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105th out of 484 books
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The Spiderwick Chronicles Box Set (The Spiderwick Chronicles #1-5 Box Set)
by
Holly Black (Goodreads Author),
Tony DiTerlizzi (Goodreads Author)
It all started with a mysterious letter left at a tiny bookstore for authors Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Its closing lines: "We just want people to know about this. The stuff that has happened to us could happen to anyone." Little could they imagine the remarkable adventure that awaited them as they followed Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace and a strange...more
Hardcover, 672 pages
Published
September 21st 2004
by Simon & Schuster
(first published September 1st 2003)
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This was a very fun series to read. The books are short (only 100 pages each or so, including pages of beautiful illustrations that add to the overall enjoyment) and each book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so you really need to read the whole series to enjoy it.
Three siblings (twin boys and their older sister) move to a relative's old house with their mom and discover their great-great-uncle's book about goblins, dwarves, brownies, elves, etc. - and these creatures live in the l...more
Three siblings (twin boys and their older sister) move to a relative's old house with their mom and discover their great-great-uncle's book about goblins, dwarves, brownies, elves, etc. - and these creatures live in the l...more
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It must be hard to be a children's fiction writer in a post-Harry Potter world. So many new fantasy series' seem at once to be grasping for the same level of fandom by using so many of the same devices as the Potter books, and yet at the same time desperately trying to assert their originality. There are a lot of good things to be said for the Spiderwick Chronicles, and I'm looking forward to the movie version's release in a few weeks. But at the same time, there's something kind of hollow about...more
I enjoyed the story of The Spiderwick Chronicles. However, I was disappointed that each book was really only a small piece of the whole story. They could have all been put into one larger book that still would not have been too long. Instead they made the books smaller and just over 100 pages each. The cost of each hardcover book in the set is $10.99. It seems more like a marketing ploy to get people to pay out more money. To get the whole set would cost $50 or more but what you are ending...more
Siblings Simon, Jared, and Mallory are living with their mother in their dotty old aunt's rambling, decrepid house when they find a book by their aunt's father that details faeries, ogres, trolls, and other fantastic creatures. I apologize if I spell things wrong, but I listened to this on CD in my car so I missed the book spellings (and apparently good drawings, too). But, I got to hear Mark Hamill read the book, which at times was kind of fun because some of his voices reminded me of Yoda and ...more
I read the entire series in one go during a bout of insomnia. Youth literature is not really my "thing", but I have been reading and re-reading some things lately because of a few children's librarians I know (one in particular, mmm), and I generally like to read books before watching film adaptations. The only problem is nowadays I'm generally not even aware that a film is an adaptation of a book. I guess I should just assume since Hollywood doesn't seem particularly creative in ge...more
First, I have to say that if I had read the first book when it was originally published, I would have felt totally ripped off. It's not a story in and of itself, it's the introduction to a story. I was shocked by how short each of these "books" were. The Harry Potter series has seven books with one overarching story (Harry v. Voldemort), but each individual book contains its own story. Not so with Spiderwick. They are literally one story broken up into five segments.
Anyway....more
Anyway....more
This is a compendium of five books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black :
1) The Field Guide
2) The Seeing Stone
3) Lucinda's Secret
4) The Ironwood Tree
5) The Wrath of Mulgarath
And are they BRILLIANT!
Saw the movie, loved it; then read the books, even better!
The books have more characters, the plot more believable, and book 4 is completely missing from the silver screen portrayal. Fast and furious read, completely engrossing. Loved it!
1) The Field Guide
2) The Seeing Stone
3) Lucinda's Secret
4) The Ironwood Tree
5) The Wrath of Mulgarath
And are they BRILLIANT!
Saw the movie, loved it; then read the books, even better!
The books have more characters, the plot more believable, and book 4 is completely missing from the silver screen portrayal. Fast and furious read, completely engrossing. Loved it!
A surprisingly realistic children's fairy story. These books did an excellent job of doing many things at once: it had fantastic fantasy elements, while maintaining a surprising amount of emotional verisimilitude. It also juggles the old mythology of fairies while adding rich, new ideas. These books were fabulous, especially for younger readers. If I was dissatisfied with any aspect of this series, it was the length of the individual books, and the feeling that occasionally the books were moving...more
The three Grace siblings are in for a surprise when they move into their Aunt Lucinda's old house. Faeries exist. So do goblins, griffins, dwarves, and a host of other creatures. Their great-great-uncle has left them a guide chronicling these creatures. But the evil Mulgarath wants the guide and he will go to great lengths to get it.
I don't have anything truly negative or truly positive to say about this series. I read all five books in one night, but I feel more like I read one book...more
I don't have anything truly negative or truly positive to say about this series. I read all five books in one night, but I feel more like I read one book...more
A childish yet enjoyable novel. The Spiderwick Chronicles is an amazing and enchanting story that will bring you to the other dimension of faeries, goblins, griffins, and supernatural.
I remember Chronicle of Narnia’s character (Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter) when I met Jared, Simon, and Malory. But compared to the Chronicles of Narnia, it has too short plot (one book is like one chapter of other books), and has too many illustrations.
After reading the whole series, I want t...more
I remember Chronicle of Narnia’s character (Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter) when I met Jared, Simon, and Malory. But compared to the Chronicles of Narnia, it has too short plot (one book is like one chapter of other books), and has too many illustrations.
After reading the whole series, I want t...more
Readingtween
added it
I listened to the first three Spiderwick Chronicles audio books and loved them. What I liked about it... I thought that It was a very good book and the reader was a very very good reader and my brother said to me that the reader was the actor who played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies and I thought that was pretty cool.
I love the books and my favorite book is the 2nd one and my favorite characters are Mallory and Jared they are my favorite characters because Mallory has a s...more
I love the books and my favorite book is the 2nd one and my favorite characters are Mallory and Jared they are my favorite characters because Mallory has a s...more
I've read all the books and they were awsome and I fill the movie pertrays nothing in the books but basicalley puddle jumped threw them picking out samll facts. Event he ending was completly wron and strayed from the books so far I didn't even recognize it! They even said steel burned fairies!
Parker
added it
I really enjoyed reading the Spiderwick Chronicles. The person that would probably end up reading it is one with a like of mythical creatures and a taste of adventure. A summary of the books is that a family of four a mother, twin brothers named Jared and Simon, and a daughter named Mallory. They move to their great uncle's old house. But with their taste of curiousity theyend up finding a field guide, with descriptions of mythical creatures.
They end up going on a series of adventu...more
They end up going on a series of adventu...more
I like these books a lot. I saw the movie and decided I should read the books. The are geared towards little children so they are pretty small and easy reading. I like them a ton though!
listening to this in the car. Mark Hamill is the reader and he is very good. I really feel like I'm listening to kids. The pace is fast and the story is cute so far.
This was a charming set of books. (Yes it's actually five books but they're small so I'm only counting it as one.) I'd seen the movie last year and thought it was cute but the story line seemed "off" somehow. As we all know the book is usually better then the movie - this was no exception. The story had a much better flow since it didn't have to compromise to the budget constraints of multiple sets unlike the movie. I loved the characters and each book was a fun romp through a fantasy ...more
i actually read/listened to this during my road trip on cd.... i loved the movie and thought this could be a good book to listen and drive to. i was not let down. it was the perfect book for such a road trip. the ideas that there are worlds within worlds within a magical world seem so fun to me. wish i'd have found these kind of reads when i was a kid. right down my imaginative kid alley :) loved every one! the author was very creative with tricks and things to dealing with new characters...more
I was looking for a light, easy read after getting bogged down in politics, history, and economics for the last little while and this series was perfect. I had seen and liked the movie and it was fun to go deeper into that world, to learn about the creatures that are all around us that we don't see. Often while reading I could think of a place I've been where some of these creatures would have been found if only I had eyes to see them. I also really liked the illustrations in these books, I feel...more
Estes é daqueles livros que lemos uma vez e tempos mais tarde já nem lembramos aquilo que lemos. Os livros são apelativos: a capa, o tamanho, as ilustrações (feitas por um artista das cartas Magic); já a história não é assim tão interessante… o filme é ainda mais desinteressante (demasiado óbvio, demasiado Hollywood).
São livros fáceis de ler. É uma história original mas pouco emocionante e talvez um pouco superficial… os livros das Crónicas de Narnia têm o mesmo tamanho, mas muito muito mai...more
São livros fáceis de ler. É uma história original mas pouco emocionante e talvez um pouco superficial… os livros das Crónicas de Narnia têm o mesmo tamanho, mas muito muito mai...more
The Grace siblings have been through many trials recently, with their dad abandoning them and the move into their crazy Aunt Lucy's falling-down house. The trouble starts when the eldest boy, Jared discovers his great Uncle's Field Guide. Full of information and illustrations of all the magical creatures in and around the house and town, the guide is sought by all kinds of creatures for good and ill purposes.
All three Grace children are well defined, and the plot of the series and of ...more
All three Grace children are well defined, and the plot of the series and of ...more
**Minor Spoilers**
[This is a review off the entire Spiderwick Chronicles.]
This book, like all books, has its ups and downs. There weren't a lot, but there defiantly were some. I loved the fact that this book was based on a supposedly true story; Three children - twin boys and an older sister, had written a note to the two authors about their experiences, and form there the book was made.
My brother and I had a lot of fun watching the movie and leaving honey out for our own house b...more
[This is a review off the entire Spiderwick Chronicles.]
This book, like all books, has its ups and downs. There weren't a lot, but there defiantly were some. I loved the fact that this book was based on a supposedly true story; Three children - twin boys and an older sister, had written a note to the two authors about their experiences, and form there the book was made.
My brother and I had a lot of fun watching the movie and leaving honey out for our own house b...more
"Beautiful books. Before I go any further I need to talk about the illustrations and the books themselves. I'm a sucker for a gorgeous book with deckle edge and amazing illustrations which this set of books has in spades. Each book has an illustrated cover that carries on throughout the entirety of the story. As I turned the pages I found myself wanting to find another piece of art to admire and enhance my reading; I wasn't disappointed. Toni DiTerlizzi did an amazing job with these books, ...more
Well, I just have to say how very good these books are. This intelligent and oh so fantastically illustrated series really merits its huge success. There’s a strong sense of story structure and writer know-how. The reader is carried along adeptly. I really like the direction they go with mythological material. Imaginative faerie world creatures are mixed very successfully with modern day children in an enjoyably escapist setting. The characters are well rounded and individual. The dialogu...more
April
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommended to April by:
My nephew
Shelves:
children-ya,
scifi-fantasy
I finally managed to finish this series! I was initially inspired to read it after I went to see the film with my two ten year old nephews this past winter. I enjoyed it quite a bit, being a lover of kid and teen lit and general and having a soft spot for Freddie Highmore. So I ordered the series as one book back in the spring. It’s sat on my coffee table since then, and I would pick it up every now and again and read a bit and then forget it for weeks and then pick it up again.
...more
Okay, if it were up to just me, this series would probably only rate 2 or 3 stars. However, I read these with my son, Jacob, who was 5 at the time, and these books quickly became favorites for him. The story line was spare, and you could finish a chapter (or indeed, an entire book, very quickly). What I think makes these books a great read-alound is what happened as a result of reading them...they seemed to touch that inner chord of faerie mystery and magic that is so wonderful in childhood, ...more
I thought this was a great series for sci-fi/fantasy lovers. This definitely was NOT a series for small kids. It can be a little scary and violent at points, but it's great for older kids and adults. It's definitely helpful to read the books before seeing the movie though, because (like all movies-from-books) so much was changed for the big screen and you also need to understand the background and what the characters were thinking in their minds that you can't see conveyed on the screen.
...more
...more
Hayley Harkema
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Grades 4 and up
Recommended to Hayley by:
no one
book 1.
the grace children(Jared,Simon and mallory)move with their mother to an old ramshackle victorian house.when they get there jared heres a "squirrel" in the walls, one night their mother goes out to buy some milk, and the three kids knock a whole in the wall in attempt to "catch" the "squirrel" once they look in the hole they find a creepy nest so they pull it out and throw it away. after hearing the "squirrel" in a dumbwaiter shaft they send ja...more
the grace children(Jared,Simon and mallory)move with their mother to an old ramshackle victorian house.when they get there jared heres a "squirrel" in the walls, one night their mother goes out to buy some milk, and the three kids knock a whole in the wall in attempt to "catch" the "squirrel" once they look in the hole they find a creepy nest so they pull it out and throw it away. after hearing the "squirrel" in a dumbwaiter shaft they send ja...more
This was my daughter (age 4) and my first attempt at reading a series of stories with chapters (in preparation for Harry Potter, of course!). The story is creative, and illustrated. The chapters are short enough to hold a toddler (and mother's) attention. However, what it was lacking was substance and detail. I find that a lot with fantasy books: you either have books like The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, where the author's know so much about their worlds, that volumes of supporting t...more
Jonah and I have been reading these and we have loved them. It has been so fun to learn about these fantasy creatures by looking them up in the field guide as they are introduced in the plot. I do recommend having the field guide on hand while reading the books. I will often find Jonah curled up on the couch reading away, or hear him holler from the other room...Mom, what does e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e spell? The previews for the movie seem so scary, but I have not found the books to be frightneni...more
Hilary
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those on a road trip with some older kids
I thought this was a very fun kids/younger adult fantasy. Plus, the story line makes so much more sense than the film!
Also, Mark Hamill was surprisingly VERY good. I was surprized by all his different voices and loved listening to him tell this story. I actually didn't even realize it was "Luke Skywalker" reading until about half way through the book. I kept thinking... god, this guy's voice is SO familiar! Why do I keep thinking of Yoda? Ha!
I totally recommen...more
Also, Mark Hamill was surprisingly VERY good. I was surprized by all his different voices and loved listening to him tell this story. I actually didn't even realize it was "Luke Skywalker" reading until about half way through the book. I kept thinking... god, this guy's voice is SO familiar! Why do I keep thinking of Yoda? Ha!
I totally recommen...more
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Holly Black is a best-selling author of contemporary fantasy novels for kids, teens, and adults. She is the author of the Modern Faerie Tale series (Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside), The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), and The Good Neighbors graphic novels (with Ted Naifeh). She is also the co-editor of three anthologies, Geektastic (with Cecil Castellucci), Zombies vs. Unicorns (with J...more
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