Researching the Self: The Magic Tree House

Ever since I learned how to read, I have loved books. While my brothers spent my parent's money on toys and games, my room was overstuffed with the books I bought from the bookstore and checked out from the library. Out of all the books I read, my favorites were always the series books. I loved the concept of how each book was a continuation of all the ones before it and also, how I could always look forward to the release of the next book (unless the entire series is already out). Some of my favorites were Dear America, Redwall, and the Little House on the Prairie books. However, the one that stands out is the Magic Tree House series, and if I had to pick just one it would be Dinosaurs Before Dark.

The book is about Jack and Annie, two ordinary kids, playing outside before having to go in for dinner. As they explore, they discover a tree house nearby with hundreds of books inside. Completely oblivious to the tree house and the books' magical ability to transport them to any destination within the books, Jack and Annie accidentally send themselves to the time of the Dinosaurs and spend the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out how to get home without becoming a dinosaur's dinner.

I found this book during a landmark point in my life. It was the same year that my dad passed away due to cancer, so it provided me with an escape from feeling sad. I would pretend to join Jack and Annie and travel away to distant and exotic places in the tree house. My room would transform into a nest of dinosaur eggs or a knight's castle, depending on the book. Frequently, I would stay in my room for hours, exploring and going on adventures in my imaginary world.

Dinosaurs Before Dark not only gave me a coping method, but also made my imagination flourish. I began to create my own adventures, imagining these extravagant lands that could only exist in the imagination. This eventually led to signing up for Destination Imagination, a creative problem solving competition. Destination Imagination ended up becoming one of my greatest joys in life, and it all came from Dinosaurs Before Dark.