Mary Pope Osborne

Mary Pope Osborne is a widely read children's author known for her contributions to children's literature and literacy advocacy. An author of more than 100 books for children and young adults, Osborne's work includes novels, retellings of mythology and folklore, picture books, biographies, and mysteries. She is best known for the "Magic Tree House" series, which has sold more than 134 million copies worldwide. The bestselling series has been translated into more than 30 languages, establishing Osborne as a global figure in children's publishing.

Osborne's path to authorship began with studies in drama at the University of North Carolina, later switching to religion with a focus on comparative religions. After graduating, she traveled through eleven countries across Asia, including Iraq, Iran, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Pakistan. This journey, which ended with a period of hospitalization due to illness, became a formative experience that influenced her writing career. Osborne has described this time as planting the seeds of imagination that led to her work as a children's author.

Upon returning to the United States, Osborne began writing and published her first book, eventually authoring a variety of children's and young adult titles before launching the "Magic Tree House" series. Initially conceived as a short, four-book series about siblings who travel to distant places in a magic tree house, the books quickly gained popularity among children, parents, and educators. Osborne continued the series, writing more than 40 "Magic Tree House" books. The stories follow Jack and Annie as they embark on adventures in the past, present, and future, blending engaging plots with historical and scientific facts and emphasizing the importance of books and reading. The series expanded to include the "Merlin Missions" sub-series and the companion "Magic Tree House Fact Trackers," nonfiction books that provide additional information about the topics featured in the fiction series. Osborne and her husband, Will, have also created musical adaptations of the "Magic Tree House" books for licensing by professional theaters and schools.

Osborne's literary achievements have been recognized by institutions in the United States and internationally. Her books have appeared on Best Books of the Year lists from School Library Journal, Parents Magazine, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, and Bank Street College. She has received honors from organizations such as the National Council of Teachers of English, The Children's Book Council, and the International Reading Association. Her awards include the Ludington Memorial Award from the Educational Paperback Association, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Random House Sales Force, the Heidelberger Leander Award, the Jupiter Award for Science Education, and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Osborne also served as president of the Authors Guild.

In addition to her writing, Osborne is an advocate for children's literacy. She has visited schools in the United States and abroad, speaking on children's literacy issues and addressing the United Nations on the importance of worldwide literacy. Osborne was profiled on NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams" for her efforts to distribute books to underserved children through a "Magic Tree House"-themed tour bus. Through her Gift of Books Program, she has placed more than 1.2 million books in the hands of children in Title 1 schools across the country. Osborne's career is marked by her commitment to fostering imagination and a love of reading among children.