Eve of the Emperor Penguin by Mary Pope Osborne Read Free Book Online Page B

the librettist for a children’s opera and has recently completed his second short film. Sal Murdocca is an avid runner, hiker, and bicyclist. He has often bicycle-toured in Europe and has had many one-man shows of his paintings from these trips. He lives and works with his wife, Nancy, in New City, New York.

Here’s a special preview of
Magic Tree House #41
(A Merlin Mission)

Moonlight on the Magic

    Available now!
    Excerpt copyright © 2009 by Mary Pope Osborne.
Published by Random House Children’s Books,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

J ack was sitting at the computer in the living room. He was doing research on penguins for a school project. His mom and dad were cooking in the kitchen. Jack could smell bread baking in the oven and spaghetti sauce bubbling on top of the stove.
    “Jack!” Annie burst into the living room. “Come with me!” she said.
    “What’s going on?” said Jack.
    “They’re here!” said Annie.
    “Teddy? Kathleen?” asked Jack.
    Annie nodded, her eyes shining.
    “Oh, man!” Jack whispered. He jumped up from his chair and grabbed his jacket and backpack. “Mom, Dad—we’ll be back soon!” he called.
    “Dinner’s in thirty minutes,” their mom called from the kitchen.
    “No problem!” said Annie. Then she and Jack headed out the front door into the cool spring air.
    “Where did you see them?” said Jack.
    “At the edge of the woods!” said Annie. “I was riding my bike home from my piano lesson. When they saw me, they waved.”
    “You didn’t stop and talk to them?” said Jack.
    “No, I pointed to the house,” said Annie, “to let them know I had to get you first.”
    “Oh! Thanks!” said Jack. “We’d better hurry!”
    “I wonder where they’re sending us!” said Annie as they crossed their yard and headed up the sidewalk. “I wonder what our next mission is! Hey, did you bring the Wand of Dianthus?”
    “Yep, it’s in my backpack!” said Jack.
    Jack and Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods. They hurried through the shadowy light of late afternoon, until they came to the tallest tree. Jack looked up. The tree house
was
back. The two young enchanters from Camelot were looking out the window.
    “Hi!” yelled Jack and Annie.
    “Hello!” Teddy and Kathleen shouted.
    Annie grabbed the rope ladder and climbed up into the tree house. Jack followed.
    “We’re so glad you’re back!” said Annie. She hugged Teddy and Kathleen. Jack hugged them, too.
    “How’s Penny?” Jack asked. He’d been missing the little penguin they had given Merlin on their last adventure.
    “Oh, Penny and Merlin have become the best of friends,” said Kathleen. “She has brought him much joy and laughter.”
    “Cool,” said Jack. He wasn’t surprised. Penny had made him really happy, too.
    “What do you want us to do now?” said Annie.
    “On your last missions, you found secrets of happiness to help Merlin,” said Kathleen.
    Jack and Annie nodded.
    “Now, on your next mission, Merlin wants you to help bring happiness to
millions
of people,” said Kathleen.
    “Whoa,” said Jack. “That’s a big job.”
    Teddy and Kathleen laughed.
    “How do we do that?” asked Jack.
    “Simple,” said Teddy. “You must seek out a brilliant artist—”
    “Do you mean like a painter?” asked Annie.
    “It could be,” said Teddy. “But it could also be any person who uses passion and imagination to create something beautiful.”
    “Merlin wants you to help put that artist on the right path,” said Teddy, “to share his or her gifts with the world.”
    “Oh, cool!” said Annie. “Where do we start?”
    Kathleen took a creamy white envelope fromher cloak. It was sealed with melted red wax. In fancy writing, it said:
For Jack and Annie of Frog Creek.
“‘Tis a royal invitation,” said Kathleen.
    Jack took the envelope. He carefully broke the seal and pulled out a thick card with gold edges and gold script. He read aloud:

    “A party at a summer palace! In