Stage Fright on a Summer Night

this book are:
    â€œI’ll note you in my book of memory.”—from
Henry the Sixth
    â€œAll the world’s a stage.”—from
As You Like It
    â€œGood night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.”—from
Romeo and Juliet
    â€œThy life’s a miracle.”—from
King Lear
    â€œI have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was.”—from
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    It is believed that William Shakespeare invented over 2,000 words and expressions, many of which we still use. Some of Shakespeare’s words in this story are:
blushing
hush
bump
lonely
downstairs
long-legged
excitement
shooting star
for goodness’ sakes
sorry sight
forward
swift as a shadow
gloomy
tut, tut
good riddance
upstairs
howled

Here’s a special preview of
Magic Tree House #26:
Good Morning, Gorillas

    Available now!
    Excerpt copyright © 2002 by Mary Pope Osborne.
Published by Random House Children’s Books,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.

Tap-tap-tap.
    Jack sat up in bed. Rain tapped against his window. His clock said 5 A.M. It was still dark outside.
    Annie peeked into his room.
    â€œAre you awake?” she whispered.
    â€œYep,” said Jack.
    â€œReady to find some special magic?” she asked.
    â€œMaybe we should wait,” said Jack. “It’s so dark and rainy.”
    â€œ
No
waiting,” said Annie. “I’ll get an umbrella. You bring a flashlight. Meet you downstairs.”
    â€œOkay, okay,” said Jack.
    He jumped out of bed. He pulled on his clothes and put on a jacket. Then he grabbed his backpack and flashlight.
    Jack slipped downstairs and out the front door. Annie stood on the porch in jeans and a T-shirt. The air was chilly and breezy.
    â€œDon’t you need a sweater or something?” said Jack.
    â€œI’m okay,” she said. “Let’s go.”
    Annie raised the umbrella. Jack turned on the flashlight. They followed a circle of rainy light down their street into the woods.
    They headed through the Frog Creek woods. The flashlight lit up the trees—the wet leaves and dark branches. Then it shined on a dangling rope ladder.
    Jack raised the flashlight beam.
    â€œThere it is,” he said.
    A circle of light lit the magic tree house.
    â€œMorgan’s not there,” said Annie. “I can tell.”
    â€œMaybe she left us a message,” said Jack.
    Jack grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Annie put the umbrella down and followed. When they climbed inside, Jack shined the flashlight around the tree house.
    Morgan le Fay wasn’t there. But the scrolls from their trip to old England were.
    â€œHere’s proof we found a special magic yesterday,” she said.
    â€œYeah,” said Jack, smiling. “
Theater
magic.” He had great memories of acting in a play by their friend William Shakespeare.
    â€œDid Morgan leave us a new secret rhyme?” asked Jack.
    He shined the flashlight on a book lying under the window. A piece of paper was sticking out of the book.
    â€œYes!” said Annie. She picked up the book and pulled out the paper.
    Jack shined his light on the paper while Annie read aloud:
    Dear Annie and Jack,
    Good luck on your second journey to find a special magic. This secret rhyme will guide you:
    To find a special kind of magic
    in worlds so far apart,
    speak a special language,
    talk with your hands and heart.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â 
Thank you,

          
Morgan
    â€œWhat kind of language does she mean?” Jack asked.
    â€œI guess we’ll find out,” said Annie. “Where are we going?”
    Jack shined the flashlight on the cover of the book. It showed huge trees partly hidden by mist. The title was:
    AN AFRICAN RAIN FOREST
    â€œ
Rain
forest?” said Jack. “Good thing we brought our umbrella and flashlight. Remember the rain in the
Amazon
rain forest? Remember how dark it was under the treetops?”
    â€œYeah,” said Annie. “Remember the spiders and scary ants?”
    â€œWell … ,” Jack said, “not all rain forests have the same bugs.”
    â€œRemember the river snakes?” said Annie. “And the crocodiles?”
    â€œWell … ,” said Jack, “not all rain forests have big rivers. There are different kinds of rain forests, you know.”
    â€œRight,” said Annie.