Night of the Ninjas

Magic Tree House #5

by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca

Jack and Annie are ready for their next fantasy adventure in the bestselling middle-grade series?the Magic Tree House! Have you ever met a real live ninja? Jack and Annie do when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to ancient Japan, where they find themselves in the cave of a ninja master. Will they learn the secrets of the ninja? Or will the evil samurai warriors get them first?

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Chapter Books, Adventure, Time Travel

69 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 1995

About the author

Mary Pope Osborne is an American author of children's books and audiobook narrator. She is best known as the author of the Magic Tree House series, which as of 2017 sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. Both the series and Osborne have won awards, including for Osborne's charitable efforts at promoting children's literacy. One of four children, Osborne moved around in her childhood before attending the University of North Carolina. Following college, Osborne traveled before moving to New York City. She somewhat spontaneously began to write, and her first book was published in 1982. She went on to write a variety of other children's and young adult books before starting the Magic Tree House series in 1992. Osborne's sister Natalie Pope Boyce has written several compendium books to the Magic Tree House series, sometimes with Osborne's husband Will Osborne.

Reviews

[Friend of Pixie · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you've read my reviews of Sunset of the Sabertooth and Afternoon on the Amazon, you know my feelings about this series, which I consider to be poorly written and insubstantial in terms of information. After reading a few, I figured I'd go back to well-written books and when Logan could read, he could read all the Magic Tree House books he wanted.

But then he found this one at a used-book store and what with his current passion for ninja, we couldn't pass it up. "That's okay," I thought. "I'll just edit as I go, replacing all of Annie's "yikes!' and Jack's 'Oh man!' interjections with an entertaining variety of other words. Maybe I'll even have Jack say 'yikes!' and Annie say 'Oh man!' Really live on the edge, you know?" I even thought I might give Jack (whose sad little one-dimensional persona never changes or matures throughout the series) a little more courage and a little less sarcasm, although honestly for us, sarcasm begins at home (as you may have guessed from my writing).

Anyhoo. I had big plans. But what I didn't plan for was having to cope with the misrepresentation of both samurai and ninja culture. For books that have so few facts, you'd think the author could have done a little research to present something based at least vaguely on what we know about ancient Japanese culture and warriors.

The true things in the book:

--Ninja often wore clothing to blend into their surroundings.

--Ninja were secretive and good at keeping under the radar.

--Ninja were sometimes women.

--Both ninja and samurai were from "old Japan" (no era given)

Untrue things in the book:

--Ninja were not some sort of nature-loving Zen Buddhist folk who said things like "use nature, be nature, follow nature." They were mercenaries hired from amongst struggling farmers and vallagers and paid well to do heinous things that the strict code of honor and loyalty prevented the samurai from doing. These included espionage, assassination, and infiltration. If anyone would say something poetic about nature, it would be a samurai. It would be more literary though, more haiku-ish, I imagine. Being able to write poetry was a valued samurai skill. "By the 12th century, upper-class samurai were highly literate due to the general introduction of Confucianism from China during the 7th to 9th centuries...The philosophies of Buddhism and Zen, and to a lesser extent Confucianism and Shinto, influenced the samurai culture." -from Wikipedia

--Ninja did not wear the black clothes and headscarves popularized by comics and movies. They might wear dark colors for night work (more likely brown or dark blue), but usually they just wore whatever they needed to to blend in, like any spy or assassin would. Women, for example, often dressed as dancers, courtesans, or servants to gain access to or seduce their victims. A man might disguise himself as a flute player and then use the flute to blow a poison dart or to whack someone over the head. Anything to get the job done, baby.

--Samurai were not evil, as portrayed in the book. They were like western knights: aristocracy taught to fight in precise and ridiculously formal ways and kept to a strict code of honor that required them to battle one adversary at a time in full view of others. I very much doubt that samurai coming upon two children would "show them no mercy."

--Samurai did not wear armor of bamboo. What a ridiculous idea! Their armor was usually a combination of iron and leather, which could actually protect them from sword blows.

There's a lot more, but I'll stop there. How do I know all this? Well, initially all I knew about ninja was that they were mercenaries and spies. But the book presented them in such a friendly, "take this pebble from my hand, grasshopper" way, I felt compelled to research to see if I had been wrong about ninja culture.

I'm sorry to go on and on, but after what I learned, I then felt equally compelled to set the record straight, especially since so many people regard this series as “educational.” This book would have been better if the samurai and ninja roles were reversed because really, it was the ninja you couldn't trust. My advice is that when you read these books, make sure you also do some subsequent research with your kids, because even when Osborne isn't wrong, she's pretty stingy with the facts.

And by the way, I would have given this no stars left to my own devices. But since Logan ejoyed it and it did lead to some fun fact-finding afterward, I was generous. I'm like that.

[Sophia Triad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The favourite of the series. It talks about the legend of the Ninjas. It describes wonderfully the Ninjas' movements. Great adventure!
1.use nature
2. be nature
3. follow nature

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for my kindergartener during our road trip. This story didn't have much going on. Jack and Annie traveled to the time of Ninjas. They met two young ninjas in the woods and the ninjas took Jack and Annie to see their master in the cave. Jack and Annie are trying to save the M person based on her message that was left in the tree house. Before the ninja master agree to help, he and the other two ninjas ran off to save themselves from the incoming samurai. Jack and Annie were left to fend for themselves and find their own way back to the tree house. I'm a bit disappointed with this story. At the same time, they also traveled with a mouse who happened to be in the tree house before the time travel trip.

I borrowed this ebook from Cloud Library App.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with the boy I tutor and it’s definitely a good one! Very short and entertaining. We both enjoyed it.

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anne und Philipp finden das "Magische Baumhaus" verlassen vor. Die Zauberin Morgan ist verzaubert worden und hat nur einen Brief hinterlassen. Anne und Philipp wollen Morgan helfen und reisen dafür mit dem Baumhaus nach Japan zu den Ninjas und Samurai.

Bei diesem Büchlein handelt es sich um ein Pixi-Buch, daher ist es natürlich schnell gelesen und hat nicht sonderlich viel Inhalt. Für Kinder finde ich es aber sehr gelungen, und ich denke, auch zum Vorlesen eignet sich die Geschichte gut.

"Im Land der Samurai" ist Teil einer Serie, daher ist die Geschichte hier noch nicht abgeschlossen.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has to be one of my favourite books from this series. I was very interested with the concept about ninjas and ancient Japan. At the beginning of the book, the two ninjas look like they want to kidnap the siblings, but actually they are trying to take them to place of their master.

I liked how Jack and Annie were trying to find Morgan through the entire book. The samurai warrior in the book is described to be a very powerful warrior and how it would make the sibling afraid of it.

I predict the next three books are clues to find Morgan and that probably will happen. In this book , the clue is a moonstone. I really loved how the master of the ninjas was willing to help the siblings find Morgan.

Even though, I skimmed this book, I still found it interesting. I gave this a higher rating than usual because it has more suspense and adventure.
Overall, it was a pretty good book.

[Lindsey Gandhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son loved this one so much he is writing a story about a ninja master!!

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

After doing some crazy cleaning, I came across this lovely little gem from my childhood. I used to binge this series like no tomorrow. I remember doing the summer reading challenge and bringing home as many of the books in this series as possible. I thought they were so cool, so whimsical and so magical. Not much has changed, as I completely adored picking up this book. The nostalgia was on point!

I don't remember what happened through books one through four, as it has been a long time, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this novel. Jack and Annie are on a quest to save Morgan with their little pet mouse. They travel in the magic tree house and are suddenly among ninjas! They go on an adventure to find one of the items that can help save Morgan, and learn a lot along the way.

I really like this series. It's packed full of fun and is a great middle grade read. It's simple, fast, and the action never stops. It might not be totally historically accurate, but it's a great read with lots of whimsy packed in it. I think, as long as you don't go into this book expecting it to be some non-fiction, educational romp then you'll be fine. Enjoy it for the goofy fictional book that it is.

I also have a special place in my heart for this series because it did spike my reading interest back in the day, so I'm totally biased. I just remember the fun of grabbing the books in this series and being whisked away on a magical adventure. That's childhood for you.

Four out of five stars.

[Jacoba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Night of the Ninja by Mary Pope Osborne (1995)
Genre: Chapter book, historical fiction
Format: Book
Plot summary:The magic tree house takes Jack and Annie back in time to feudal Japan where the siblings learn about the ways of the Ninja
Considerations or precautions for readers advisory (strong language, sex, death, religious overtones, violence, etc.): No special considerations
Section source used to find the material: In class recommendation
Recommended age: Grades 3-4

[Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Ninjas so I liked this book. There is a master ninja in the book.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

NINGAS!!!!!!! WHIYYA!!!! SAMUCIY WARRIORS!!!

[Diego · Rating 4 out of 5]

Night of the ninjas . by > Mary pope Osborne
On night of the Ninjas story is about two guys their names are Annie and Jack they have a tree house where almost usually always will read stories or stories whenever they read a story is as if it were real, but this time they were and found something strange in the House and found a few tracks that them they said they had to do , they had to find her friend Morgan this girl always is that it is what they have to do .When they realized what they said tracks immediately knew that Morgan was in trouble and they had that help her and that had that soon .Annie and Jack decide to hurry up they should not waste time and have to go in search of Morgan. The guys begin to look for the clues and read the book to find out where you have to go to find Morgan then starts to read the book and realize that they have to go to china and to not waste time start to read the book, because they are worried about Morgan when do they go out of the magic house they know that they are between very much trees Annie asks Jack, where we are?then Jack doesn't know where are but the sight tracks and silk mind that if are in china, when suddenly two Ninjas look i what they do is hide that they can not discover them but one of the Ninjas discovers them and grab But Jack tells Anni then Annie asks them where they lead us? Ninjas don't say a Word.
Jack tells Anni that don't be afraid that everything will be ok, but what Annie wants to know is where the lead , after walking a long time they cross a river where the Ninjas loaded the kids in their shoulders to Jack and Annie After walking for a long time the Ninjas take the guys with a sensei.The sensei told them that what it did was protecting them from the samurai , the samurai is a warrior who seeks the Ninjas to kill them, that is why the Ninjas led to the guys with the sensei when they arrived with the sensei asked if the could help find her friend Morgan, but the sensei told him that he knew nothing about her friend Morgan,When the Ninjas removed their masks the guys saw the Ninja girls were and were not a few men Ninjas .


I liked the book The History I thought that I was one of the boys exploring the trees using my imajinacion . It is good the book is one of those books that you can tell a story to someone about that book is easy.


The book talks about how to help people who really want to or if you are looking what you need, because you never know when you're going to need help from others or when we are going to need someone for anything , but what I loved about the book is that it is an example of how to be good people with the others, and that whenever someone is in a problem to be able to help you .


Some places where they were, it was the magic house, the forest, and a river, and a good point of this book is that it is like an example of helping those of more persons, like for example the Nimjas they helped Annie and Jack that would be found by the Samurai who perhaps if it had found them had made them slightly bad, it is always necessary to help the others that is very good.


I would recommend this book to the kids of all ages but especially to the guys at 5 years is very good book for this reason i recommend it, and also because it is interesting to read good adventures of Jack and Annie .

[Maya Orama · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story that I read about was about a brother and sister named jack and Annie going on a adventure. One summer day in frog creek Pennsylvania , a mystery happened. a strange tree house appeared deep in the woods . Eight year old jack and his seven year Old sister Annie, climbed into the tree house. they found out that it was filled with books. Jack and Annie also found out that the tree house was Magic. It could take them to places in the Book. all they had to do was point to a picture and wish to be there. along the way, they discovered that the tree house belonged to Morgan lee Fay. Morgan lee fe was a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur that travels in time and space. She also gathers books. now jack and Annie are about to start a whole new adventure in night at ninjas . Jack and Annie we're walking home from the library. the path near their house went right by frog creek woods. Annie and jack claimed the ladder that lead into the tree house. When they went in the tree house, a note appeared. The note said, deep under a spell find four objects. then Annie took a book and the title was night at the ninjas. Annie looked at the picture and wished she was their with jack. then, the Magic tree house spun and spun. then it stopped. Just as they stopped, ninjas were climbing the ladder into the tree house! Annie and jack hid and was quiet and still. Then, the ninjas didn't find anything, so the ninjas left. Annie asked one of the ninjas if they can help them swim to the other side of the land to find the treasure. Then, the ninja helped them across and left. Then, they found the treasure which was a moon stone , a mouse , a flower , and a hat. then they took a little boat back to the tree house and took the treasures with them. Jack and Annie gave the treasures to Morgan and couldn't wait for the next adventure. The end.

[Julesmarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so I have a new least favorite... I suppose it's a good thing I started with the books I did or I would never have given this series this much of a chance.

My biggest issues here are that Morgan's note is written in cursive and then never repeated in print. Even my 3rd graders didn't start learning cursive until September... and from what I understand this series is directed at children even younger than that. It's incomprehensible to me that they'd make a book designed to encourage children to read longer books independently and then put a major plot point in a way that's inaccessaible to them.

There also didn't really seem to be a plot in this one. They arrive, they're carried by the ninjas to meet the ninja master (and, btw, just reading "ninja" and writing it there, I couldn't help but grin sarcastically... :P) who immediately sends them on their own back to the treehouse. And later this "master" tells them that they couldn't find the book because they had a mission to complete. What mission? Pretending to be ninjas is a mission now?

Ugh. This one was just silly. And the illustrations, while still beautiful, just served to remind me I was reading about ninjas, and therefore enhanced the silliness.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids gave it 10/10

[Meghan John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 ⭐️’s apparently. “It was awesome,” she said.

[Anaum Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this whole book aloud to my cousin and now my voice hurts so there’s no way I’m not counting this towards my reading goal.

[Dallin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack and Annie go to the time of the ninjas. They see ninjas and so they pull up the rope ladder so the ninjas can't get up, but the ninjas climb the tree. The ninjas climb in and Jack and Annie are freaked out. Then they make friends with the ninjas and the ninjas bring them across a freezing cold river. The ninjas bring them through a forest and take them to a cave to meet the ninja master. The ninja master says, "Okay. You can help your friend, but first you have to use nature, be nature, and follow nature. Jack writes that down. Then they go and Jack puts a stick in the ground and the shadow points they way they should go. They go that way and then the bad warriors come and Jack and Annie pretend to be rocks. The bad warriors don't see them and go away. Jack and Annie see the river and it's freezing cold so they can't run through it. Then Peanut the mouse escapes and runs across a log that Jack doesn't think can hold them and then Annie runs across. Then Jack runs across and sees that it holds them. They run to the tree house and go inside. Then the master ninja gives them a moon stone and they go back home.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and Annie were at the treehouse. They found a book about ninjas, and they went to the time of ninjas. Two ninjas were standing by a river, and they found Jack and Annie. They took them to their cave. The ninja master was in the cave. They told Jack and Annie to sit down. They wanted to get back to the treehouse. The ninja master told them to do three things: 1. be nature, 2. follow nature, and 3. (...data not found in Andrew's brain...). They went back to the treehouse and the ninja master was in there. A mouse named Peanut was in his arms. He also had a moonstone that was to help find their friend Morgan, who got books from libraries for the Magic Treehouse. (They were told to find three things and this was the first.)

[Kiefer Hwasta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of the Magic Tree House series. Jack and Annie go to the tree house and find a note from Morgan le Fay, that says she is in danger. Morgan le Fay is the owner of the tree house. Morgan says they need to travel to the time of ninjas as the first step to saving her. Jack and Annie find a mouse in the tree house that Annie names Peanut, they take Peanut with them to help save Morgan.
I thought it was good. It teaches the way of the ninjas: be nature, follow nature and respect nature. It described how ninjas dressed, acted, and fought. They find the first thing, a moonstone, to save Morgan.

[Charity (Booktrovert Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

BLOG ⟫ INSTAGRAM ⟫

I find it funny how the ninjas get Annie and Jack to follow them all the way to the middle of the jungle. More like Annie goes, sure why not follow these mysterious ninjas that I know nothing about? They meet the master ninja and all he says "it's dangerous out there with Samurais, so you must find your way back on your own. Follow that direction" Takes his sword and walks out. So, you bring kids to the middle of nowhere, then tell them to figure it out?

Oh well. Still a good read.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the 3 rules of ninja!
1. Use nature
2. Be nature
3. Follow nature

Oh yes, I am ninja. Why? Because Jack and Annie taught me how to be one!!! Haha!! Another adventure, even more fun! This time, Morgan has left a message. She is under a spell and needs Jack & Annie to help her by finding 4 things!! I loved this one. Not just because it had ninjas, but because it had ninjas AND samurais. What could be better than that?? [Toss in Godzilla and you've got destruction all over little Tokyo lol] But anyway, great book, so much fun, LOTS OF EXCITEMENT FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT =D

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

After their last adventure, Jack and Annie discovered that The M Person was Morgan le Fay. The books inside the magic tree house belong to her. In Night of the Ninjas, Morgan le Fay disappears, leaving behind a message and a little mouse, which Annie calls Peanut. In order to help Morgan le Fay, Jack and Annie must find four things. They travel back in time to ancient Japan, where they learn the secrets of the ninja from a ninja master, avoid evil samurai warriors, and find the first of the four things they need to help Morgan le Fay... a moonstone.

[Stephanie Sykes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book. I recommend this book to elementary kids and for all genders. This book isn't a chick-flick and is an easy read. There were two kids in this book, their names were Jack and Annie. Their tree house was a magic tree house. The tree house took them back to the ancient Japan. They had to find something that started with a “M”. The thing they found that started with a “M” was moonstones. I really like these book. Reading this books bring back memories when I use to read these books in elementary.

[Arlomisty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book in the Magic Tree House series that I'm reading with my daughter. I think this one was probably her favorite. She liked the Ninja's and I think she's getting more familiar with the two main characters in all the books. It's fun reading her stories... I do the different voices for the different characters. My daughter likes that.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been weeks since the Magic Treehouse and their new friend disappeared. Then the treehouse reappears with a plea for help from their friend and a mouse. Jack and Annie go to ancient Japan where a ninja gives the a moonstone that will aid their search for the missing Morgan le Fay. This book is at the 1.9 reading level.

[Zaiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book. The author wrote many good adjetives. When I am reading I can picture it in my mind. My favorite part was when the master-ninja gave jack and annie a tiny golden stone that will help them to find Morgan, the magical librarian.

[Amieer Ayyad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The is about these tow kids going into a tree house and finds Morgan missing the lady who owns this tree house.I like the because it's scary and interesting. I recommend this book to the whole 2 grade class.

[Chris Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the book. It was about ninjas and they had too saved lots of ninjas. And they almost died and the ninjas save them at the end of the book. I recommend this book to Jairo because it's about ninjas and he likes ninjas.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack and Annie went to ancient Japan.