Vacation Under the Volcano Read Online Free PDF

pretending,” Jack whispered to Annie.
    â€œYeah,” said Annie, grinning.
    Outside, the sun shone brightly. Birds sang. Crickets chirped. Jack and Annie walked up their street toward the Frog Creek woods.
    â€œI wonder if the weather will be this nice in China,” Annie said.
    â€œI don’t know. Remember, Morgan said this would be a very scary adventure,” said Jack.
    â€œThey’re always scary,” said Annie. “But we always meet animals who help us, or people.”
    â€œTrue,” said Jack.
    â€œI bet we meet someone
great
today,” said Annie.
    Jack smiled. He was starting to feel excited now instead of scared.
    â€œLet’s hurry!” he said.
    They ran into the Frog Creek woods. They slipped between the tall trees until they came to a huge oak.
    â€œHello!” came a soft voice they knew well.
    They looked up. Morgan was peering down from the magic tree house.
    â€œReady for your next mission as Master Librarians?” she asked.
    â€œYes!” said Jack and Annie.
    They grabbed the rope ladder and started up.
    â€œAre we still going to China?” asked Annie when they had climbed into the tree house.
    â€œIndeed,” said Morgan. “You’re going to
ancient
China. Here is the title of the story you must find.”
    She held up a long, thin strip of wood. It looked like a ruler, except it had strange writing on it instead of numbers.

    â€œLong ago, the Chinese discovered how to make paper. It was one of the world’s most important discoveries,” said Morgan. “But you are going to a time earlier than that, to a time when books were written on bamboo strips like this one.”
    â€œWow,” said Annie, pointing at the figures on the bamboo. “So
this
is Chinese writing?”
    â€œYes,” said Morgan. “Just as we have letters, Chinese writing is made up of many characters. Each one stands for a different thing or idea. These characters are the title of an ancient Chinese legend. You must find the first writing of the legend before the Imperial Library is destroyed.”
    â€œHurry, let’s go,” said Annie.
    â€œWait, we need our research book,” said Jack.
    â€œYes, you do,” said Morgan.
    From the folds of her robe, she pulled out a book. On the cover was the title:
The Time of the First Emperor
.
    Morgan handed the book to Jack.
    â€œThis research book will
guide
you,” she said. “But remember, in your darkest hour, only the old legend can
save
you.”
    â€œBut we have to find it first,” said Annie.
    â€œExactly,” said Morgan.
    She handed Jack the bamboo strip, and he slipped it into his pack.
    Jack pushed his glasses into place, then pointed at the cover of their research book.
    â€œI wish we could go there!” he said.
    The wind started to blow.
    The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster.
    Then everything was still.
    Absolutely still.

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    Exciting sneak previews of the next book.
Games, puzzles, and other fun activities.
Contests with super prizes.
And much more!

Guess what?
    Jack and Annie have a musical CD!

    For more information about
MAGIC TREE HOUSE: THE MUSICAL
(including how to order the CD!),
visit www.mthmusical.com .

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Magic Tree House ® Books
    Â Â #1: D INOSAURS B EFORE D ARK
    Â Â #2: T HE K NIGHT AT D AWN
    Â Â #3: M UMMIES IN THE M ORNING
    Â Â #4: P IRATES P AST N OON
    Â Â #5: N IGHT OF THE N INJAS
    Â Â #6: A FTERNOON ON THE A MAZON
    Â Â #7: S UNSET OF THE S ABERTOOTH
    Â Â #8: M IDNIGHT ON THE M OON
    Â Â #9: D OLPHINS AT D AYBREAK
    #10: G HOST T OWN AT S UNDOWN
    #11: L IONS AT L UNCHTIME
    #12: P OLAR B EARS P AST B EDTIME
    #13: V ACATION U NDER THE V OLCANO
    #14: D AY OF THE D RAGON K ING
    #15: V IKING S HIPS AT S UNRISE
    #16: H OUR OF THE O LYMPICS
    #17: T ONIGHT ON THE
T ITANIC
    #18: B