even if it is lost.”
Tonight on the Titanic by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 1999).

The Magic Tree House 18

Buffalo before Breakfast

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie are given a second gift for Teddy from the legendary White Buffalo Woman of the Lakota.
— Michael Main
“. . . I got in the way of the buffalo. I couldn’t escape. So I held up my hands and shouted, ‘Stop!’ Then, out of nowhere, a beautiful lady in a white leather dress came to help me.”
Buffalo before Breakfast by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, May 1999).

The Magic Tree House 19

Tigers at Twilight

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack, Annie, and their spellbound dog Teddy face tigers and other wildlife in India.
— Michael Main
“When you saved the tiger, you saved all of him,” said the blind man. “You saved his graceful beauty—and his fierce, savage nature. You cannot have one without the other.”
Tigers at Twilight by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 1999).

The Magic Tree House 20

Dingoes at Dinnertime

by Mary Pope Osborne
The little dog, Teddy, needs one more gift before the spell he is under can be broken, so Jack and Annie take him to the Australian outback where the final gift comes from a mama kangaroo.
— Michael Main
But at least I got to have exciting adventures as a dog!
Dingoes at Dinnertime by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2000).

The Magic Tree House 21

Civil War on Sunday

by Mary Pope Osborne
Morgan sends a plea for help to Jack and Annie, asking them to find four kinds of writing that are needed to save Camelot, which starts the kids on their next trip, back to the American Civil War where they volunteer at a Union field hospital.
— Michael Main
We’d like to volunteer as nurses.
Civil War on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, May 2000).

The Magic Tree House 22

Revolutionary War on Wednesday

by Mary Pope Osborne
In their second quest to find a sample of writing to save Camelot, Jack and Annie find themselves at the start of the American Revolution as Washington and his men prepare to cross the Delaware.
— Michael Main
“Yes! And you have to keep going for our sake,” said Annie. “For the sake of the future children of America, sir.”
Revolutionary War on Wednesday by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, September 2000).

The Magic Tree House 23

Twister on Tuesday

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie go to a one-room schoolhouse on the Kansas prairie where they save everyone from a twister and find the third piece of writing to save Camelot.
— Michael Main
Suddenly, the schoolhouse door blew off its hinges! It went flying through the air!
Twister on Tuesday by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, Marcy 2001).

The Magic Tree House 24

Earthquake in the Early Morning

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie help a man rescue old, treasured books after the Great San Francisco Earthquake and before the fire. And with their fourth piece of writing, they finally get to visit Camelot!
— Michael Main
Jack slowly stood up. His legs felt wobbly. As he brushed off his pants, the deep rumbling came again—louder than before.
Earthquake in the Early Morning by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2001).

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 1*

Christmas in Camelot

by Mary Pope Osborne
On Christmas Eve, Jack and Annie’s tree house transports them to King Arthur’s castle in Camelot. They arrive to find that all is not well in Camelot, Merlin has been banned, and all magic use is forbidden. Many of the bravest knights have been lost on a mysterious quest to the Otherworld. The Christmas feast is interrupted by a knight, who sets a challenge to find the knights and break the curse. He demands to know “Who will go?” Annie, naturally, accepts. She and Jack set out on a quest to the Otherworld, to bring back magic and joy to Camelot.
— based on fandom.com
Christmas in Camelot by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, October 2001) [print · e-book].

The Magic Tree House 25

Stage Fright on a Summer Night

by Mary Pope Osborne
The two young tree house time travelers go to the Globe Theatre in Shakespearian times where they play the parts of two fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and discover their first kind of magic without wands.
— Michael Main
“’Tis,” said Wil “The queen pretends to be young and beautiful. Just as you pretended to be a boy, and the bear pretended to be an actor. You see, all the world’s a stage.”
Stage Fright on a Summer Night by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2002).

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s06e22)

I Fall to Pieces

by Jon Vandergriff, directed by Melissa Joan Hart
On the rebound from a breakup, Aunt Hilda meets her soul mate—the conductor from the Halloween mystery train—and if the wedding is to go on, Rodin to do his thing.
— Inmate Jan
Oh, I can’t believe it: The only time a witch falls to pieces is when she’s separated from her soul mate.
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s06e22), “I Fall to Pieces” by Jon Vandergriff, directed by Melissa Joan Hart (The WB-TV, USA, 10 May 2002).

The Magic Tree House 26

Good Morning, Gorillas

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel to an African rain forest, encountering a young gorilla before being separated from each other for the night. But all turns out well when they find each other, find a family of bigger gorillas, and find a second kind of magic without wands.

As with several of the Magic Tree House stories, the kids’ destination in this one might be in the present time.

— Michael Main
But he couldn’t find the magic. He couldn’t find the words that finished the rhyme. Worst of all, he couldn’t find Annie.
Good Morning, Gorillas by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2002).

The Magic Tree House 27

Thanksgiving on Thursday

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie visit the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, where they learn little things about the pilgrims’ way of life and big things about the magic of community and being kind.
— Michael Main
Be kind to those who feel different and afraid.
Thanksgiving on Thursday by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, October 2002).

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s07e08)

Bada Ping!

by Nancy Cohen, directed by Anson Williams
Sabrina takes Salem into the future to find out her fate after gangster Mickey Brentwood finds out that she’s writing an exposé on his shady practices.
— Inmate Jan
You see, this thug nightclub owner threatened our little Lois Lame over there—
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s07e08), “Bada Ping!” by Nancy Cohen, directed by Anson Williams (The WB-TV, USA, 22 November 2002).

Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s07e09)

It’s a Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Christmas

by Dan Kael, directed by Melissa Joan Hart
While on a Christmas trip to Florida, Sabrina and Salem travel back in time to see who robbed the condo where everyone is staying
— Inmate Jan
Oh, oh, oh—I think you went back a little too far!
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (s07e09), “It’s a Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Christmas” by Dan Kael, directed by Melissa Joan Hart (The WB-TV, USA, 6 December 2002).

The Magic Tree House 28

High Tide in Hawaii

by Mary Pope Osborne
When Jack and Annie visit Hawaii before any Western influences, Annie is the more natural surfer. They also discover a fourth kind of magic in the everyday world, earning the title of Magicians of Everyday Magic.
— Michael Main
Jack took a deep breath. “I’d like to read a little about surfing first,” he said. He put his board down and pulled out the research book.
High Tide in Hawaii by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2003).

Children of the Red King #2

Charlie Bone and the Time Twister

by Jenny Nimmo
In 1916, young Henry Yewbeam’s lily-livered cousin tricks him into staring at the Time Twister marble, sending Henry ninety years into the future, where the cousin is still alive at over a hundred years and just as lily-livered as ever. The other children of time, some of whom are endowed with magic powers from an ancestor, are neatly divided into nice kids and horrid kids. There is never a doubt about which is which, although there are plenty of doubts about whether a rational model of time travel underlies the two (or possibly three) time travel instances. Please see the book’s tags for a short discussion of the issues.
— Michael Main
“People can’t go back. You can’t change history Think about it! When my father was five years old, he lost his brother. It changed his life. He became an only child, grew up as an only child. All his memories are of being an only one. You can’t change that now, can you?”

“No,” Charlie said quickly. “I’m sorry.”

His uncle hadn’t finished. “Henry’s parents mourned him, just as they mourned poor little Daphne. James was their only child and, as a result, he was probably spoiled. His father died in the war and his mother left everything to him, including her lovely cottage by the sea. You can’t change that, can you?”

The Time Twister by Jenny Nimmo (Egmont Books Ltd, April 2003).

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 2*

Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve

by Mary Pope Osborne
In their magic tree house, Jack and Annie are again transported to King Arthur’s realm, where invisible beings, giant ravens, and mistaken magic spells have a duke’s castle in an uproar on Halloween night.
— based on fandom.com
Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, June 2003) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 3*

Summer of the Sea Serpent

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel in their magic tree house to the land of the mystical selkies to seek a magical sword for Merlin.
— based on fandom.com
Summer of the Sea Serpent by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2004) [print · e-book].

Harry Potter 3

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

by Steve Kloves, directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Compared to the books, I find the Harry Potter movies drawn-out and boring, but I rewatched this one during the pandemic and found that I enjoyed all three thirteen-year-olds as well as Hagrid, Sirius, Snape, Lupin, and—most of all—the fact that the filmmakers didn’t blithely destroy the single static timeline out of a misplaced sense that time travelers are meant to change the timeline willy-nilly.
— Michael Main
Hang on! That’s not possible. Ancient Runes is at the same time as Divination. You’d have to be in two classes at once.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by Steve Kloves, directed by Alfonso Cuarón (premiered at an unknown movie theater, New York City, 23 May 2004).

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 4*

Winter of the Ice Wizard

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie are joined by Teddy and Kathleen as they travel to the snowy Land-Behind-the-Clouds, where they search for the eye of the Ice Wizard and attempt to help Merlin and Morgan.
— based on fandom.com
Winter of the Ice Wizard by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, September 2004) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 5*

Carnival at Candlelight

by Mary Pope Osborne
While on a mission to prove to Merlin that they can use magic wisely, Jack and Annie travel to eighteenth-century Venice, Italy, to save the city from disaster.
— based on fandom.com
Carnival at Candlelight by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2005) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 6*

Season of the Sandstorms

by Mary Pope Osborne
Guided by a magic rhyme, Jack and Annie travel to ancient Baghdad on a mission to help the caliph disseminate wisdom to the world.
— based on fandom.com
Season of the Sandstorms by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, June 2005) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 7*

Night of the New Magicians

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie visit the Paris World’s Fair of 1889 in an effort to protect four scientific pioneers from an evil sorcerer.
— based on fandom.com
Night of the New Magicians by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2006) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 8*

Blizzard of the Blue Moon

by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house carries Jack and Annie to New York City in 1938 on a mission to rescue the last unicorn.
— based on fandom.com
Blizzard of the Blue Moon by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, September 2006) [print · e-book].

7 Zwerge #2

7 Zwerge: Der Wald ist nicht genug

English release: 7 Dwarves: The Forest Is Not Enough Literal: 7 Dwarves: The forest Is not enough

by Otto Waalkes, Bernd Eilert, and Sven Unterwaldt, Jr., directed by Sven Unterwaldt, Jr.
In this retelling of Rumpelstiltskin, an older Snow White is the distraught mother in danger of losing her child, and she enlists the help of her seven old friends who (among other things) travel through a magic mirror to modern-day Hamburg. Do they time travel? That depends on whether you consider their homeland to be a secondary world (which implies travel from one world or universe to another) or a part of old Germany (which implies actual time travel!). There is a case to be made for it being old Germany, given that the first movie in the 7 Zwerge series told us that they lived in a “sinister forest, deep in the heart of a country known as . . . Germany.”
— based on Wikipedia
I need you. All seven of you.
[ex=bare]7 Zwerge: Der Wald ist nicht genug | 7 Dwarves: The forest is not enough[/ex] by Otto Waalkes, Bernd Eilert, and Sven Unterwaldt, Jr., directed by Sven Unterwaldt, Jr. (premiered at an unknown movie theater, Hamburg, Germany, 24 October 2006).

The Santa Clause 3

The Escape Clause

by Ed Decter and John J. Strauss, directed by Michael Lembeck
Now that Santa and Mrs. Claus have the North Pole running smoothly, the Counsel of Legendary Figures has called an emergency meeting on Christmas Eve! The evil Jack Frost has been making trouble, looking to take over the holiday! So he launches a plan to sabotage the toy factory and compel Scott to invoke the little-known Escape Clause and wish he'd never become Santa.
— from publicity material
This is the part where I’m transported through time and everything goes back to the way it was, like I’d never become Santa at all.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause by Ed Decter and John J. Strauss, directed by Michael Lembeck (at movie theaters, Germany, 2 November 2006).

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 9*

Dragon of the Red Dawn

by Mary Pope Osborne
When Merlin is weighed down by sorrows, Jack and Annie travel back to feudal Japan to learn one of the four secrets of happiness.
— based on fandom.com
Dragon of the Red Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, February 2007) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 10*

Monday with a Mad Genius

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel 500 years back in time to Florence, Italy, and spend a day helping Leonardo da Vinci in the hope of learning another secret of happiness.
— based on fandom.com
Monday with a Mad Genius by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2007) [print · e-book].

Miri and Molly 2

Magic in the Mix

by Annie Barrows
After their first adventure united Miri and Molly as twins in the 21st century, the pair discover more about the magic of time travel via doorways and other openings in their house. Unfortunately, their twin brothers also go traveling, getting into hot water in 1864 Virginia.
— Michael Main
Molly, that’s totally crazy. You can’t stop yourself from existing because you do exist, you have to exist.
Magic in the Mix by Annie Barrows (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, December 2007).

Miri and Molly 1

The Magic Half

by Annie Barrows
As a middle child stuck between two sets of twins, eleven-year-old Miri Gill feels an outsider until one day in her attic room, she slips back in time from the 21st century to 1935 where she meets Molly, another eleven-year-old who needs her help.

Also in need of some help is the model of time travel in the story, which is a mishmash of popular representations that no person at age eleven or elsewhen should be exposed to. Specifically, I would have enjoyed an attempt to square the Branching Timeline implied by the hole in floor with the single nonbranching, static timeline and Ex Nihilo paradox hinted at by the time-travel device. I truly liked that ex nihilo paradox, and wish it had been explicitly dealt with rather than swept under the carpet.

— Michael Main
If you think about it too long, you’re going to go crazy, and then I’ll never get to your time.
The Magic Half by Annie Barrows (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, January 2008).

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 11*

Dark Day in the Deep Sea

by Mary Pope Osborne
When Jack and Annie join a group of nineteenth-century explorers aboard the H.M.S. Challenger, they learn about the ocean, solve the mystery of its fabled sea monster, and gain compassion for their fellow creatures.
— based on fandom.com
Dark Day in the Deep Sea by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2008) [print · e-book].

Artemis Fowl, Book #6

Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox

by Eoin Colfer
When fourteen-year-old genius Artemis Fowl realizes that the only cure for his mother’s case of Spelltropy lies in a species of lemur that Artemis made extinct eight years ago, there is only one solution: Grab your 80-year-old, elfin-police-captain-friend Holly Short and trick her into traveling back in time to stop your formerly evil, ten-year-old self from killing off the last of the all-cure lemurs.

Author Eoin Colfer does a masterful job presenting a single nonbranching, static timeline, complete with three consistent causal loops (further described in our tag notes for this story). But really, Eoin, you missed the shuttle on “the kiss”! With the help of N°1, Artemis can time travel, so if you're intent on his first romantic kiss coming from Holly Short, couldn’t N°1 have brought Holly’s actual fourteen-year-old self into the story? Might have even presented an opportunity for a fourth causal loop: Fourteen-year-old Holly kissees fourteen-year-old Artemis, but only because fifteen-year-old Artemis had already told thirteen-year-old Holly that they would enjoy it.

— Michael Main
Oh, bless my bum-flap. You’re time travelers.
The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion Books for Children, July 2008).

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 12*

Eve of the Emperor Penguin

by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie to Antarctica to search for the fourth secret of happiness for Merlin.
— based on fandom.com
Eve of the Emperor Penguin by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, September 2008) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 13*

Moonlight on the Magic Flute

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel to Vienna, Austria, in 1762, where they meet the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his sister and help save the young budding genius’s life through music.
— based on fandom.com
Moonlight on the Magic Flute by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2009) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 14*

A Good Night for Ghosts

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie must travel back in time to New Orleans in 1915 to help a teenage Louis Armstrong fulfill his destiny and become the “King of Jazz.”
— based on fandom.com
A Good Night for Ghosts by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, July 2009) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 15*

Leprechaun in Late Winter

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel back to nineteenth-century Ireland to inspire a young Augusta Gregory to share her love of Irish legends and folktales with the world.
— based on fandom.com
Leprechaun in Late Winter by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2010) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 16*

A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel back to Victorian London when Merlin asks them to use their magic to inspire Charles Dickens to write “A Christmas Carol.”
— based on fandom.com
A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, September 2010) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 17*

A Crazy Day with Cobras

by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house whisks Jack and Annie back to India during the Mogul Empire in the 1600s to search for an emerald needed to break a magic spell.
— based on fandom.com
A Crazy Day with Cobras by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2011) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 18*

Dogs in the Dead of Night

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel to a monastery in the Swiss Alps where, with the help of St. Bernard dogs and magic, they seek the second of four special objects necessary to break the spell on Merlin’s pet penguin, Penny.
— based on fandom.com
Dogs in the Dead of Night by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2011) [print · e-book].

The Last Musketeer 1

The Last Musketeer

by Stuart Gibbs
While chasing the cad who stole his family’s prized black crystal, young Greg Rich ends up back in AD 1615 where he and three future Musketeers must save Greg’s parents from Dominic Richelieu (the cardinal’s evil brother) and the deadly prison known as La Mort.
— Michael Main
When joined as a whole, the Devil’s Stone was rumored to perform many miracles: strike people dead in an instant, turn lead into gold, even open portals in time.
The Last Musketeer by Stuart Gibbs (HarperCollins, September 2011) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 19*

Abe Lincoln At Last

by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house whisks Jack and Annie to Washington, D.C. in the 1860s where they meet Abraham Lincoln and collect a feather that will help break a magic spell.
— based on fandom.com
Abe Lincoln At Last by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, December 2011) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 20*

A Perfect Time For Pandas

by Mary Pope Osborne
Magically transported to southwest China to find the final object needed to break the spell on Merlin’s beloved penguin, Jack and Annie take a side trip to the world’s largest giant panda reserve.
— based on fandom.com
A Perfect Time For Pandas by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, July 2012) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 21*

Stallion by Starlight

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie are magically transported to Ancient Greece to find the meaning of greatness. There, they meet the young Alexander the Great and take part in the famous story of how he tamed his horse, Bucephalus.
— based on fandom.com
Stallion by Starlight by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2013) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 22*

Hurry Up Houdini!

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie meet one of the world’s most famous illusionists, Harry Houdini.
— based on fandom.com
Hurry Up Houdini! by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2013) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 23*

High Time for Heroes

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie are magically transported to mid-1800s Thebes, Egypt, where they are saved from a dangerous accident by Florence Nightingale.
— based on fandom.com
High Time for Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2014) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 24*

Soccer on Sunday

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie search for the fourth secret of greatness for Merlin in Mexico City at the 1970 World Cup Games. They hope to learn something new from soccer player great, Pele.
— based on fandom.com
Soccer on Sunday by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, May 2014) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Super Edition 1

Danger in the Darkest Hour

by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back in time to England in 1944, where the country is fighting for its life in World War II. Before long, Jack and Annie find themselves parachuting to Normandy, France, behind enemy lines, and they realize that they’ve arrived on the day before D-Day. Will the brave brother and sister be able to make a difference during one of the darkest times in history?
— based on fandom.com
Danger in the Darkest Hour by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2015) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 25*

Shadow of the Shark

by Mary Pope Osborne
As a thank-you gift from Merlin and Morgan, Jack and Annie are sent on what should be a vacation at a luxurious resort in Cozumel, Mexico, but is, by mistake, an adventure with ancient Mayans instead.
— based on fandom.com
Shadow of the Shark by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, June 2015) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 26*

Balto of the Blue Dawn

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie travel back in time to 1925 Nome, Alaska, where they meet Balto, the famous sled dog, and save the town from an illness.
— based on fandom.com
Balto of the Blue Dawn by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2016) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House: Merlin Mission 27*

Night of the Ninth Dragon

by Mary Pope Osborne
When a mysterious note invites them to Camelot, Jack and Annie travel in the magic tree house to the magical kingdom where they must find a lost dragon.
— based on fandom.com
Night of the Ninth Dragon by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, July 2016) [print · e-book].

Marvel Cinematic Universe 14

Doctor Strange

by Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, and C. Robert Cargill, directed by Scott Derrickson
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
— from publicity material
Dormammu, I’ve come to bargain.
Doctor Strange by Jon Spaihts, Scott Derrickson, and C. Robert Cargill, directed by Scott Derrickson (premiered at an unknown movie theater, Hong Kong, 13 October 2016).

The Magic Tree House 29*

A Big Day for Baseball

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie go back to Jackie Robinson’s major league debut at Ebbett’s Field in 1947. The story has a twist we haven’t seen before: When they put on two magic hats, everyone sees Jack and Annie as if they were teenage bat boys rather than little children.
— Michael Main
One minute he’s tall! The next he’s short! One minute he can throw the ball! The next he can’t!
A Big Day for Baseball by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2017).

Marvel Cinematic Universe 19

Avengers: Infinity War

by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Given that the Time Stone is a key element to Thanos’s master plan, you’d think that time travel would play a major part in this movie, but not so. Doc Strange does use the stone to view a slew of possible futures, but we know that’s not actually time travel. So where does the time travel come into play? Pay close attention to the final thirteen minutes of the film, after Strange announces “We’re in the end game now,” and you’ll spot one definite time travel moment and a second possible moment.
— Michael Main
Tony, there was no other way.
Avengers: Infinity War by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (premiered at an unknown movie theater, Los Angeles, 23 April 2018).

The Magic Tree House 30*

Hurricane Heroes in Texas

by Mary Pope Osborne
The children play a role in saving thousands during the Great Galviston Hurricane[/ex].
— Michael Main
Annie turned back to the couple. “Excuse me again, do you know today’s date?” she asked.
“September eighth,” the woman said with a friendly smile.
“Nineteen-hundred?” Jack asked.
Hurricane Heroes in Texas by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, August 2018).

The Magic Tree House 31*

Warriors in Winter

by Mary Pope Osborne
Morgan sends Jack and Annie back to the time of Marcus Aurelius on the northern border of the Empire where they meet kind soldiers, mean soldiers, and the emperor himself.
— Michael Main
“So I hear,” said the emperor. “When I first met you, I thought you must live nearby in Carnuntum. But now I do not think that is so. Where is your home?”
“Frog Creek, Pennsylvania,” said Annie.
“Beyond the Danube,” said Jack.
Warriors in Winter by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2019).

The Ottoman Secret

by Raymond Khoury
Secret police agent Kamal teams with his sister-in-law Nisreen, fleeing through time from pursuing gunmen who killed Nisreen’s family because toprotect the secret that their world was created by a violent temporal disruptor who altered history in favor of an autocratic Islam theocracy.
— Michael Main
Nisreen: I want to know how it is different and why he wanted to change it. Don’t you see? That’s how the world was supposed to be.

Ramazan: Assuming no one else had gone back and changed things before he did.

The Ottoman Secret by Raymond Khoury (Michael Joseph, May 2019).

The Magic Tree House 32*

To the Future, Ben Franklin!

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie bring a rather fainthearted and confused Ben Franklin to their own time, hoping to convince him to sign the Constitution.
— Michael Main
Morgan’s telling us to take Ben to Frog Creek. To our time.
To the Future, Ben Franklin! by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, July 2019).

The Knight before Christmas

by Cara J. Russell, directed by Monika Mitchell
In AD 1334, a crone prophesizes Sir Cole’s future and sends the Englishman on an ambiguous quest to 2019 Ohio, where he does knightly non-Ohioan things and discovers the love of his life on Christmas Eve.
— Michael Main
You shall travel to faraway lands, see things undreamed of: flying steel dragons and horses, magic boxes that make merry.
The Knight before Christmas by Cara J. Russell, directed by Monika Mitchell (Netflix, USA, 21 November 2019).

The Magic Tree House 33*

Narwhal on a Sunny Night

by Mary Pope Osborne
Jack and Annie visit the first Icelandic settlers in Greenland.
— Michael Main
“Oh, I get it—your dad is Erik, so you are called Erik-son!” said Annie.
Narwhal on a Sunny Night by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2020).

The Magic Tree House 34*

Late Lunch with Llamas

by Mary Pope Osborne
The children rescue a llama at the height of the Inca Empire.
— Michael Main
“Show us,” the emperor ordered. “Show us all how this little llama speaks.”
Late Lunch with Llamas by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, July 2020).

Press Start! 9

Super Rabbit Boy’s Time Jump!

by Thomas Flintham
A superhero rabbit from a low-resolution handheld video game fights his arch-nemesis, King Viking, who plans to stop Baby Rabbit Boy from ever getting superpowers.
— Michael Main
I built this Super Mega Robot Time Machine to use the Time Crystal’s power. That means I can travel through time!
Super Rabbit Boy’s Time Jump! by Thomas Flintham (Branches, September 2020) [print · e-book].

The Magic Tree House 35*

Camp Time in California

by Mary Pope Osborne
Annie and Jack are given magical drawing powers when they meet a grizzly bear and a few other wanderers in 1903 Yosemite.
— Michael Main
If you’re a friend of bears, then take my advice: Walk softly and carry a big stick.
Camp Time in California by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, March 2021).

The Magic Tree House: Graphic Novel 1

Dinosaurs before Dark: The Graphic Novel

adapted by Jenny Laird, Kelly Matthews, and Nicole Matthews
The adaptation and artwork are faithful and delightful, although I’m disappointed that commercial pressures resulted in a graphic novel for what was explicitly designed to engage early readers.
— Michael Main
Wow. I wish we could go there.
Dinosaurs before Dark: The Graphic Novel adapted by Jenny Laird, Kelly Matthews, and Nicole Matthews (Random House Children’s Books, June 2021) [print · e-book].

Fantasy Island (r3s01e03)

Quantum Entanglement

by Adria Lang, directed by Kimberly McCullough
The new Fantasy Island inches closer to actual time travel when Elana helps “invisible” Eileen understand her relationship with her grown daughter by acting as a Dickensian guide and showing Eileen how her daughter experienced growing up. And young Ruby receives news of how her family is managing without her.
— Michael Main
Eileen: She absolutely loved it here.
Elena: Are you sure?
Fantasy Island (v3s01e03), “Quantum Entanglement” by Adria Lang, directed by Kimberly McCullough (Fox-TV, USA, 24 August 2021).

Fantasy Island (r3s01e04)

Once Upon a Time in Havana

by Dailyn Rodriguez, diected by Laura Belsey
Finally! Some Actual Time Travel™ as Elena takes young drummer Alma Garcia back to 1967 Havana to learn the real story of the musical grandfather who abandoned his family decades ago—and the role Alma played in that single, static timeline.
— Michael Main
Grandfather: Who are you? Where do you really come from? Elma: Just an Americana who plays the drums.
Fantasy Island (v3s01e04), “Once Upon a Time in Havana” by Dailyn Rodriguez, diected by Laura Belsey (Fox-TV, USA, 31 August 2021).

What If . . . ? [s1e04]

What If . . . Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?

by A. C. Bradley, directed by Bryan Andrews
As we all know, when the world’s formost surgeon, Doctor Strange, lost the use of his hands in a car wreck, it prompted him to search out mystic treatments and eventually become the Master of the Mystic Arts. But what if he had lost something else in that wreck?
— Michael Main
The Ancient One: Her death is an Absolute Point in time.
Dr. Strange: Absolute?
A.O.: Unchangable. Unmovable. Without her death, you would never have defeated Dormamu and become the Sorcerer Supreme—and the guardian of the Eye of Agamotto. If you erase her death, you never start your journey.
“What If . . . Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” by A. C. Bradley, directed by Bryan Andrews, What If . . . ? [s01e04] (Disney+, worldwide, 1 September 2021).

Fantasy Island (r3s01e05)

Twice in a Lifetime

by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, directed by Adam Kane
The Island takes Nisha into two different versions of her future life in order to help her decide which man to marry. Only the Island knows whether Nisha is actually time traveling or merely experiencing potential futures, but the story’s ending suggests the latter. And meanwhile, out in the Island wilderness, Elena and Javier share intimate moments.
— Michael Main
Let the future unfold.
Fantasy Island (v3s01e05), “Twice in a Lifetime” by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, directed by Adam Kane (Fox-TV, USA, 7 September 2021).

Fantasy Island (r3s01e06)

The Big Five Oh

by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, directed by Diana Valentine
Lifetime friends Camille, Margot, and Nettie are celebrating their 50th birthdays on the Island along with a bit of time-slowing for Margot and a non-interactive trip to view a potential future for all three.
— Michael Main
Margot [after seeing the future]: Was that real?
Elena: As of this moment, yes.
Fantasy Island (v3s01e06), “The Big Five Oh” by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, directed by Diana Valentine (Fox-TV, USA, 12 September 2021).

Fantasy Island (r3s01e07), pt. 2

The Bromance

by Mary Angelica Molina and Adam Belanoff, directed by Laura Belsey
Brian Cole, a hard-core survivalist, faces his greatest challenge: working with and understanding his own young self.
— Michael Main
I might be you, but I’m not a moron.
Fantasy Island (v3s01e07), seg. 2, “The Bromance” by Mary Angelica Molina and Adam Belanoff, directed by Laura Belsey (Fox-TV, USA, 14 September 2021).

Fantasy Island (r3s01e07), pt. 1

The Romance

by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, directed by Diana Valentine
To help Miss Marshall find her way in the real wrld, the Island sends her to Victorian England to spend time with her favorite author.
— Michael Main
Do you ever think you were born in the wrong time?
Fantasy Island (v3s01e07), seg. 1, “The Romance” by Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, directed by Diana Valentine (Fox-TV, USA, 14 September 2021).

The Magic Tree House: Graphic Novel 2

The Knight at Dawn: The Graphic Novel

adapted by Jenny Laird, Kelly Matthews, and Nicole Matthews
Retells, in graphic form, the tale of eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister, Annie, who are whisked back in the magic tree house to the time of knights and castles.
— from publicity material
Annie: [turning on her flashlight] That’s right! We have a magic wand and we’re not afraid to use it!
The Knight at Dawn: The Graphic Novel adapted by Jenny Laird, Kelly Matthews, and Nicole Matthews (Random House Children’s Books, November 2021) [print · e-book].

Flashback

written and directed by Caroline Vigneaux
After high-powered lawyer Charlie Leroy gets her client cleared from a rape charge by claiming that the accuser’s lacy underwear was consent to have sex, Charlie finds herself transported by a divine cabdriver to historical moments that were key for women’s rights.
— Michael Main
Attends . . . si maman n'épouse pas papa, je vais pas naître. Je viens de me tuer.
Wait . . . if Mom never marries Dad, I won’t be born. I just killed myself.
English
Flashback written and directed by Caroline Vigneaux (Amazon Prime, 11 November 2021).

Magic Tree House 36*

Sunlight on the Snow Leopard

by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house is back with a message from Morgan le Fay telling Jack and Annie to seek out the Gray Ghost and listen to her story, and immediately they are whisked away to Nepal where they meet Tenzin, a climber who has recently lost his family, and who takes them up to the mountain to meet a snow leopard and renew himself.
— based on fandom.com
Sunlight on the Snow Leopard by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, January 2022) [print · e-book].

The Magic Tree House: Graphic Novel 3

Mummies in the Morning: The Graphic Novel

adapted by Jenny Laird, Kelly Matthews, and Nicole Matthews
For the first time in graphic novel—live the adventure again with new full-color vibrant art that brings the magic to life!
— from publicity material
Mummies in the Morning: The Graphic Novel adapted by Jenny Laird, Kelly Matthews, and Nicole Matthews (Random House Children’s Books, June 2022) [print · e-book].

Magic Tree House 37*

Rhinos at Recess

by Mary Pope Osborne
Rhinos at Recess by Mary Pope Osborne (Random House, forthcoming) [print · e-book].
as of 11:38 p.m. MDT, 5 May 2024
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