Start of Something New
Breaking Free
You are the music in me
BOOK REPORT - SUNSET OF THE SABERTOOTH
THE AUTHOR: MARY POPE OSBORN
Prologue
One summer day in Frog Ceek, Pennsylvania
Chapter 1: The “M” Things
Annie and Jack were passing the Frog Creek woods on their way home from their swimming class at the Y. Annie darted into the woods. Jack sighed. He gave up on the idea of changing out of his bathing suit. He moved through patches of sunlight and shadow. Soon he came to a small clearing. He looked up. There it was. The magic tree house in the tallest tree in the woods. Finally they reached the tree house. Jack stared at the large M into the wooden floor. On the M were a moonstone and a mango, the special things they’d found on their last two journeys. Annie and Jack stared at the stacks of books in the tree house. All of them were closed. Only one book lay open in the corner. They walked over to the open book. They looked at the page the book was opened to. It showed a picture of rocks and snow. The wind started to blow. The leaves started to shake. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster! Then everything was silent.
Chapter 2 : Bones
Jack,Annie,and Peanut looked outside.Snow was faling from a grey sky.The tree house was in the tallest tree in a grove of tall, bare trees. The grove was on a wide, white plain. Beyond the plain were high, rocky cliffs. Annie teeth chattered. She wrapped her towel tightly around her. Annie slipped Peanut into the pocket of the backpack. There was no sign of thePennsylvania
Jack,Annie,and Peanut looked outside.Snow was faling from a grey sky.The tree house was in the tallest tree in a grove of tall, bare trees. The grove was on a wide, white plain. Beyond the plain were high, rocky cliffs. Annie teeth chattered. She wrapped her towel tightly around her. Annie slipped Peanut into the pocket of the backpack. There was no sign of the
Early modern humans were called Cro-Magnons. During the late Ice Age in Europe , they sometimes lived in caves beneath cliffs.
Jack turned the page. He found another picture of the Cro-Magnons. He read :
The Cro-Magnon family often hunted together. They covered deep pits with branches. Then they drove reindeer and mammoths into the traps.
They watched the family disappear over the other side of the cliff. Jack put his book away. Jack pulled on his pack and started down the rope ladder. Annie followed. On the icy fround, they huddled together. The wind was biting. Jack put his towel over his head.. annie had put on her swimming goggles. Annie wrapped her towel around her head. She and Jack started across the white plain. The snow wasn’t deep yet. But the wind was blowing hard. Annie pointed to an opening in he rocks-a cave. They run to it. They stepped carefully into the shadowy cave. It was only slightly warmer inside. In the gray light, they stemped the snow off their sneakers. Annie took off her goggles. Jack pulled out the Ice Age book. Jack stood by the entrance so he could read the book. Jack turned the pages of his book. He found a picture of a cave filled with bones. Jack read the writing below the picture of the cave. It said :
The great cave bears of the Ice Age were over eight feet tall. These bears were larger and fiercer than today’s grizzlies. Their caves were filled with the bones of their ancestors.
They were in the cave of a great cave bear !
Chapter 3 : Brrr!
“Annie!” whispered Jack again. No answer. He put his book quietly into his pack. He stepped deeper into the cave. Jack stepped on the bones. The wet dog smell grew stronger. He kept going, deeper into the smelly blackness. He ran into something. He gasped. Jack heard a low, deep moaning. It was loud, then soft. Loud, then soft. A booming snore shattered the air. Jack and Annie ean through the cave, over the bones, and out into the falling snow. They kept on going. They ran between fallen rocks and under jagged cliffs. Finally they stopped and turned around. All they could see was snow and rocks and their own footprints. No bear. Annie huddled close to Jack. The cold wind blew against Jack bare legs. Annie pointed to something behind Jack. Under a cliff was a wide ledge. Under the ledge was another cave. Only this cave seemed to have a golden glow. This one looked cozy and safe and warm.
Chapter 4 : Cave Kids
Jack and Annie crept to the cave and peeked inside. A small flame danced from a bed of glowing coals. Near the fire were knives, axes, and hollowed-out stones. Animal skins were neatly stacked against the wall. Jack and Annie moved quickly to the fire and warmed their hands. Jack pulled out his Ice Age book. He found a picture of a cave. He read :
Cro-Magnons made many things from animals, plants, and stone. They made flute-like musical instruments from mammoth bones. They made ropes by braiding plant fibers. They made axes and knives from stone.
Jack pulled out his notebook and pencil. He started a list : Cro-Magnons made bone flutes, plant ropes, stone axes and knives.
Jack looked up. Annie was wearing a coat. It had a hood and long sleeves. It went all the way down to her sneakers. She picked up another coat and handed it to Jack. Jack put his backpack and towel down on the hard dirt floor. He slipped on the coat. It did feel very warm-and soft. Jack turned the pages in the book until he found a picture of Cro-Magnon women sewing. He read :
Cro-Magnons scraped reindeer skins with flint rocks to make them soft. They use bone needles to sew the skins together for clothing.
Jack added to his list : reindeer-skin clothes
They left their gifts on top of the rest of the animal skins. Jack opened the Ice Age book. He found a picture of cave people holding odd-looking lamps. He read aloud to Annie :
Cro-Magnons made stone lamps. They hollowed out a rock, filled it with animal fat, then burned a wick made from moss.
Annie pointed to two stones near the fire. In the hollow of each was gooey white stuff and a pile of moss. Jack picked up one stone. It was smaller than a soup bowl, but much heavier. Jack held the stone close to the fire and lit the piece of moss. He lit another lamp and gave it to Annie. Jack tucked the book under his arm. He and Annie carried their stone lamps to the back of the cave. Annie held her lamp up to an opening in the wall. Jack picked up his lamp and book. He ducked into a small tunnel. Jack could see Annie lamp flickering at the other end. Crouching down, he hurried toward her. At the end of the tunnel was a huge cavern with a high ceiling. Annie held her lamp close to the wall. Animals were painted on the wall in strokes of red and black and yellow. There were cave bears and lions, elk and reindeer, bison and woolly rhinos and mammoths. In the flickering light, the prehistoric beasts looked alive.
Chapter 5 : Snow Tracks
Jack read about the cave paintings :
These ice Age beasts were painted 25,000 years ago. Cro-Magnons painted pictures of animals they hunted. They may have believed the paintings would give them power over the animals.
Annie pointed at a painting farther down the wall. It showed a figure with human arms and legs, reindeer antlers, and an owl face. It seemed to be holding a flute. Jack looked at the book again. He found a picture of the figure and read :
Cave men may have been led by a sorcerer, or “Master of the Animals.” He may have worn reindeer antlers so he could run like a reindeer-and an owl mask so he could see like an owl.
They went back through the tunnel into the first cave. Jack and Annie blew out their lamps. They places them back by the fire. Jack’s backpack was on the floor next to the skins. He put the Ice Age book into it. Annie walked slowly around the cave, looking into the shadows. She was standing near the enterance to the cave. The snow had stopped falling. In the snow were tiny tracks.
Chapter 6 : Song on the Wind
Annie wrapped her reindeer coat around her and headed across the snow. Jack pulled on his backpack and followed. The mouse’s tracks led them between the fallen rocks and back onto the open plain.. the wind blew harder. Snow swirled over the ground, covering the tiny footprints. Annie and Jack now stood in the middle of the plain. They started at the windswept snow. The mouse’s tracks had vanished. Jack followed her gaze. On one of the cliffs was a tiger. A giant tiger with two long, sharp fangs. Jack and Annie stepped very softly across the snow. Then Jack glances back at the cliff. The sabertooth was gone.
Jack and Annie started running. They ran over the snowy palin, heading toward the tall, bare trees in the distance. Suddenly Jack heard a crack. The ground caves in, and Jack went with it. Annie fell beside him. They crashed down onto a heap of branches, snow, and earth. They both looked up. They were in a deep hole. “This is a trap,” Jack said. “The Cro-Magnons must have put branches over this hole. Then the snow hid the branches. So we didn’t see them.” The pit was too deep to climb out of.
Jack heard a yowl in the distance. Jack pulled out the ice Age book. He found a picture of the sabertooth. He read :
The sabertooth was the fiercest beast of the Ice Age. It attacked humans as well as woolly mammoths and other large animals.
Jack closed his eyes. He heard the wind. But this time he heard annother sound, too. Strange, haunting music. Jack opened his eyes. Staring down at them was a figure wearing reindeer antlers and an owl mask. Peanut peered down at them, too!
Chapter 7 : The Sorcerer’s Gift
The sorcerer didn’t speak. He stared through the eyeholes of the owl mask. The sorcerer threw a rope into the pit. Jack grabbed it. Jack looked up. The sorcerer was gone. Jack tugged. The rope tightened. It began rising. Annie held the rope with both hands. She pushed her feet against the side of the pit. She rose into the air with the rope. She kept pressing against the side of the pit-until she reached the top. Jack saw the sorcerer reappear and help Annie up. Then they moved out of sight. Jack was puzzled. The sorcerer had used both hands to help Annie. The sorcerer came back and threw the rope down again. Jack grabbed it. And the rope started to rise. Jack held on tight. He started up. His hands burned. His arms felt as if they were being pulled out of their sockets. But he kept his hold on the rope and his feet against the side of the pit. At the top the sorcerer pulled Jack onto the snowy ground. The sorcerer was tall. He wore a long fur robe. Annie was sitting on a woolly mammoth. Peanut was sitting on the mammoth’s head. The mammoth looked like a giant elephant with shaggy reddish hair and long, curved tusks. The other end of the rope was around the mammoth’s huge neck.
The sorcerer helped Jack climb onto the mammoth. Then the sorcerer reached into a pouch. He pulled out a smooth white bone and handed it to Jack. The bone was hollow. It had four holes along one side. And two on the other. Jack tried to give the flute back to the sorcerer. But the sorcerer held up his hand. He turned away from Jack and untied the mammoth’s rope. Then he whisoered in the ear of the giant woolly creature. When the mammoth stood up, Jack gripped Annie’s coat to keep from falling off. He felt miles above the ground. The mammoth took slow, plodding steps across the snow, then picked up speed. The sorcerer was standing in the snow, watching them. But at the moment the clouds parted, and the sun came out. Jack was blinded by sunlight on the snow. He squited to see-but the sorcerer had vanished.
Chapter 8 : The Great Parade
The huge mammoth walked across the open plain. Annie pointed to a herd of elk in the distance. They had great, wide antlers. Jack to a herd of reindeer came into view. They pranced gracefully across the snow. Then the woolly rhino joined them on the open plain. Then the bison! The elk, reindeer, rhino, and bison moved along with them, at a distance. They seemed to be escorting Jack and Annie back to the tree house. They were getting closer and closer to the grove of tall trees. But just then the mammoth let out a cry. All the other animals bounded off. Behind them the sabertooth was slinking across the sunlit snow! The woolly mammoth roared and plunged forward. Jack and Annie nearly fell off. The mammoth thundered wildly over the ground. The mammoth changed to the grove of trees. But the tiger had circled around the trees. He stood between the tallest tree and the mammoth. The sabertooth began moving slowly toward the mammoth. Jack knew a sabertooth could kill any creature, including a mammoth. The huge tiger’s head was down. His burning eyes were fixed on the mammoth. His long white fangs glinted in the sunlight.
Chapter 9 : Master of the Animals
The sabertooth crept forward. Jack held the mammoth-bone flute to his lips. He blew. The flute made a strange sound. The tiger froze. He glared at Jack. Jack’s hands shook. The mammoth roared and stomped the ground. Jack blew again. The sabertooth froze again. Jack closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Then he blew as hard and as long as he could. He covered and uncovered the holes on the bone. The music sounded strange-as if it were coming from another world. Jack raised his eyes. The sabertooth was slinking off toward the cliffs. The mammoth waved Annie trunk happily. From the back of the mammoth, Jack grabbed the rope ladder. He held it for Annie. Annie grabbed the rope ladder. Then she started up. Peanut climbed up, too. After they disappeared into the tree house, Jack climbed onto the ladder. The mammoth walked away into the sunset. Jack pulled himself into the tree house. Annie handed the Pennsylvania book to Jack. Jack smiled. Now he was positive they had found the third M thing. Their mission was complete. They took off their reindeer-skin coats and dropped them to the ground. Jack stared out the window. The sun was setting behind the hills. Four people were crossing the snow plain. It was the cro-Magnon family. The Cro-Magnons stopped and peered in Annie and jack’s direction. Jack grabbed the Pennsylvania book. He found the picture of Frog Creek and pointed at it. The wind started to blow. The leaves began to shake. The wind blew harded. And the tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Chapter 10 : This Age
Birds sang. The air was soft and warm. Jack held up mammoth bone. Then he placed it on the M carved into the floor. Next to the mango from the rain forest. Next to the moonstone from the time of ninjas. Annie started down the rope ladder. Jack gathered his things. He paused and glanced at the mouse. Then he climbed down the rope ladder and jumped onto the ground. Jack and Annie ran through the Frog Creek woods onto their street.
The End
BOOK REPORT - AFTERNOON IN THE AMAZON
THE AUTHOR: MARY POPE OSBORN
Prologue
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods. Annie climbed into the tree house. They found it 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 to point to a picture and wish to go there. Jack and Annie visited the times of dinosaurs, knights, pyramids, pirates and ninjas. Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belong to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur.
Chapter 1: where Peanut?
Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods. Jack caught up with Annie. She stood beside tall oak tree. She grabbed the rope ladder and started too climbed up. Jack followed her. Then Jack took off his backpack. Sunlight slanted across a stack of books- books of ninjas, pirates, mummies, knight, and dinosaurs. A brown-and-white mouse peeked out of the socks. She looked from Annie to Jack with her big eyes. In old Japan, Peanut had helped them when they’d gotten lost. In the shadows was an open book.
Chapter 2: Big bugs
Jack closed the book and looked at the cover. It showed a picture of a green forest. The trees were very tall and closed together. On the cover were woods The Rain Forest. Jack wanted to take lots of notes in the rain forest. Maybe he could even name some unknown bugs. Annie took a deep breath and slowly nodded. Jack opened the book again. He pointed to a picture that showed blue sky, green leaves, and bright flowers. The wind started to blow. Annie put the mouse in her pocket. The wind picked up. The tree house started to spin. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. The win was whistling now. The tree house was spinning faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still. Wild sound broke the silence.
Chapter 3: Yikes!
Jack opened his eyes. The air was so hot and steamy. Annie was peeking out of the tree house window. Peanut was peeking out of Annie’s pocket. Jack peeked out of the tree house, too. They had landed in a sea of shiny green leaves. Outside there were flowers, bright butterflies, and birds. Just as in the book. Annie put peanut in his pocket. She stuck one leg out the window. Jack grabbed Annie’s other leg. He read:
The rain forests are in three layers. Thick treetops, often over 150 feet in the air, make up the top layer. This is called the forest canopy. Below the canopy is the understory, then the forest floor.
Annie slipped back into the tree house. “We have to use the ladder,” said Jack. He got on his hands and knees. He move leaves away from the hole in the floor. He looked down. The ladder seemed to fall between the branches of a giant tree. But Jack couldn’t see beyond that. Jack put the rain forest book in his backpack. Then he stepped onto the rope ladder. He started down. Annie followed with peanut in her pocket.
Chapter 4: Millions of Them!
Jack didn’t move. He kept staring down at the forest floor. We have to keep going, he thought. We have to find the special thing for Morgan. Jack and Annie climbed down through the understory. Finally they stepped onto the forest floor. Only a few rays of light slanted through the gloom. The trees were very, very tall and very wide. Vines and moss were hanging every- where. The ground was covered with dead leaves. Jack pulled out the rain forest book. He found a picture of the dark world under the treetops. He read:
In the rain forest, many living creatures blend in with their surroundings. This is called camouflage.
Jack closed the book and looked around. Annie and Jack peered around at the quiet forest. Jack felt unseen eyes watching them. Annie headed off through the gloom. Jack followed. They crept between the huge trees and past hanging vines. Jack listened. He heard a crackling sound. It sound like a person walking over leaves. Jack looked around. He didn’t see anyone. But the sound got louder. Just then the silent forest came alive. Birds took off into the air. Frogs hopped over the leaves. Lizards ran up the tree trunks. The weird noise grew louder and louder. Jack opens the book. He found a picture of different animals running together. He read:
When animal hear a crackling sound, they flee in panic. The sound means that 30 million flesh-eating army ants are marching through the dead leaves.
Army ants-millions and millions of them-were marching over the leaves! Jack and Annie took off. They ran over the dead leaves. They ran between wide tree trunks. They ran past the hanging vines and mosses. They climbed over thick roots. Jack saw a clearing ahead. It was filled with sunlight. They burst onto the bank of a river. They stared at the slow-moving brown water. She pointed to a big log rocking at the edge of the river. The inside of the log was dug out. Jack and Annie carefully climbed into the dug-out log. Annie leaned out of it. She pushed away from the bank with her hands. The canoe started moving slowly down the muddy river.
Chapter 5: Pretty fish
Annie patted the little mouse in her pocket. Jack and Annie stared at the river. Branches spread over the water. Vines and mosses hung down from them. Jack pulled the rain forest book out of his backpack and flipped through it. Soon he found pictures of a river. He read:
The Amazon River stretches over 4,000 miles from the mountains of Peru, across Brazil, to the Atlantic Ocean. The river basin contains over half of the rain forests in the world.
Jack looked at Annie. “We’re on the Amazon River,” he said. “It’s more than four thousand miles long!” Annie looks at the river. Jack pulled his notebook out of his pack. He wrote: The Amazon rain forest is
“Jack, look at those pretty fish with the teeth,” said Annie. Annie was pointing at some blue fish swimming near the boat. The fish had red bellies and razor-sharp teeth. “Watch it!” cried Jack. “Those aren’t pretty fish. They’re piranhas! They’ll eat anything! Even people!” They don’t have any paddles. Jack tried to stay calm. Jack stared at the river. The canoe would soon float under some vines. As they glided under the branches, Jack stood up. The canoe rocked. He nearly fell out. Annie leaned to one side. The canoe floated under more branches. Jack reached for another thick vine. He grabbed it! It was cold and scaly. It wiggled and jerked! Jack screamed and fell back into the canoe. The vine was alive! It was a long green snake! The snake fell from the tree. It splashed into the water and swam away. Jack and Annie stared in horror at each other. The canoe floated closer to the branch. Annie reached for it. Suddenly the branch rose into the air! It was a crocodile! The crocodile opened and closed its huge, long jaws. Then it moved past the canoe and swam up the river. A screeching sound split the air. Jack expected to see another terrible creature. But all he saw was a small brown monkey, hanging by its tail from a tree.
Chapter 6: Monkey Trouble
Peanut poked her head out from Annie’s pocket. She seemed to be yelling at the monkey. But suddenly the monkey grabbed a big red fruit hanging from the tree. He hurled it at the canoe. The fruit fell into the water with a splash. The monkey screeched even louder. He grabbed another fruit. The monkey hurled the red fruit right at the them. The fruit splashed into the water. The monkey grabbed a third fruit and hurled it at Jack and Annie. It landed inside the canoe with a thump. Annie grabbed the fruit. She stood up and threw it back at the monkey. The monkey screeched even louder. The monkey stopped screeching He looked at Annie. Then he swung away. Into the forest. A gust of wind blew the canoe. Thunder rolled in the sky. Screeching split the air again. The bratty monkey was back. This time, the monkey was pointing a long stick at the canoe. Jack crouched down. Annie jumped up and faced the monkey. The monkey just stared at Annie. And Annie just stared back at him. After a long moment, the monkey seemed to smile. Annie smiled back. The monkey held out the long stick. Annie grabbed the other end.The monkey pulled on the stick. The canoe started floating toward him. The monkey pulled the canoe all the way to the bank of the river.
Chapter 7: Freeze!
Jack and Annie jumped out of the canoe. The rain was starting to fall harder. The monkey took off. He swung from tree to tree, heading up the riverbank. He screeched and beckoned to Jack and Annie. Annie took off after the monkey. The two of them vanished into the rain forest. Thunder shook the sky. Jack dashed after Annie and the monkey. Into the dark forest. The forest seemed surprisingly dry. Jack hurried in the direction of Annie’s voice. Soon he found the monkey. He was screeching and swinging from a tree. Annie was kneeling on the forest floor. She was playing with animal that looked like a giant kitten. Annie batted the animal’s paws. It had gold fur and black spots. Jack pulled out the rain forest book and flipped through it. Jack found a picture of an animal with gold fur and black spots. He read:
The jaguar is the biggest predator in the western hemisphere.
GRRR! There was a terrible growl. Jack whirled around. The mother jaguar was coming out from behind a tree. She was creeping over the dead leaves-right toward Annie. “Freeze!” whispered Jack. Annie froze. But the jaguar kept moving slowly toward her. Suddenly the monkey swooped down from his tree. He grabbed the jaguar’s tail! Jack and Annie took off through the rain forest. They ran for their lives!
Chapter 8: Vampire Bats?
Jack and Annie stopped running and caught their breath. Annie looking back at the forest. Peanut peeked out of Annie’s pocket. The mouse stared at Annie with her big eyes. Jack pulled out the book. He turned the pages, searching for help. He stopped at a picture of a scary creature. Jack read the writing below the picture. It said:
Vampire bats live in the Amazon rain forest. At night, they quietly bite their victims and suck their blood.
Annie and Jack looked around. The rain forest seemed to be getting even darker. Annie locked at Jack. ”Maybe we should go home.” Jack nodded. For once he agreed with her. They looked at each other. Annie placed the mouse on the leafy forest floor. Jack and Annie followed the moving leaves. The steak of white appeared. And disappeared. Suddenly Jack stopped. There was no sign of Peanut. He kept staring at the ground. Annie was standing on the other side of a nearby tree. Annie pointed at the rope ladder. Peanut was climbing up one of the ropes. Annie started up the ladder. Then Jack. They followed Peanut all the way up to the canopy of the rain forest.
Chapter 9: The Thing
Jack and Annie climbed into the tree house. Peanut was sitting on a stack of books. Annie began searching for the Pennsylvania book-then book that always took them home. Jack pulled out his notebook. He had wanted to take lots of notes here. But all he’d written so far was: The Amazone Rain Forest
The Pennsylvania book was nowhere in sight. Something came flying through the tree house window. Something hit the floor. A red fruit. Jack looked up. The monkey was sitting in the window. His head was cocked to one side. He seemed to be grinning at the. The monkey just grinned. The monkey grabbed the fruit. But the monkey didn’t row the fruit. He held it out to Annie. He moved his lips as if he were trying to say something. Annie stared into the monkey’s eyes. Annie took the fruit from the monkey.”This is it,” she said. “The thing we need.” “One of the special things we’re supposed to find for Morgan,” Annie said. Jack saw the Pennsylvania book. “We found the thing. And now we can see the book,” said Annie. Jack nodded. The monkey screeched with laughter. He was clapping his hands together. The monkey just waved at Jack and Annie. Then he turns and swung away out of the tree house. The monkey was gone. He had vanished below the treetops. Jack picked up his notebook again. He looked at his writing: The Amazon rain forest is. He had to write something before they left. He quickly added: amazing. Jack put away his notebook. Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book. The wind started to blow. The leaves began to tremble. The tree house began to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Chapter 10: Halfway There
Jack opened his eyes. Peanut was on the tree house windowsill. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Annie held the fruit up to the afternoon light. Jack pulled out the rain forest book. He flipped through the pages. He came to a picture of the red fruit. He read out loud:
“The mango has sweet taste like that of a peach.”
Jack placed the mango on the M carved into the floor. Next to the clear moonstone. Peanut was looking at Jack and Annie. Annie patted Peanut’s head. Jack patted the mouse, too. Jack put the rain forest book on top of the book about Ninjas. Then he pulled on his backpack. And he and Annie left the tree house. They climbed down the rope ladder. They stepped onto the ground. These woods are very different from the rain forest, Jack thought. In fact, that’s true about the whole rain forest, Jack thought. Everyone should just leave it all alone. They ran across their yard.
Prologue
One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods. Annie climbed into the tree house. They found it 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 to point to a picture and wish to go there. Jack and Annie visited the times of dinosaurs, knights, pyramids, pirates and ninjas. Along the way, they discovered that the tree house belong to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian from the time of King Arthur.
Chapter 1: where Peanut?
Annie ran into the Frog Creek woods. Jack caught up with Annie. She stood beside tall oak tree. She grabbed the rope ladder and started too climbed up. Jack followed her. Then Jack took off his backpack. Sunlight slanted across a stack of books- books of ninjas, pirates, mummies, knight, and dinosaurs. A brown-and-white mouse peeked out of the socks. She looked from Annie to Jack with her big eyes. In old Japan, Peanut had helped them when they’d gotten lost. In the shadows was an open book.
Chapter 2: Big bugs
Jack closed the book and looked at the cover. It showed a picture of a green forest. The trees were very tall and closed together. On the cover were woods The Rain Forest. Jack wanted to take lots of notes in the rain forest. Maybe he could even name some unknown bugs. Annie took a deep breath and slowly nodded. Jack opened the book again. He pointed to a picture that showed blue sky, green leaves, and bright flowers. The wind started to blow. Annie put the mouse in her pocket. The wind picked up. The tree house started to spin. Jack squeezed his eyes shut. The win was whistling now. The tree house was spinning faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still. Wild sound broke the silence.
Chapter 3: Yikes!
Jack opened his eyes. The air was so hot and steamy. Annie was peeking out of the tree house window. Peanut was peeking out of Annie’s pocket. Jack peeked out of the tree house, too. They had landed in a sea of shiny green leaves. Outside there were flowers, bright butterflies, and birds. Just as in the book. Annie put peanut in his pocket. She stuck one leg out the window. Jack grabbed Annie’s other leg. He read:
The rain forests are in three layers. Thick treetops, often over 150 feet in the air, make up the top layer. This is called the forest canopy. Below the canopy is the understory, then the forest floor.
Annie slipped back into the tree house. “We have to use the ladder,” said Jack. He got on his hands and knees. He move leaves away from the hole in the floor. He looked down. The ladder seemed to fall between the branches of a giant tree. But Jack couldn’t see beyond that. Jack put the rain forest book in his backpack. Then he stepped onto the rope ladder. He started down. Annie followed with peanut in her pocket.
Chapter 4: Millions of Them!
Jack didn’t move. He kept staring down at the forest floor. We have to keep going, he thought. We have to find the special thing for Morgan. Jack and Annie climbed down through the understory. Finally they stepped onto the forest floor. Only a few rays of light slanted through the gloom. The trees were very, very tall and very wide. Vines and moss were hanging every- where. The ground was covered with dead leaves. Jack pulled out the rain forest book. He found a picture of the dark world under the treetops. He read:
In the rain forest, many living creatures blend in with their surroundings. This is called camouflage.
Jack closed the book and looked around. Annie and Jack peered around at the quiet forest. Jack felt unseen eyes watching them. Annie headed off through the gloom. Jack followed. They crept between the huge trees and past hanging vines. Jack listened. He heard a crackling sound. It sound like a person walking over leaves. Jack looked around. He didn’t see anyone. But the sound got louder. Just then the silent forest came alive. Birds took off into the air. Frogs hopped over the leaves. Lizards ran up the tree trunks. The weird noise grew louder and louder. Jack opens the book. He found a picture of different animals running together. He read:
When animal hear a crackling sound, they flee in panic. The sound means that 30 million flesh-eating army ants are marching through the dead leaves.
Army ants-millions and millions of them-were marching over the leaves! Jack and Annie took off. They ran over the dead leaves. They ran between wide tree trunks. They ran past the hanging vines and mosses. They climbed over thick roots. Jack saw a clearing ahead. It was filled with sunlight. They burst onto the bank of a river. They stared at the slow-moving brown water. She pointed to a big log rocking at the edge of the river. The inside of the log was dug out. Jack and Annie carefully climbed into the dug-out log. Annie leaned out of it. She pushed away from the bank with her hands. The canoe started moving slowly down the muddy river.
Chapter 5: Pretty fish
Annie patted the little mouse in her pocket. Jack and Annie stared at the river. Branches spread over the water. Vines and mosses hung down from them. Jack pulled the rain forest book out of his backpack and flipped through it. Soon he found pictures of a river. He read:
The Amazon River stretches over 4,000 miles from the mountains of Peru, across Brazil, to the Atlantic Ocean. The river basin contains over half of the rain forests in the world.
Jack looked at Annie. “We’re on the Amazon River,” he said. “It’s more than four thousand miles long!” Annie looks at the river. Jack pulled his notebook out of his pack. He wrote: The Amazon rain forest is
“Jack, look at those pretty fish with the teeth,” said Annie. Annie was pointing at some blue fish swimming near the boat. The fish had red bellies and razor-sharp teeth. “Watch it!” cried Jack. “Those aren’t pretty fish. They’re piranhas! They’ll eat anything! Even people!” They don’t have any paddles. Jack tried to stay calm. Jack stared at the river. The canoe would soon float under some vines. As they glided under the branches, Jack stood up. The canoe rocked. He nearly fell out. Annie leaned to one side. The canoe floated under more branches. Jack reached for another thick vine. He grabbed it! It was cold and scaly. It wiggled and jerked! Jack screamed and fell back into the canoe. The vine was alive! It was a long green snake! The snake fell from the tree. It splashed into the water and swam away. Jack and Annie stared in horror at each other. The canoe floated closer to the branch. Annie reached for it. Suddenly the branch rose into the air! It was a crocodile! The crocodile opened and closed its huge, long jaws. Then it moved past the canoe and swam up the river. A screeching sound split the air. Jack expected to see another terrible creature. But all he saw was a small brown monkey, hanging by its tail from a tree.
Chapter 6: Monkey Trouble
Peanut poked her head out from Annie’s pocket. She seemed to be yelling at the monkey. But suddenly the monkey grabbed a big red fruit hanging from the tree. He hurled it at the canoe. The fruit fell into the water with a splash. The monkey screeched even louder. He grabbed another fruit. The monkey hurled the red fruit right at the them. The fruit splashed into the water. The monkey grabbed a third fruit and hurled it at Jack and Annie. It landed inside the canoe with a thump. Annie grabbed the fruit. She stood up and threw it back at the monkey. The monkey screeched even louder. The monkey stopped screeching He looked at Annie. Then he swung away. Into the forest. A gust of wind blew the canoe. Thunder rolled in the sky. Screeching split the air again. The bratty monkey was back. This time, the monkey was pointing a long stick at the canoe. Jack crouched down. Annie jumped up and faced the monkey. The monkey just stared at Annie. And Annie just stared back at him. After a long moment, the monkey seemed to smile. Annie smiled back. The monkey held out the long stick. Annie grabbed the other end.The monkey pulled on the stick. The canoe started floating toward him. The monkey pulled the canoe all the way to the bank of the river.
Chapter 7: Freeze!
Jack and Annie jumped out of the canoe. The rain was starting to fall harder. The monkey took off. He swung from tree to tree, heading up the riverbank. He screeched and beckoned to Jack and Annie. Annie took off after the monkey. The two of them vanished into the rain forest. Thunder shook the sky. Jack dashed after Annie and the monkey. Into the dark forest. The forest seemed surprisingly dry. Jack hurried in the direction of Annie’s voice. Soon he found the monkey. He was screeching and swinging from a tree. Annie was kneeling on the forest floor. She was playing with animal that looked like a giant kitten. Annie batted the animal’s paws. It had gold fur and black spots. Jack pulled out the rain forest book and flipped through it. Jack found a picture of an animal with gold fur and black spots. He read:
The jaguar is the biggest predator in the western hemisphere.
GRRR! There was a terrible growl. Jack whirled around. The mother jaguar was coming out from behind a tree. She was creeping over the dead leaves-right toward Annie. “Freeze!” whispered Jack. Annie froze. But the jaguar kept moving slowly toward her. Suddenly the monkey swooped down from his tree. He grabbed the jaguar’s tail! Jack and Annie took off through the rain forest. They ran for their lives!
Chapter 8: Vampire Bats?
Jack and Annie stopped running and caught their breath. Annie looking back at the forest. Peanut peeked out of Annie’s pocket. The mouse stared at Annie with her big eyes. Jack pulled out the book. He turned the pages, searching for help. He stopped at a picture of a scary creature. Jack read the writing below the picture. It said:
Vampire bats live in the Amazon rain forest. At night, they quietly bite their victims and suck their blood.
Annie and Jack looked around. The rain forest seemed to be getting even darker. Annie locked at Jack. ”Maybe we should go home.” Jack nodded. For once he agreed with her. They looked at each other. Annie placed the mouse on the leafy forest floor. Jack and Annie followed the moving leaves. The steak of white appeared. And disappeared. Suddenly Jack stopped. There was no sign of Peanut. He kept staring at the ground. Annie was standing on the other side of a nearby tree. Annie pointed at the rope ladder. Peanut was climbing up one of the ropes. Annie started up the ladder. Then Jack. They followed Peanut all the way up to the canopy of the rain forest.
Chapter 9: The Thing
Jack and Annie climbed into the tree house. Peanut was sitting on a stack of books. Annie began searching for the Pennsylvania book-then book that always took them home. Jack pulled out his notebook. He had wanted to take lots of notes here. But all he’d written so far was: The Amazone Rain Forest
The Pennsylvania book was nowhere in sight. Something came flying through the tree house window. Something hit the floor. A red fruit. Jack looked up. The monkey was sitting in the window. His head was cocked to one side. He seemed to be grinning at the. The monkey just grinned. The monkey grabbed the fruit. But the monkey didn’t row the fruit. He held it out to Annie. He moved his lips as if he were trying to say something. Annie stared into the monkey’s eyes. Annie took the fruit from the monkey.”This is it,” she said. “The thing we need.” “One of the special things we’re supposed to find for Morgan,” Annie said. Jack saw the Pennsylvania book. “We found the thing. And now we can see the book,” said Annie. Jack nodded. The monkey screeched with laughter. He was clapping his hands together. The monkey just waved at Jack and Annie. Then he turns and swung away out of the tree house. The monkey was gone. He had vanished below the treetops. Jack picked up his notebook again. He looked at his writing: The Amazon rain forest is. He had to write something before they left. He quickly added: amazing. Jack put away his notebook. Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book. The wind started to blow. The leaves began to tremble. The tree house began to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still. Absolutely still.
Chapter 10: Halfway There
Jack opened his eyes. Peanut was on the tree house windowsill. Jack breathed a sigh of relief. Annie held the fruit up to the afternoon light. Jack pulled out the rain forest book. He flipped through the pages. He came to a picture of the red fruit. He read out loud:
“The mango has sweet taste like that of a peach.”
Jack placed the mango on the M carved into the floor. Next to the clear moonstone. Peanut was looking at Jack and Annie. Annie patted Peanut’s head. Jack patted the mouse, too. Jack put the rain forest book on top of the book about Ninjas. Then he pulled on his backpack. And he and Annie left the tree house. They climbed down the rope ladder. They stepped onto the ground. These woods are very different from the rain forest, Jack thought. In fact, that’s true about the whole rain forest, Jack thought. Everyone should just leave it all alone. They ran across their yard.
The end
OST SOUND OF THE MUSIC
so long, farewell - sound of music
[Children:]
There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say "cuckoo"
[Marta, Gretl, Brigitta:]
Cuckoo, cuckoo
[Children: Marta, Gretl, Brigitta: ]
Regretfully they tell us Cuckoo, cuckoo
But firmly they compel us Cuckoo, cuckoo
To say goodbye . . .
[Marta, Gretl, Brigitta:]
Cuckoo!
[Children:]
. . . to you
[Children:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night
[Marta:]
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
[Children:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu
[Friedrich:]
Adieu, adieu, to yieu and yieu and yieu
[Children:]
So long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
[Liesl:]
I'd like to stay and taste my first champagne
[Children:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
[Kurt:]
I leave and heave a sigh and say goodbye -- Goodbye!
[Brigitta:]
I'm glad to go, I cannot tell a lie
[Louisa:]
I flit, I float, I fleetly flee, I fly
[Gretl:]
The sun has gone to bed and so must I
[Children:]
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
[Guests:]
Goodbye!
PIZZA AND CHOCOLATE COOKIES
RESEP PIZZA MINI
Bahan Kulit :
350 gr terigu cap Cakra
200 ml air
1 bungkus ragi instan
¼ sendok garam
Bahan Isi :
1. Saos Tomat
2. Toping sesuai selera (bisa daging giling yang ditumis dengan bawang bombay, bawang putih, tomat, saus tomat, atau daging asap, daging ayam giling, sosis dan sebagainya).
3. Keju Mozarella
Cara Membuat :
1. Campur semua bahan kulit, uleni sampai kalis
2. Biarkan 15 menit sambil ditutup serbet basah
3. Kempeskan, bagi 8 atau sesuai selera, bulatkan dan pipihkan membentuk lingkaran, tepinya agak ditinggikan.
4. Oles dengan saos tomat
5. Taburi topping
6. Taburi keju Mozarella
7. Panggang sampai matang
CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Bahan :
175 gr Selai Kacang halus
100 gr Mentega tawar
100 gr Gula halus
60 gr Gula Palem
120 gr Tepung terigu (ayak)
½ sdt Soda kue (ayak)
½ sdt Vanilli bubuk
1 btr Telur ayam
50 gr kacang tanah kupas (panggang dan cincang kasar)
Chocolate chips secukupnya
Cara Membuat :
1. Kocok mentega bersama dengan selai kacang, gula halus, gula palem dan vanilli sampai lembut
2. Masukkan telur, kocok hingga rata
3. Tambahkan tepung terigu dan soda kue, aduk sampai rata
4. Bentuk adonan menjadi bola kemudian tekan hingga melebar
5. Letakkan diatas loyang datar, beri jarak diantaranya
6. Tekan permukaan adonan kue tersebut dengan punggung garpu sampai agak pipih
7. Taburi dengan kacang tanah cincang & chocolate chips diatasnya
8. Panggang dalam oven dengan suhu 160°C selama 25 menit, sampai kering dan matang
