Winter of the Ice Wizard - Mary Pope Osborne [1]
v3.0
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Dear Reader
1. Winter Solstice
2. Land-Behind-the-Clouds
3. The Ice Wizard
4. Take My Sleigh
5. The Norns
6. In the Hollow Hill
7. The Frost Giant
8. Return of the Eye
9. Wisdom of the Heart
A Note from the Author
Special Preview of Magic Tree House #33: Carnival at Candlelight
About the Author
About the Illustrator
For Sal Murdocca,
Wizard of Wondrous Art
Dear Reader,
Winter of the Ice Wizard is the fourth “Merlin Mission” in the Magic Tree House series. In these books, Merlin the magician sends Jack and Annie on their tree house adventures to mythical lands.
In the first Merlin Mission, Christmas in Camelot, Jack and Annie journey to the Otherworld to find a magical cauldron that holds the Water of Memory and Imagination. Then in Haunted Castle on Hallows Eve, they rescue the stolen Diamond of Destiny with the help of their friend Teddy. In Summer of the Sea Serpent, Jack and Annie travel to an enchanted seacoast, where they find the hidden Sword of Light with Teddy and a seal girl named Kathleen.
Now, on the first day of winter, Jack and Annie are about to head out on another magical mission. They invite you to join them. But be sure to wear warm clothes and snow boots. You’re going to a very cold land where very weird things happen.…
The fetters shall break
And the wolf run free.
Secret things I know
And onward see.
—From The Poetic Edda
A cold wind rattled the windowpanes. But inside the house, it was warm and cozy. Jack and Annie were making Christmas cookies with their mom. Jack pressed a star-shaped cookie cutter into the dough.
“Hey, it’s snowing outside,” said Annie.
Jack looked out the window. Huge snow-flakes were falling from the late-afternoon sky.
“You want to go out?” asked Annie.
“Not really. It’ll be dark soon,” said Jack.
“That’s right,” said their mom. “Today’s the first day of winter. It’s the shortest day of the year.”
Jack’s heart skipped a beat. “You mean it’s the winter solstice?” he said.
“Yes,” said their mom.
Annie gasped. “The winter solstice?” she said.
“Yes … ,” their mom said, puzzled.
Jack and Annie looked at each other. Last summer, Merlin the magician had called for their help on the summer solstice. Maybe he would need them again today!
Jack put down the cookie cutter and wiped his hands on a towel. “Actually, Mom, it might be fun to play in the snow for just a few minutes,” he said.
“Whatever you want,” their mom said. “Just dress warmly. I’ll finish up with the cookies and put them in the oven.”
“Thanks!” said Jack. He and Annie raced to the closet and pulled on their boots. They threw on jackets, scarves, gloves, and caps.
“Be home before dark,” their mom said.
“We will!” called Jack.
“Bye, Mom!” Annie shouted.
Jack and Annie slipped out of their house into the snowy cold. Their boots squeaked as they ran across their white yard and headed toward the Frog Creek woods.
At the edge of the woods, Jack stopped. He couldn’t believe how beautiful the trees looked. White powder covered the branches of the hemlocks and pines.
“Look,” said Annie. She pointed to two pairs of footprints that led out to the road and then back into the woods. “Somebody else has been here.”
“It looks like they were walking out of the woods—but turned back,” said Jack. “Let’s hurry!” If the magic tree house had come back today, he didn’t want anyone else finding it first!
Jack and Annie walked quickly through the woods, following the two sets of footprints.
“Stop!” said Annie. She pulled Jack behind a tree. “Over there!”
Through the falling snow, Jack saw two people in long, dark cloaks. They were hurrying toward a tall oak—and high in the oak was the magic tree house!
“Oh, no!” said Jack.
The tree house was back! And someone else had found it!
“Hey!” Jack yelled. “Stop!” The tree house had come for him and Annie—no one else!
Jack started running. Annie followed.