Midnight on the Moon is the eighth installment in the Magic Tree House series.
Summary[]
Jack and Annie go forward in time and explore the moon.
The magic tree house lands in a space motel. The kids are curious about the building and the surrounding area. There is no one there to answer their many questions. Jack removes his moon book from his backpack. The book plus the motel's maps and posters answers some of their questions.
Jack and Annie help each other to don space suits. They explore the moon. The moon is a colorless, barren place. There are gray rocks and craters. Dust is everywhere, but there is no breeze, so the dust remains where it lay. Jack and Annie find a moon buggy. The pair goes on a wild ride on the moon surface. Jack and Annie view the American flag left by the astronauts during their moon exploration. They meet a mysterious moon man, as well. Best of all, the children find the final item needed to break the spell on their friend, Morgan le Fay.
Contents[]
- By Moonlight
- Space Motel
- Open Sesame!
- Moon Rabbits
- Hang On!
- High Jump
- The Moon Man
- One Star to Another
- Morgan
- Earth Life
Plot[]
The adventure began when Annie woke her brother at midnight, eager to visit the magic tree house. Jack was skeptical, thinking they wouldn't be able to find it in the dark, but Annie assured him that the full moon would light their way. When they reached the tree house, they found the last three objects they had collected lying on the floor. Annie reminded Jack that they still needed to find one more item to break the spell on Morgan. Peanut the mouse sat on top of a book titled *Hello Moon*, which Annie opened. While the book typically guided them to their next destination, Jack pointed out that the moon lacked air, making it an unlikely choice. They speculated that the book might be hinting at a place where astronauts trained. As soon as Jack pointed to a picture, the wind began to swirl, and the tree house started spinning.
The tree house landed inside what appeared to be a moon base, a setting from the future, built in 2031. Jack realized they had traveled forward in time. He read about how this moon base served as a living and dining area for astronauts. While Jack sketched a picture of the base, Annie set off to explore. Jack reminded her of the danger on the moon, where they had to wear space suits to protect themselves from extreme temperatures. The suits provided enough air for two hours, and they were similar to the armor they had worn on a previous adventure. The helmets also featured radios, allowing the siblings to communicate. When Annie activated a button on the base’s wall, a door opened, and they stepped outside onto the moon’s surface.
From the moon’s surface, Jack and Annie gazed at Earth in the distance. As they walked, they discovered that the lack of gravity allowed them to bounce like rabbits. They soon found a moon buggy and decided to ride in search of the fourth clue. The buggy jumped over craters as they headed toward an opening between mountains, but they stopped when they saw an American flag planted in the moon dust. A sign beside the flag read that astronauts had placed it there in 1969 to signify their peaceful visit to the moon. In response, Jack and Annie left their own sign, claiming to be the first children on the moon, here to bring peace to all children.
Suddenly, a figure in a space suit floated toward them. Jack and Annie, startled, quickly jumped into the buggy and drove back toward the moon base. Before they could reach safety, a meteorite crashed in front of them, blocking the way. They managed to leap over it, only to find the space-suited figure waiting for them when they landed. Jack nervously wrote down their names and handed the paper to the mysterious man, who drew a star map on the back. The children wondered if the "map" was their fourth clue, but before they could ask, the figure vanished.
Returning to the moon base, Jack and Annie removed their space suits and examined the map alongside the other three items they had collected. Jack asked for the book on Pennsylvania to take them home, but they discovered it was missing. Concerned that the star map wasn't the right clue, Jack decided to try something else. He arranged the stars into a constellation and saw that it formed the shape of a mouse. Peanut squeaked, and they realized that the mouse was indeed the fourth item. Chanting the names of the four objects repeatedly, the children watched as Peanut transformed into Morgan le Fey, the enchantress! Morgan revealed that she had been with them all along in the form of a mouse, guiding and protecting them as they gathered the items to break the spell Merlin had cast on her. The tree house then transported the trio back to Frog Creek. Morgan thanked Jack and Annie for their help and reminded them of the endless wonders the universe held.
Notes on time and place settings[]
- This is first and only adventure in which Jack and Annie visit the future.
- The research guide explains that the moon base they stay in was built in 2031. This may actually correspond to the Lunar Outpost, which NASA plans to construct between 2024 and 2037.
- Although the moon base is unoccupied, the research guide explains that it is still fully operational.
- As technology accelerates, however, the base will become obsolete when antimatter engines are developed. This technology will be developed around 2067 according to some estimates.
- Jack and Annie both spot the first American flag on the Moon, which proves that they landed in the Sea of Tranquility.
- This adventure took place during a full moon.