The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1)

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Summary: Really spooky
Review: The book is the first of five books that constitute one story that is divided up in to bite size books that again are divided up in to bite size chapters. Be sure to read all the periphery notes and charts left in the book. And if you are reading out loud to someone you may want to show them the pictures.

The author really knows how to write creepy stories. It makes you want to sleep with one eye open. There is nothing cutesy yet on the other hand there is not violence for violence sake. The story just squeezes into the realm of possibilities. However it takes an evil mind to write these chronicles. One good advantage is that they are short and to the point enough to holds your attention and then be over before you realized what happened.

Three children (Mallory, Jared and their younger brother, Simon) and their mother move in to a new home (O.K. shack... O.K. more like several shacks staked on top of each other.) There they find strange noises in the walls. Perusing the source of the noises and with the use of a dumbwaiter they locate a secret library and you guessed it a riddle that may lead to "The Field Guide." There is an out write warning that if they find it to get rid of it. However the story is fascinating. All of this comes at a price. I do not want to elaborate but if you have long hair or a suspicious mother then I suggest you read with caution.


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Summary: Spiderwick Chronicles Part 1
Review: The Spiderwick Chronicles are the most charming little books imaginable. There is something almost Victorian about the quality of their presentation. Beautifully designed covers, outstanding illustrations and a watercolour frontispiece piece all help conjure an aura of days gone by, when faeries were the standard reading matter for the young.

The writing has a clarity that will suit young readers whilst not being overly simple for slightly older readers. The vocabulary is good, but not off-putting for those still feeling their way through books alone. Pages are small - less than half the amount of words per page found in a standard children's book, enabling younger readers to really feel that they're progressing.

Each book is divided into 7 chapters - making it ideal for a week of bedtime stories. Furthermore, what really makes these little books special is the stunning quality of the line illustrations. The artist dedicates his work to Arthur Rackham - and it is clear that Rackham has been his inspiration. There is hardly a double-page-spread without some little picture and there are plenty of highly detailed full page illustrations too - yet again making it perfect for bedtime reading.

Although the style of the books is intentionally retro, the story is anything but. The plot of the first book: 'The Field Guide' revolves around the three Grace children; nine-year-old twins Jared and Simon, and their older sister Mallory. They move into their Great Aunt Lucinda's derelict house - and soon discover that it is not quite as empty as they thought. While trying to trace the source of the mysterious noises within the walls, Jared discovers a strange hidden room in which he finds an old hand-written book belonging to his long-lost Uncle, Arthur Spiderwick, which contains the terrible truth about the faerie world. Once he opens it, his life will never be the same again.

This book is the first in a series of five. Although the stories revolve around the magical inhabitants of the faerie world - don't assume that these books are just for girls. Jared, the main character, is very much a boy - into fighting, getting expelled from school and generally being difficult! Even the faeries are not the twee Enid Blyton variety - neither are they the like the feisty gun-toting elves of the Artemis Fowl books. No, they seem much more realistic: Strange, magical, slightly dangerous and determined to stop at nothing to protect their world and reclaim Arthur Spiderwick's powerful book. Subsequent stories include a whole menagerie of mystical beasts, including: goblins, griffins, unicorns, boggarts, ogres, dwarves and elves. The Spiderwick story continues with: Book 2 - 'The Seeing Stone'