| Title | : | The Treehouse Library (Pages \u0026 Co.,#5) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published September 15, 2022 |
A peculiar potion
A secret garden
A famous monster
A return to the underlibrary
The Treehouse Library (Pages \u0026 Co.,#5) Reviews
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“Anyone with a good imagination does that all the time anyway; we see gaps where stories might be hiding.”
The Treehouse Library is the 5th installment in the Pages & Co Bookwanderers series and the 2nd book in the unexpected trilogy focused on the side character Milo.
As the 4th installment ended with an abundant # of loose ends, this story suffered a bit during the first third of the story. It was like major info dump! I was immediately pulled out of the story, bored and slowly trying to push through. This should have been a much quicker read for me, but I struggled for this very reason. It was missing the light airy imaginative feeling the first few books in the series captured perfectly.
Needless to say, I didn’t give up since I’ve been pretty devoted to the series and own all the books. It finally started to move when Milo and Alessia, teaming up with the botanist of course, started to solve the recipe to get the ingredients they needed to wake up Milo’s uncle Horatio. They finally start to bookwander, and it gets exciting all over again! That definitely brought back some of the original magic.
Though I can’t help but agree with another reviewer on the thread here that this book almost seems forced or pushed out by the author just to keep making $$. The info dump really supports this conclusion!
But one thing this book series has opened my eyes to is the fact that I missed reading many classic books in my childhood. The author must have grew up reading classics or developed quite a devoted background to it because she never fails to mention yet another book I’ve missed reading that I shouldn’t have in my younger years. Therefore, I’ve relentlessly been sweeping through classic titles and adding them to my TBR list. For example, this book in particular had me craving to read some nonsense poetry. Never having read or heard of anything by Edward Lear has me extremely interested in getting my hands on some of his work!
I’m awarding this a total rating of 4 stars though it initially clocked in at 2 stars because of the rough start. Looking forward to the last installment of the series (I guess it will be the last lol) and watching for when I can preorder! -
I really love this series. Not only is story the magic in this world, the characters are great, the book design is unparalleled in contemporary middle-grade fiction, and family and friendships make a strong if complex core of the novel. I found some passages especially heart-filling in this one, as young readers reflect on the books that made them, and discuss the reading life in the context of bookwandering.
With children's adventure stories, I often find myself tired of constant action. This series is always better-paced because they frequently wander into books, and orient themselves before things happen. It is quieter in a way, but certainly never boring!
At the end, Anna James includes a list of books that she would love to use for bookwandering but cannot due to copyright. Diana Wynn Jones, Norton Juster, Hilary McKay, and more. I love that as much as I love any further reading list, which is to say, very much.
Looking forward to the sixth and final installment.
Books wandered:
The Secret Garden
"The Owl and the Pussy-Cat"
"Jabberwocky"
Robin Hood -
I received a gifted PR copy of this book to read as part of the readalong hosted by Tandem Collective UK in exchange for an honest review.
The Treehouse Library is the fifth book in the Pages & Co series by Anna James and is the first book in this series that I've read so far. I didn't find I needed to have read the previous books as I was able to piece things together but I will be getting and reading them with my daughter at some point in the future. This was such a fun read and had me dreaming of bookwandering in magical places (especially Narnia or Wonderland). The characters are sweet and likeable and I enjoyed seeing their friendship building and how they worked as a team. They haven't had it easy and had some disappointments and obstacles to get through in this book. I'm hoping their path is smoother sailing into the next book of the series but I'm sure there's more problems to be unearthed. If your children love magic and adventure this is a perfect book and series for them! -
Man this was unexpected… and while I loved the book, it felt a bit weird having tilly not being the main character…. Still the story is amazing and that cliffhanger…. Come on Anna you are cruel.
Can’t wait for the last book to be released. -
Deze serie heeft een speciaal plekje in mijn hart (en in mijn boekenkast). Maar dit deel kon me minder bekoren.
Ik vond dat het verhaal heel traag op gang kwam. En toen het eenmaal op gang was, greep het me niet enorm.
Wel weer wat leuke details enzo, maar ik ben niet overdonderd zoals bij de andere delen, helaas... -
4⭐ - I liked it a lot!
I did like Tilly as a main character more, so books 1-3.
But these are still very lovely and adventurous with Milo 😊❤️ -
This was so much fun and fast to read. Loved milo so much..
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I really do like this series, it's really entertaining. I enjoyed this one even though Tilly was a secondary character, I quite liked the focus on Milo as I kind of adore him.
That cliffhanger tho! Evil! -
God I love these books
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I've been a dedicated reader of this series and will see it out to the end. It's disappointing, though, that Tilly is now only a minor character, with the very boring Milo taking top billing, this time joined by Alessia, the evil Alchemist's daughter, as a sidekick. As in Volume 4, the plot and world-building are overcomplicated and detract from what has been the real joy of the books: the actual bookwandering. Here we briefly travel into "The Owl and the Pussycat," "The Jabberwocky," and the Robin Hood legends. Those scenes are highlights. It's also a touch unfortunate that James has to mention in an afterword (in which she recommends more recent children's books) that her series includes old books because they are out of copyright, as if, were it not for that technicality, the classics wouldn't be as worthy of spotlighting.
A favourite passage:
"You don't ever have to really know why you like a poem or a story or a book. If something in it speaks to something in you, then that's all there is to it." -
AMAZING as usual. Anna James really has a talent. Loved that she incorporated old myths and fairytales and new technology. Original and incredible. Definable recommend.
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The Penultimate Instalment in a Series that I have fallen in Love with, Pages & Co is like receiving a Hug from a Family Member that you love it’s such a magical book full of the Power of Books, Reading and Bookwandering. It’s Honestly a Series that I think everyone no matter your age should read, and I know you will enjoy.
The Treehouse Library picks up right after the events of book 4 with Milo and Alessia traveling to find Botanist and try to find the cure for his uncle & against the clock they start this search through the pages of some true fictional classics foraging in the Secret Garden, challenging Robin Hood, and confronting the mighty Jabberwock.
The Alchemist is hot on their tail and will stop at nothing to ensure that he wins can unlock the powerful secrets of The Book of Books.
This Book focus is on Milo and him going on his adventure and whilst at the start it took a while to get used to, I enjoyed his experience a lot and its clear to see that Milo has grown as the chapters went on, he is learning to accept himself and the powers he has as well as knowing that he matters and is important just like his friends are.
Anna James is such an incredible writer being able to bring this all to life and reading this book feels Like I’m book wandering into the Pages with the characters, The writing is creative, and I love how James can bring this story to life.
As much as I don’t want the series to end, I want and need the next and final book to this series so I can see what happens next as what a Cliffhanger to leave it on -
I must admit to being slightly disappointed when the MC changed from Tilly after book 3 and my enjoyment of book 4 was lessened somewhat, but oh my gosh this one was blooming brilliant, I flew through it and I didn't want it to end especially as it did.
This book picks up where book 4 ends, Milo our new MC and sidekick Alessia are on the hunt for the Alchemist via the Botanist travelling on the Quip a magical train.
Milo as a character grows so much through this story and Alessia totally shines as his sidekick / best friend.
Tilly and Oskar make a small appearance and I'm glad at how that came to be.
The story itself was fast paced and the stories they visit included one of my favourite children's classics ever.
Wonderful, magical and just pure brilliant. -
This series is so good. Milo and Alessia are trying with the help of The Botanist to find a cure for Milo’s uncle so that they can defeat the Alchemist. This involves getting some imaginary ingredients from Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, Robin Hood and The Secret Garden. As usual the book wandering scenes were brilliant especially The Jabberwocky, this is one of my favourite poems and Anna really did this justice. This book has great messages for children and generally is a joy to read. I love the detail in the book magic and story and imagination etc and how this all works, it is so detailed and clearly much thought and planning has gone into this.
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I think most of you know I love a great middle grade fiction every now and then. I’ve read all the Pages & Co books by Anna James and now I grab each one as it is released. The Treehouse Library came out recently and is the second last book in the series. Book 6 is due out next year I think.
As with all the previous books this was a lovely read that would be perfect for primary school aged kids. There are friendships, people who may not be as they seem, a bad guy, a quest to find ingredients to create a potion to save someone and lots of bookish talk. If I could make a very small complaint it would be that while still having a good storyline this felt very much like a was a transitional book. It read like it was there to set up the final book a teensy bit more than I would have liked. Still this is middle grade fiction and who doesn’t love a good cliff-hanger?
I’d definitely recommend this book and the whole series if you have young readers in your life or if you are like me and love to get nostalgic by dipping it to middle grade fiction. -
The amount of imagination packed within the pages of these stories is just unreal. I love Milo so much. This book was layered with even more intrigue, textured characters, and magic. This series just keeps getting better and better! 5 stars.
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4,5 ☆
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This was good, but until the very last page I was convinced that this was the final book and I'm mad that it isn't lol
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The best book yet, full of adventure and a decent storyline that spans generations.
I also much preferred following Milo and Alessia, Milo and Alessia are both complex characters who take on responsibility for those around them without once moaning, only ever wanting to help.
Tilly whines too much and Oskar is just childish.
This book felt a little more mature and asked more of its readers with regards to backstories.
Milo and Alessia > Tilly and Oskar any day. -
Milo Bolt, the nephew of the formidable and conflicting Horatio Bolt, is ready to be the main protagonist in his own life. Sneaking away from Pages & Co with Alessia, Milo learns how to drive the Quip and goes in search of the Botanist, in the hopes of finding a cure for his poisoned Uncle, and to put an end to the nefarious work of the Alchemist, Alessia’s father. Their search for the Botanist leads them to her home, a magical treehouse library in the northern woods of England.
Since being introduced to Pages & Co in 2019 with the debut novel The Bookwanderers, I have been utterly entranced by the world created by Anna James. A woman who loves books and the places they reside in, who understands the sheer magic of reading and creating stories. At first blush I was a little disoriented with The Treehouse Library, and disheartened to have a Pages & Co story without Tilly as the focus, but those feelings were gone within a few short chapters as James used her skill and poetic narrative to weave the reader into Milo’s tale, Milo’s world, Milo’s emotional journey.
Milo and the Botanist take us into the pages of nonsense with Edward Lear, a place that Tilly and Oscar had not previously encountered. Entering a nonsense poem certainly does help emphasize the importance of jumping into the "story” at the right point. And while the Jabberwocky certainly takes center stage, it was their journey into The Owl and the PussyCat that tugged at my heartstrings. This is something I remember learning as a child and while I can no longer recite the poem, it felt wonderfully like going home again, as all good stories do.
James has a gift for joining her stories with the wit and whimsy of the stories her characters bookwander into, and in The Treehouse Library we are led into the world of Robin Hood. I enjoyed how the characters focused on Friar Tuck, and it was Alessia’s interaction with the good Friar that showed us more of her character than we had previously seen. The moral ambiguity she inherited from her infamous father is certainly useful in situations like this, but it remains to be seen whether this will help or hinder Milo as the story progresses in the finale.
While there is plenty from the previous books to keep us interested, The Treehouse Library finally introduces us in person to The Botanist, a heretofore almost mythical character. Referred to by Horatio and The Alchemist frequently. Until we meet her, we aren’t quite sure whether she will be a force for good, bad, or indifferent. One of the things James does really well is illustrate the idea that your perspective greatly affects whether you see yourself as the good guy or bad guy in the story. The Botanist, is neither and both of these things, and is certainly unlike anyone we have encountered before.
We are also able to return to the Underlibrary in this book and discover what has happened there in the wake of the nefarious Underwoods. As it turns out, there’s a lot more to this amazing place than we have seen in previous stories. And the discovery that there is both a “Lost Property Office” and a “Lost Properly Office” is absolutely delightful.
The ending of this story left me speechless with anticipation for the next and final installment. I was literally sitting on my couch fist pumping into the air. I cannot talk about it without giving a ridiculous amount of spoilers, so many things happen in the final few pages. It combines all of my favorite elements of things introduced by James over four Pages & Co novels, and of so many of my favorite things about magic and literature. Literally fist pumping into the air. The next book comes out later this year in the UK and I simply cannot wait.
I received a copy of this book for review purposes.
www.geekmom.com -
This is the 5th book in the Pages & Co. series and we start where we left off, Milo and Alessia are leaving Pages & Co. on the Quip to head off in a journey to try and save Milo’s Uncle Horatio from the sleep he is in from touching the poisoned book.
They are searching for the Botanist, they are unsure of who the botanist is but find themselves journeying to a Treehouse Library (how amazing is that. I wish I could find a treehouse library).
This is where they meet the Botanist, her name is Rosa and to their relief she is an ally and decide she will help Milo and Alessia on their journey and help them greatly she does.
Rosa isn’t the only person they discover at the treehouse, Milo discovers he has a grandmother and she has been stay at the treehouse to keep safe but sadly she isn’t all Milo has hoped she would be.
They need to try and also help Tilly, (Matilda Pages) from not being captured by the Alchemist, he wants her to find the Book of Books and it just so happens that Rosa is the keeper of this book but she has cleverly hidden it and had it guarded but some magnificent.
I will not say who it is but when mummy and I got to this part we were flabbergasted, shocked and took out breath away. Even days later we kept looking at each other and just saying “??????”!!!! We had tried to guess who it could be, we had not guessed this wonderful character. I still can’t believe it and I am very pleased this was who Anna chose when writing.
Back to the review…
Will they find all the ingredients in time to make the cure to save Horatio?
Hundreds of twists and turn, once again Anna gives us a brilliantly, gripping, page turning story.
I just need the last of the series now!!! I can’t believe we have to wait until September to read what happens. -
This book picks up immediately where the previous story left off. Milo and Alessia finally meet the elusive Botanist. To be honest, she was kind of a let down and I’m not totally convinced she is everything that she says she is. The illustrations were amazing in this one, especially the Jabberwocky and the Treehouse Library! I wish a Library like this truly existed somewhere in the world. I was also happy that one of my favorite poems, “The Owl and the Pussycat”, was included. Tilly and Oskar finally make appearances towards the end, which was a great cliffhanger to set up the last book (cue the tears). Tilly also learns more about her family and it’s history in the world of books and printing them, in addition to bookwandering. Milo also gets answers to questions about his family that have been disturbing him, especially with Horatio unwilling and now unable to answer them. I downgraded this to three stars because the identity of the Botanist was way less interesting than I thought, even if her home is incredible. The other reason for the downgraded rating is the author messed with my all time favorite hero of British literature, Robin Hood. She turned him into a selfish, self centered, and ego stroking anti hero. He had to be tricked by Friar Tuck into sharing something to help the poor as if that wasn’t something the character was famous for. And she didn’t include an appearance from Marian?! I can’t wait to see how things are wrapped up in the final book, and I can’t wait to see another one of my favorite books/characters that will be included in that story as well.
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My 11yr old finally finished this book, I find books that aren’t graphic novels she takes much longer to finish. This is the 5th book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. Here is her review.
It was a magical with lots of adventure. My favourite character was Alessia. I liked the friendship between her and Milo, he was cool. Some parts of the book with the monsters I was a bit 😬 it made me nervous. I liked how the story went through other books to get help from other famous book people like Robin Hood and places like the Secret Garden.
I really want a treehouse library in my backyard now and I am going to try and read the other books too. Also the cover is very pretty.
Thank you @harpercollinsnz for the #gjfted copy -
I have loved this series so much! It’s so magical and wondrous. It’s a middle grade series but my 28 year old heart still feels so much joy reading them. Book 5 was packed with so much adventure and the gang wandering in some really awesome books. The way this book ended there definitely has to be a book 6 and hopefully asap or I riot! Haha
I loved how this was focus on Milo and Alessia again but I do miss seeing Tilly and Oskar a lot more. The quip is also back and that train is so incredible that I wish to be a passenger one day.. look it could happen! I recommend this book for all ages and I feel like anyone would enjoy them. Thank me later!! -
I simply love this series.
It doesn´t talk down to children.
It works with one of the most original and wonderful ideas I have come across in any fantasy book.
It has immensely loveable characters.
It makes an adult readers happy with glimpses of characters from their own childhood books and at the same time gives children a possible tip for more reading.
Yes, this one was a little less about action and there was a lot of talking, but it still remains charming and engaging. I am very much looking forward to reading the next one. -
4.5 stars, ok, -0.5 stars because WE HAVE NO ENDING 😤, can we PLEASE have another book, to find out what’s gonna happen with the book of books, how they’re gonna defeat the enemy, and most importantly WAKING UP HIS UNKLE.
I get why she ended it now, like that’s fair, but why don’t we have the answersssss :,>
I need another book Anna…
I love the series so much, and there is still SO much to discover, your world building is CRAZY AMAZING
