Mary Pope Osborne

Most families with kids know The Magic Tree House series but might not know that author Mary Pope Osborne lives in Great Barrington, albeit no treehouse! The series boasts 64 titles, over 40 companion books by her husband Will and sister Natalie Boyce Pope of Stockbridge, and eight Magic Tree House musicals created by Will and friends Jenny Laird and Randy Courts. Four of these have been performed by Berkshire Theatre Group (BTG) and toured Berkshire schools, which have also received over 50,000 books. Osborne’s time-travelling characters, Jack and Annie, meet famous figures, from musicians to social advocates. “I want to introduce little kids to these names early,” Osborne says. BTG plans a fifth school tour this school year, featuring Winter of the Ice Wizard. The more magic, the better!