Critique: when popular time travel falls short

This week on Book Lounge, Joe is joined by Meara for a celebration of all things adventure as they talk about adult books that perfectly capture the feeling of reading The Magic Tree House. Whether it’s characters being pulled into another time and place, epic quests across strange worlds, hidden mysteries, or stories filled with wonder and discovery, these are the books that recreate that unforgettable reading experience for grown-up readers. 

From fantasy adventures and historical twists to books that feel immersive, magical, and impossible to put down, Joe and Meara share the titles giving them major Magic Tree House energy and explain why these stories still tap into the same excitement that made so many readers fall in love with books in the first place. If you’ve ever wanted stories that make you feel like you’ve stepped through a portal into another world, this episode is for you. 

Looking for the video version of our show? Check out the Libby App YouTube channel! 

Link to our full book list: 
Find all the books mentioned in Season 3 on Libby Life!  
Here’s a recap of our Monthly Book Picks (Jan-May 2026)! 

Book recommendations: 

Meara’s Picks: 

• These Immortal Truths – R. Raeta 

• How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America – Clint Smith 

• The Keeper of Night - Kylie Lee Baker 

• The Scarlet Throne - Amy Leow 

• The Dead Cat Tail Assassins - P. Djèlí Clark 

• In Universes - Emet North 

• The Time Traveler’s Passport Collection 

Joe’s Picks: 

• Vampires in the Lemon Grove – Karen Russell 

• Found Audio – NJ Campbell 

• Peaces – Helen Oyeyemi  

• Under the Whispering Door – TJ Klune 

• The Elsewhere Express – Samantha Sotto Yambao 

• Sheets – Brenna Thummler 

Who’s in this episode:  

Meara - Links 

Time stamps: 
00:00:00 Title 
00:00:23 Intro 
00:00:50 Welcome Meara! 
00:01:06 What was your relationship to the Magic Tree House? 
00:02:11 Reading Magic Tree House as an adult 
00:11:57 Instilling recognition of cultures 
00:19:40 Do you see similarities between your regular reads and the MTH books you enjoyed?  
00:24:09 Our reading recommendations! 
00:53:58 Outro 
 

Readers can sample and borrow the titles mentioned in today’s episode in Libby. Library friends can add these titles to their digital collections for free in OverDrive Marketplace and Kanopy. Check out our Cumulative List for the whole season, or this list for today’s episode! 

Looking for more bookish content? Check out the Libby Life Blog! 

We hope you enjoy this episode of Book Lounge by Libby. Be sure to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen! You can watch the video version of our show on the Libby App YouTube channel. Keep up with us on social media by following the Libby App on Instagram!  

Want to reach out? Send an email to [email protected]. Want some cool bookish swag? Check out our merch store at: http://plotthreadsshop.com/booklounge! 

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