The 117-Story Treehouse
#9 of 14 in Treehouse Series
What’s inside...
The 117-Story Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton is the ninth book in the illustrated chapter book series filled with slapstick humor. Andy and Terry live in a constantly growing treehouse that now features a pajama-party room, a water-ski park with flesh-eating piranhas, an Underpants Museum, and more. When Terry tries to narrate as well as illustrate, chaos ensues, leading to the arrival of the Story Police who threaten to arrest them for crimes against storytelling. The trio must then go on the run to evade capture. The book is praised for its anarchic absurdity and is perfect for fans of Jeff Kinney and Dav Pilkey.
Character compass
Andy
Terry
Jill
Discussion points
What would you add to your own treehouse after reading about Andy and Terry's adventures? Why?
How do the characters solve problems they encounter in the story? Can you think of a time when you solved a problem in a similar way?
What is your favorite part of the treehouse and why?
How do the illustrations enhance your enjoyment and understanding of the story?
If you could meet any character from the book, who would it be and what would you ask them?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to imagine and describe their ideal treehouse. Dive deeper by asking them to explain the reasons behind their choices.
Discuss the importance of teamwork as illustrated in the book. Relate it to real-life situations where working together helped solve a problem at home or school.
Use the book’s illustrations to inspire a drawing session. Ask your child to pick a scene they liked and draw it, adding their own creative twists.
Prompt your child to think about how the characters feel in different situations in the book. This can lead to a conversation about empathy and understanding others’ perspectives.
After reading, ask your child to summarize the story in their own words, picking out the main events and characters. This reinforces comprehension and recall skills.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Creativity and imagination
Explanation: The book 'The 117-Story Treehouse' showcases the wild and whimsical architectural ideas and inventions of the characters, encouraging readers to think outside the box.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by using their imagination in play or in solving problems, exploring new ways of thinking and creating.
Example Lesson: Teamwork and collaboration
Explanation: The characters often work together to solve problems and create new parts of the treehouse, stressing the importance of collaboration.
Real-World Application: Kids learn the importance of working with others to achieve a common goal, which is useful in group projects at school or in family activities.
Example Lesson: Resilience in the face of challenges
Explanation: Throughout the book, characters encounter and overcome various humorous obstacles, demonstrating resilience.
Real-World Application: This teaches children to persist and find solutions in difficult situations, whether in their academic pursuits or personal endeavors.
Example Lesson: Value of humor
Explanation: The story is filled with comedy and funny situations, illustrating how humor can be used to lighten the mood and bond with others.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to use humor to navigate social interactions and to relieve stress in challenging times.
Example Lesson: Consequences of actions
Explanation: As characters interact with their quirky inventions, they experience firsthand the consequences of their creations, good and bad.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children understand that their actions have impacts and encourages them to think about the outcomes before acting.