DiTerlizzi, Tony and Holly Black. 2003. The Spiderwick Chronicles: Book 1: The Field Guide. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 1413110592
This is the first book in a series of five books about the Grace children and their experiences with magical creatures.
In this story Mrs. Grace moves the family from their urban apartment into her aunt’s abandoned house, the Spiderwick estate, because of her separation and divorce from their father.
Jared, one of the twin boys and the main character in this story, immediately begins to notice strange noises. While investigating the noise, Jared, Mallory and Simon find a hidden nest inside the walls of the kitchen. Mallory and Simon destroy the nest, and Jared explores further to find a hidden room.
Strange things begin to happen to Mallory and Simon after they destroy the nest. Jared is blamed for everything, and the only one who truly believes him is his twin brother, Simon. When Jared investigates the attic, he finds a forbidden book, The Field Guide, which he uses to discover what strange creature is lurking within the walls of the house.
Framed as a true story told to the authors by the Grace Children themselves, this book is full of charm and detail. Book 1 is a compact story that creates the context for the rest of the series. The text is accompanied by detailed black and white drawings (and one full color). The authors include a detailed map of the estate, a table of contents, a list of full page illustrations, a note from the authors, and a letter from the Grace children, plenty of enchanting details that help the reader suspend belief. The black and white drawings add to the mystical mood of the story, and the expressive sketches of the children help to create their characters.
This short novel has just the right amount of suspense, tension and whimsy to keep its readers coming back for the rest of the series.
Review Excerpts
Review from The Lorgnette: “This book will delight readers who are fans of all things with fairies and magic.”
Review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books: “With its reader-friendly concept and sophisticated packaging, the Spiderwick Chronicles will be a hit…”
Starred Kirkus Review: “Cleverly marketed as too dangerous to read, handsomely designed, and extravagantly illustrated this packs quite a punch.”
Connections
Visit the wonderful Spiderwick website: http://www.spiderwick.com/
Tony DiTerlizzi’s webpage: http://www.diterlizzi.com/
Holly Black’s website: http://www.blackholly.com/
