Spiderwick Chronicles

Review # 19
Title: The Spiderwick Chronicles
Books in Series:
1) The Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You
2) The Seeing Stone
3) Lucinda's Secret
4) The Ironwood Tree
5) The Wrath of Mulgarath

Author: by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
Category: Children's Book

From The Barnes & Noble Review

Three curious kids discover a world of brownies, fairies, and other fantastic creatures in this ultra-enchanting launch to Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's Spiderwick Chronicles.

When the three Grace children -- Mallory, Jared, and Simon -- and their mom move into Aunt Lucinda's old house, readers know there's magic afoot. The kids uncover a nest of assembled junk, and on a visit to the secret library via the dumbwaiter, Jared finds a note describing "my secret to all mankind." After a few mysterious pranks that get blamed on Jared, the boy finally digs up the real prize: Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Fortunately enough, the kids meet one of the critters listed in the guide -- a brownie named Thimbletack -- who makes it all "real" and helps provide the book's suspenseful conclusion: "'Throw the book away, toss it in a fire. If you do not heed, you will draw their ire.'"

I actually saw the movie first and my kids and enjoyed it, and so far the movie has somewhat came close to the book but of course, there are still alterations. Once upon a time, upon moving into the run-down Spiderwick Estate with their mother, twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace, along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate world full of fairies and other creatures. Unable to explain the strange disappearances and accidents that seem to be happening on a daily basis, the family blames it all on Jared. When he, Simon and Mallory investigate what's really going on, they uncover the fantastic truth of the Spiderwick estate and of the creatures that inhabit it.

Creatures like Goblins, Griffyn, Trolls, Badgers, Boggarts, Faeries... the list is endless! truly magical and interesting read!

Overall, with the 5 book setting, the story is great and balanced for kids. I just don't get it why they had to divide the whole story into 5 when the story could have been printed on one book.. ha!

My rating: 3 bookmarks