Published: 6 September 2022 (print)/6 September 2022 (audio) 
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia /Macmillan Australia Audio
Pages: 300/ 1 hr and 25 mins
Narrator: Stig Wemyss
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Junior Fiction
★ ★ ★ – 3.5 Stars
Andy and Terry are celebrating Christmas in their 156-storey treehouse which now has 13 new storeys, including an aquarium wonderland, a wishing well, a world record breaking level, a TV quiz show hosted by Quizzy the quizzical quizbot, a lost property office, a lost sausage office, a super-stinky stuff level and the amazing mind-reading sandwich-making machine, which makes the perfect amazing sandwich for you – every single time!Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!I had to reread this because I couldn’t remember what happened in it, I didn’t even remember there begin a Christmas themed book. Having finished it I realised why – nothing actually happens.
In books where ten things can happen in quick succession or there are a few things that have big impacts, this was a curious Treehouse story. There is a snowman, Santa clones, and Christmas… but not much else. There is use of previous storeys, albeit briefly, which I liked, but only a fleeting use of a new level. Overall it was a lacklustre book with a dull adventure.
What I thought was going to be the antagonist – the snowman – comes and goes fast enough that he has no real impact on the story. There is no real drama or stakes, the rest of the book is only a celebration of Christmas, even if it is a strange treehouse Christmas.
It is still a classic Treehouse book, and certainly not the only mediocre one in the series. The tropes and antics the pair get up to are still present, and Jill gets involved which I always enjoy. I love that Andy and Terry can invent things without any need for explanation. Expanding stockings can be created, extra storeys with unrealistic or illogical components can come to fruition without needing to explain how. This is how you have the fun storeys like cloning levels, or remembering booths, even chocolate waterfalls don’t get explanations of how it works. Which is why this series works. It’s magical but realistic in its own weird way. No one can fly, but you can ask for a jetpack from Santa or use a flying cat to get around.
My original rating was four, this time was three, so I’m splitting it to 3.5. I’m not sure why I enjoyed it more the first time, maybe the mood was better but it will have to do.
You can purchase The 156-Storey Treehouse via the following
Angus and Robinson | Blackwell’s
Fishpond | Amazon | Amazon Aust | Audible
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