Stage Fright on a Summer Night 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

  Dear Readers,

  I wrote this book because I’ve always loved the theater. When I was growing up, I performed in many plays. I even married an actor and playwright! My husband, Will, and I both love plays by Shakespeare. So for the past two summers, we’ve enjoyed visiting friends in England who put on plays by Shakespeare on the grounds of a castle. We also like to visit the replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater in London.

  My main research for Stage Fright on a Summer Night, though, comes from my memories of being onstage. Imagine waiting in the wings, heart pounding, palms sweating, knees shaking … Then you’re on!

  It’s one of the most frightening and fun experiences you can think of. So I hope you’ll be a little frightened and have a lot of fun when you share this adventure with Jack and Annie.

  All my best,

  Text copyright © 2002 by Mary Pope Osborne.

  Illustrations copyright © 2002 by Sal Murdocca.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

  www.randomhouse.com/magictreehouse

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Osborne, Mary Pope.

  Stage fright on a summer night / by Mary Pope Osborne;

  [Sal Murdocca, illustrator].

  p. cm.—(Magic tree house; #25)

  SUMMARY: Jack and Annie travel in their magic tree house to Elizabethan London, where they become actors in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and try to rescue a tame bear.

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89482-4

  [1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Theater—England—Fiction. 3. Magic—Fiction. 4. Tree houses—Fiction. 5. England—Fiction.] I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title. PZ7.O81167 Ss 2002 [Fic]—dc21 2001048231

  Random House, Inc. New York, Toronto, London, Sydney, Auckland

  RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc. MAGIC TREE HOUSE is a registered trademark of Mary Pope Osborne; used under license.

  v3.0

  For James Simmons

  Cover

  Dear Readers

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1. Special Magic

  2. London Bridge

  3. The Bear Garden

  4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream

  5. Stage Fright

  6. Onstage!

  7. In the Forest, in the Night

  8. The Most Important Person

  9. Sweet Sorrow

  10. Our Will?

  More Facts

  Special Preview of Magic Tree House #26: Good Morning, Gorillas

  One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.

  Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.

  Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there. While they are gone, no time at all passes in Frog Creek.

  Along the way, Jack and Annie discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian of Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.

  In Magic Tree House Books #5–8, Jack and Annie help free Morgan from a spell. In Books #9–12, they solve four ancient riddles and become Master Librarians.

  In Magic Tree House Books #13–16, Jack and Annie have to save four ancient stories from being lost forever. In Magic Tree House Books #17–20, Jack and Annie free a mysterious little dog from a magic spell. In Magic Tree House Books #21–24, Jack and Annie help save Camelot. In Magic Tree House Books #25–28, Jack and Annie search for special kinds of magic.

  Jack and Annie sat on their porch. Lightning bugs blinked in the warm summer twilight.

  “Wow, a shooting star!” said Annie, pointing at the sky.

  Jack looked up, just in time to see a streak of light flash through the sky. The light hovered above the Frog Creek woods. Then it disappeared into the treetops.

  Jack caught his breath. He turned to Annie.

  “That was no shooting star,” he said.

  “Right,” she said.

  They jumped up. Jack grabbed his backpack from inside the front hall.

  “Dad, Mom! Can we go out?” he called. “We’ll be back soon!”

  “Ten minutes, no more!” their mom said.

  “Okay!” said Jack. He closed the door. “Let’s go! Hurry!”

  He and Annie ran across thei
r yard. They ran down their street. They ran into the woods. They ran until they came to the tallest oak. They looked up.

  “Yep,” said Annie.

  Jack just smiled. He was too happy for words.

  “That’s our shooting star,” said Annie. “The magic tree house.”

  She grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Jack followed.

  When they climbed inside the tree house, they both gasped. A beautiful woman with long white hair stood in the shadowy corner.

  “Hello, Jack and Annie,” said Morgan le Fay.

  “Morgan!” Jack and Annie cried.

  They threw their arms around her.

  “Why are you here?” said Annie. “What do you want us to do for you?”

  “You have already done many good things for me,” said Morgan, “and for King Arthur and Camelot. Now I want you to do something good for yourselves. You are going to learn magic.”

  “Oh, wow,” said Annie. “Are we going to become magicians? Will you teach us charms and spells?”

  Morgan laughed. “There is magic that does not need charms or spells,” she said. “You’ll find a special magic on each of your next four adventures.”

  “How?” asked Jack.

  “A secret rhyme will guide you on each journey,” Morgan said. “Here this is the first.” She held up a slip of paper.

  Annie took the paper from Morgan and read the rhyme aloud:

  To find a special magic,

  You must step into the light

  And without wand, spell, or charm,

  Turn daytime into night.

  “Turn daytime into night?” said Jack. “How can we do that?”

  Morgan smiled.

  “That’s what you have to find out,” she said.

  Jack had lots of questions. But before he could ask any of them, a flash lit up the tree house. He closed his eyes against the light. When he opened them, Morgan le Fay was gone. On the floor where she had stood was a book.

  “Morgan didn’t tell us enough,” said Jack.

  “But she left this research book,” said Annie. She picked up the book. “And it’ll tell us the first place to go.” She held the book up to the gray light at the window.

  The cover showed a busy river with boats and a bridge. The title was

  Merry Olde England

  “What’s o-l-d-e mean?” asked Annie.

  “I think that’s the old way of spelling old,” said Jack. “You say it the same.”

  “So we’re going to merry olde England to find magic?” said Annie. “That sounds fun. Ready?”

  “I guess,” said Jack. He still wished they’d gotten more information from Morgan. But he pointed at the cover of their research book.

  “I wish we could go there,” he said.

  The wind started to blow.

  The tree house started to spin.

  The wind blew harder and harder.

  Then everything was still.

  Absolutely still.

  Warm daylight flooded into the tree house. Jack opened his eyes.

  Annie was wearing a long dress with an apron. Jack was wearing a shirt with puffy sleeves, knee-length pants, and tights. Their shoes were leather slippers. Jack’s backpack was now a leather bag.

  “These clothes are weird,” said Jack. His voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of thundering wagon wheels coming from below.

  “What’s going on?” said Annie.

  She and Jack looked out.

  The tree house had landed in a patch of trees near a wide brown river. Wagons, carts, and people were heading toward the river.

  Ferryboats, sailing ships, and white swans glided across the water.

  “Wow, it’s so busy,” said Annie.

  Jack opened their research book and read:

  In 1600, over 100,000 people lived in London, England. At that time, England was ruled by Queen Elizabeth the First. She was much loved by her people.

  “A queen? Cool,” said Annie.

  Jack took out his notebook and wrote:

  “I’ve never seen a bridge like that,” said Annie, looking to the left.

  Jack looked with her. A giant stone bridge crossed the river. The bridge looked like a small town. It was crowded with houses, shops, and even a church.

  Jack found a picture of the bridge in their research book. He read aloud:

  At the heart of London was London Bridge. The bridge crossed the Thames (say TEMZ) River. At different times in history, the bridge fell down. But it was always built again.

  “Oh, wow,” said Annie. “That must be where the song comes from.” She sang, “London Bridge is falling down, falling down … .”

  While Annie sang, Jack took out his notebook and wrote:

  “Let’s go look for the magic,” said Annie. She read Morgan’s note again:

  To find a special magic,

  You must step into the light

  And without wand, spell, or charm,

  Turn daytime into night.

  Jack squinted up at the sky. It was very blue, without even a cloud.

  “It’s just not possible,” he said, shaking his head.

  But he threw the research book and his notebook into his leather bag. Then he followed Annie down the rope ladder. When they reached the ground, they started walking toward the river.

  “P-U!” Annie said, holding her nose.

  The river smelled terrible.

  No one else seemed to mind the smell, though. People were cheerfully piling into ferryboats or heading for the bridge. They all seemed happy, as if they were going someplace fun.

  A group of ragged boys brushed past Jack and Annie. They were about twelve or thirteen years old. They were laughing and out of breath.

  “Hurry! We’ll be late!” one shouted.

  The boys ran toward the stone gateway leading onto the bridge.

  “Late for what?” said Annie. “What’s on the other side of that bridge? Why are they in such a hurry to get there?”

  “I don’t know,” said Jack. He pulled out their research book. “I’ll see what the book says.”

  “No, let’s just go—or we’ll be late!” said Annie. She took off running.

  “Okay, okay,” said Jack.

  He put away the book and ran after her toward London Bridge.

  Jack and Annie passed under the stone gateway that led onto London Bridge.

  As they started across, Jack was amazed. The bridge was so noisy and smelly! Wagon wheels rumbled like thunder over the cobblestones. Pots clinked in carts. Horses neighed. Shopkeepers shouted.

  “Good pies!”

  “Hot peas!”

  “New pins!”

  “Shoes! Soap! Salt!”

  A shopkeeper caught Jack’s eye. “What lack you, boy?” he shouted.

  “Nothing, thank you,” said Jack, and kept walking.

  “Watch out!” a cart driver yelled.

  Jack grabbed Annie’s hand. He pulled her out of the way. The cart rolled past them over the narrow roadway.

  “Look!” said Annie. She pointed to a bear in a wooden cage in the back of the cart. The bear had matted brown fur. His head was down.

  As the cart rumbled on, Jack shook his head. “What next?” he said.

  “Them,” said Annie, looking up.

  She pointed at huge black birds sitting hunched at the edges of the rooftops. The birds sat still as they stared down at all the carts and animals and people crossing London Bridge. Jack shivered and moved quickly past the gaze of the giant silent birds.

  Finally he and Annie came to the end of the bridge. They stepped onto the riverbank. There they stopped and looked around.

  “I wonder where those big kids went,” said Annie.

  Jack studied the crowd heading down the road that led from. the bridge. There was no sign of the group of ragged boys.

  Jack took out their research book. He found the picture of London Bridge. He read aloud:

  London Bridge connected London to the south bank of the r
iver, an area where Londoners went for entertainment. The Bear Garden was a popular spot.

  “The Bear Garden?” said Annie. “That sounds good. Where’s that?”

  Jack found a map of the south bank. He pointed to a circle that was labeled BEAR GARDEN.

  “Here,” he said. He looked up. “And … there!” He pointed to a dark, round building in the distance.

  “Great!” said Annie. “I want to see the garden filled with bears.”

  “Let’s read—” started Jack.

  “Let’s look!” said Annie. She headed toward the Bear Garden.

  Jack put away their book and followed her. As they got closer, they heard loud shouting and laughter coming from inside the round building.

  Annie stopped.

  “Wait,” she said. “I’m getting a bad feeling about the Bear Garden. Maybe we should read more about it.”

  Jack opened their book again. He read aloud:

  At an arena called the Bear Garden, people watched bears fight with dogs. Animal fights were a common sport in old England. They are against the law today.

  “Bears fight with dogs? Yuck!” said Annie. “I couldn’t stand to watch that!”

  “Me neither,” said Jack. “Forget that place.” He started to walk away.

  “Hey, Jack! Look over there!” said Annie. She pointed to a cart nearby. “That’s the bear that passed us on the bridge!”

  Annie and Jack ran over to the cart. In the back of it was a cage. In the cage was a big brown bear.

  The bear was slumped over, his head still down. The sign on the cart said DAN THE DANCING BEAR.

  “Dan?” Annie asked. “Are you going to fight?”

  The lonely-looking bear raised his huge head and looked at Annie. His dark eyes were sad. He let out a low moan.

  “I understand,” Annie said. “You don’t want to fight. You’re asking me to take you away.” Annie reached for the door of the bear’s cage.

  “Away with you!” someone shouted angrily. “That’s my bear!”