A Good Night for Ghosts Read online

  Here’s what kids have to say to

  Mary Pope Osborne, author of

  the Magic Tree House series:

  WOW! You have an imagination like no other.—Adam W.

  I love your books. If you stop writing books, it will be like losing a best friend.—Ben M.

  I think you are the real Morgan le Fay. There is always magic in your books.—Erica Y.

  One day I was really bored and I didn’t want to read.… I looked in your book. I read a sentence, and it was interesting. So I read some more, until the book was done. It was so good I read more and more. Then I had read all of your books, and now I hope you write lots more.—Danai K.

  I always read [your books] over and over … 1 time, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times.… —Yuan C.

  You are my best author in the world. I love your books. I read all the time. I read everywhere. My mom is like freaking out.—Ellen C.

  I hope you make these books for all yours and mine’s life.—Riki H.

  Teachers and librarians love

  Magic Tree House® books, too!

  Thank you for opening faraway places and times to my class through your books. They have given me the chance to bring in additional books, materials, and videos to share with the class.—J. Cameron

  It excites me to see how involved [my fourth-grade reading class] is in your books.… I would do anything to get my students more involved, and this has done it.—C. Rutz

  I discovered your books last year.… WOW! Our students have gone crazy over them. I can’t order enough copies! … Thanks for contributing so much to children’s literature!—C. Kendziora

  I first came across your Magic Tree House series when my son brought one home.… I have since introduced this great series to my class. They have absolutely fallen in love with these books! … My students are now asking me for more independent reading time to read them. Your stories have inspired even my most struggling readers.—M. Payne

  I love how I can go beyond the [Magic Tree House] books and use them as springboards for other learning.—R. Gale

  We have enjoyed your books all year long. We check your Web site to find new information. We pull our map down to find the areas where the adventures take place. My class always chimes in at key parts of the story. It feels good to hear my students ask for a book and cheer when a new book comes out.—J. Korinek

  Our students have “Magic Tree House fever.” I can’t keep your books on the library shelf.—J. Rafferty

  Your books truly invite children into the pleasure of reading. Thanks for such terrific work.—S. Smith

  The children in the fourth grade even hide the [Magic Tree House] books in the library so that they will be able to find them when they are ready to check them out.—K. Mortensen

  My Magic Tree House books are never on the bookshelf because they are always being read by my students. Thank you for creating such a wonderful series.—K. Mahoney

  Years ago, my husband, Will, and I lived for several weeks in the French Quarter in New Orleans while Will was performing in a play at the Saenger Theatre. During that time we fell in love with the city’s architecture, food, and especially its music. Every night after Will’s show, we sought out our favorite jazz bands. One of our best memories is visiting the New Orleans Jazz Museum and seeing the first cornet played by a young Louis Armstrong, who grew up to be one of the greatest jazz performers the world has ever known. Soon after that stay in New Orleans, we started collecting Louis Armstrong’s early recordings and began learning about his life.

  I always knew it was only a matter of time before Jack, Annie, and I would have an adventure in New Orleans with Louis Armstrong. And now I can say it was one of the best adventures we’ve ever had.

  This is a work of fiction. All incidents and dialogue, and all characters with the exception of some well-known historical and public figures, are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Where real-life historical or public figures appear, the situations, incidents, and dialogues concerning those persons are fictional and are not intended to depict actual events or to change the fictional nature of the work. In all other respects, any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2009 by Mary Pope Osborne

  Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Sal Murdocca

  All rights reserved.

  Published in the United States by Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

  Random House and the colophon are registered trademarks and A Stepping Stone Book and the colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc. Magic Tree House is a registered trademark of Mary Pope Osborne; used under license.

  Visit us on the Web!

  www.magictreehouse.com

  www.randomhouse.com/kids

  Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at

  www.randomhouse.com/teachers

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Osborne, Mary Pope.

  A good night for ghosts / by Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Sal Murdocca.

  p. cm. — (Magic tree house; #42)

  “A Merlin mission.”

  “A Stepping Stone book.”

  Summary: Jack and Annie must travel back in time to New Orleans in 1915 to help a teenaged Louis Armstrong fulfill his destiny and become the “King of Jazz.”

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89464-0

  [1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction.

  3. Armstrong, Louis, 1901–1971—Childhood and youth—Fiction. 4. Jazz—Fiction.

  5. African Americans—Fiction. 6. Brothers and sisters—Fiction.

  7. New Orleans (La.)—History—20th century—Fiction.]

  I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title.

  PZ7.O81167Gon2009 [Fic]—dc22 2008042061

  v3.0

  For Will, who always wanted

  me to write this book

  Cover

  Title Page

  Dear Reader

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1. Way Down Yonder in New Orleans

  2. Money Blues

  3. Coal Cart Blues

  4. Potato Head Blues

  5. Go ’Long, Mule

  6. Find Me at the Greasy Spoon

  7. Skid-Dat-De-Dat!

  8. Heebie Jeebies

  9. Working Man Blues

  10. Thanks a Million

  11. Swing that Music

  More Facts from Jack and Annie

  Special Preview of Magic Tree House #43: Leprechaun in Late Winter

  “I was so happy I did not know what to do. I had

  hit the big time. I was up North [playing] with the

  greats…My boyhood dream had come true at last.”

  —Louis Armstrong, from Satchmo: My Life in New Orleans

  One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods. A brother and sister named Jack and Annie soon learned that the tree house was magic—it could take them to any time and any place in history. They also learned that the tree house belonged to Morgan le Fay, a magical librarian from the legendary realm of Camelot.

  After Jack and Annie had traveled on many adventures for Morgan, Merlin the magician began sending them on “Merlin Missions” in the tree house. With help from two young sorcerers named Teddy and Kathleen, Jack and Annie visited four mythical places and found valuable objects to help save Camelot.

  On their next four Merlin Missions, Jack and Annie once again traveled to real times and real places in history. After they proved to Merlin that they knew how to use magic wisely, he awarded them the Wand of Dianthus, a powerful magic wand
that helped them make their own magic. With the help of the wand, Jack and Annie were able to find four secrets of happiness to help Merlin when he was in trouble.

  Now Merlin wants Jack and Annie to bring happiness to others—by helping four creative people give their special gifts to the world…

  Jack was asleep. He was dreaming that he was sleeping on a boat. It was rocking back and forth, back and forth…

  “Jack.”

  Jack opened his eyes. It was just getting light outside. Rain was tapping against the window-pane. Tappity-tap-tap. Jack closed his eyes again.

  “Jack, get up.”

  Jack opened one eye and looked up. Annie stood next to his bed. She was already dressed. She was even wearing her raincoat. “They’re here,” she whispered.

  “No, they’re not,” Jack said. He closed his eye.

  “Yes, they are,” said Annie. “They’re waiting for us.”

  “How do you know?” Jack asked.

  “I dreamed it,” said Annie.

  “Oh, you dreamed it.” Jack turned over and pulled the covers over his head. “Go back to bed. It’s really early, and it’s raining.”

  “Come on, Jack,” said Annie. “I saw them. They were wearing their cloaks and looking out the tree house window.”

  “Great,” said Jack. “I just dreamed I was sleeping on a boat.”

  “But my dream was real, Jack,” said Annie.

  Jack pretended to snore.

  “Okay,” said Annie. “I guess you want me to go there all by myself. You want me to have a great adventure while you just lie here, dreaming about sleeping. If that’s really what you want, I’ll leave you alone.”

  “Good,” said Jack. “Have fun.”

  “Don’t worry, I will,” said Annie, and she left Jack’s room.

  Jack lay still for a moment, listening to the rain fall outside. Darn, he thought, what if she’s right?

  Jack heaved a sigh. Then he climbed out of bed. He pulled on his clothes and grabbed his backpack. He slipped down the stairs, put on his rain boots and raincoat, then headed out the front door.

  Annie was standing on the porch, waiting for him. “Ready?” she said.

  Jack just grunted. But as he and Annie took off into the cool, rainy dawn, he woke up completely. As they charged up the sidewalk, Jack’s heart pounded with excitement. By the time they headed into the Frog Creek woods, Jack felt like he’d dreamed Annie’s dream, too.

  Raindrops tapped on tree branches. Jack and Annie scrunched over fallen red and gold leaves until they came to the tallest oak. Jack looked up.

  “Ta-da!” said Annie.

  The tree house was back. And Teddy and Kathleen were dressed in their dark cloaks, looking out the window.

  A Good Night for Ghosts

  “Good morning!” called Kathleen.

  “We dreamed about you!” said Jack. “At least Annie did.”

  Teddy and Kathleen smiled, as if this news didn’t surprise them at all.

  Annie and Jack started up the rope ladder. When they climbed inside the tree house, they hugged the two young enchanters. “Welcome,” said Kathleen. Her beautiful sea-blue eyes sparkled.

  “Do you have a new mission for us?” said Jack.

  “Indeed,” said Teddy, smiling. “Just like last time, Merlin wants you to help a creative person bring his gifts to the world.”

  “And this will help you,” said Kathleen. She pulled a book from her cloak.

  “Great!” said Jack. He took the book from Kathleen. The cover showed a street parade with musicians playing trumpets and trombones. The title was A History of New Orleans Music.

  “New Orleans?” said Annie.

  “Yes, New Orleans, Louisiana,” said Kathleen.

  “You will love this city,” said Teddy.

  “Cool,” said Annie.

  “And here is your magic flute.” Kathleen picked up a gleaming silver flute from the corner of the tree house. It was the magic flute Jack had played on their adventure in Vienna, Austria. “Only this time…” Kathleen tossed the flute into the air. It hovered for a moment, then began to twirl around and around. There was a flash of blue light—and the flute was gone! Floating in its place was a shining brass instrument.

  Kathleen plucked the instrument from the air. “This time you will play a magic trumpet,” she said.

  “Oh, man,” breathed Jack. “That’s incredible.”

  “Yeah,” said Annie. “I’ve always wanted to play the trumpet.”

  Kathleen laughed. “Well, this is your chance,” she said. “The trumpet’s magic will make you a brilliant performer.”

  “But the magic can only happen once,” Teddy reminded Jack and Annie, “just as on your last journey with the magic flute. Play the trumpet only when you face your greatest danger.”

  “And while one of us plays, the other has to make up a song, right?” said Annie. “And whatever we sing will come true.”

  “Precisely,” said Teddy.

  “Um… what danger will we face in New Orleans?” asked Jack.

  “Perhaps none,” said Teddy. “But keep the magic trumpet with you just in case. And remember, after you have played it, the magic will be gone and it will become an ordinary trumpet.”

  “Got it,” said Jack. He took a deep breath.

  “Okay,” said Annie. “Ready?”

  “Wait,” said Jack. “Can you tell us what kind of creative genius we’re looking for?”

  “We can do more than that,” said Kathleen with a smile. “We can tell you his name. It is Louis Armstrong.”

  “Louis Armstrong,” repeated Jack. He knew that name.

  “He is the King of Jazz,” said Teddy.

  “The King of Jazz?” said Annie. “Cool!”

  “Yes,” said Kathleen. “But Louis Armstrong won’t know that when you meet him. It is your job to put him on the right path.”

  “To give his gifts to the world,” said Annie. “Got it.”

  “Good,” said Teddy. “And now you should go.”

  “Right,” said Jack. He pointed at the cover of the book. “I wish we could go there,” he said. “To New Orleans!”

  “To meet the King of Jazz!” said Annie.

  “Good luck!” said Teddy as he and Kathleen waved good-bye.

  The wind started to blow.

  The tree house started to spin.

  It spun faster and faster.

  Then everything was still.

  Absolutely still.

  The hot, muggy air was filled with noise. Jack and Annie heard the clippity-clop of horses’ hooves. They heard voices calling out “Crawfish pies!” “Buttermilk!” “Gumbo for sale here!”

  Jack looked down at his and Annie’s clothes. They were both wearing white shirts and dark trousers with suspenders. Jack’s backpack had turned into a cloth bag. Neither Jack nor Annie was wearing shoes.

  “Wow, we’re barefoot. That’s cool,” said Annie. “And at least I can run in these pants. I like them a lot better than the dress I wore on our last mission.”

  “Yeah.” Jack smiled, remembering Annie’s long, frilly dress in Vienna and his velvet coat and white wig. “I like being barefoot, too,” he said. “But what year did we come to? I can’t tell from our outfits.”

  Jack and Annie looked out the window. The tree house had landed in a grove of palm trees. Not far away, steamboats churned down a river. Below them was a bustling city scene. Rows of stores lined both sides of a wide street. Vendors were selling food from carts. Women shoppers wore long skirts, and men wore white suits and hats.

  Mule carts and horse-drawn buggies bumped alongside a few antique-looking cars. Moving down the middle of the street were red and green train cars. Each one was attached to an electric line overhead.

  “This is definitely a long time ago,” said Jack. “But when exactly?”

  “I can’t tell,” said Annie.

  “Maybe our research book can help us,” said Jack. “I’ll look up Louis Armstrong.” Jack looked i
n the index of A History of New Orleans Music and found a chapter on Louis Armstrong. He read:

  Born in New Orleans in 1901, Louis Armstrong grew up to be one of the greatest jazz musicians who ever lived.

  A photo showed an African American man playing a trumpet. His cheeks were puffed out and his eyes were closed. Stage lights were shining on him. Thousands of people were in the audience. The caption under the photo read Louis Armstrong, King of Jazz.

  “So what is jazz exactly?” asked Annie.

  “It’s a kind of music,” said Jack.

  “Well, yeah, but what kind?” said Annie.

  Jack looked up jazz in the glossary of their book. He read:

  Jazz began in New Orleans in the early 1900s and was first played by African Americans. It is a style of music that has a strong beat and is played with lots of feeling. Jazz melodies are often made up on the spot.

  “Got it,” said Annie. “Read more about Louis.”

  Jack flipped back to the pages about Louis Armstrong and read:

  As a young teenager, Louis Armstrong often performed with “kid bands” on the streets of the city. Eventually he played with older musicians in dance halls and developed his musical talents performing on Mississippi riverboats. When he was twenty-one, he moved to Chicago, where—

  “Stop. That’s all we need,” Annie broke in.

  “It is?” asked Jack.

  “Yep, we’ll just ask someone what the date is,” said Annie. “Then we can figure out how old Louis Armstrong is, and we’ll know where to look for him: the streets, a dance hall, or on the Mississippi River.”

  Annie picked up the magic trumpet. She tucked it under her arm and started down the rope ladder.

  “I guess that’s a plan,” murmured Jack. “Sort of.” He put the New Orleans book in his bag and followed her.