The Spiderwick Chronicles (Boxed Set): The Field Guide; The Seeing Stone; Lucinda's Secret; The Ironwood Tree; The Wrath of Mulgrath

Book Description

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 old book into a world filled with elves, goblins, dwarves, trolls, and a fantastical menagerie of other creatures. The oddest part is in entering that world, they didn't leave this one!

Five captivating books!
One thrilling adventure!
The Spiderwick Chronicles

Customer Reviews:

reading fantasy is fun.......2007-09-10

Reading a book that will be a movie in Feburary is fun for all ages. This book is full of imagination, magic and fantasy.

A Family Favorite.......2007-09-06

My kids can't get enough of these books! I have a 7 year old & a 5 year old, and we have read the books aloud to them. The 7 year old keeps trying to sneak the books away and read them himself, but we make him wait. They are an easy read--each book is about 100 pages, so it doesn't take long to read. The storyline is exciting for the kids. I'm glad we bought the boxed set, as you wouldn't want to buy just one! The five books make me think it's like one book broken into 5 parts.

Protesting the Price.......2007-09-05

These books are nice little fantasy stories, but I read the first one and couldn't bring myself to buy the others simply because you get so little book for your buck. At least the Series of Unfortunate Events, similarly packaged, were completely developed--and I thought they ran a bit short at the time! These Spiderwick books are more like 1/3 of a book each, or maybe even 1/4--and yet they're as much as 10 bucks a pop.

Anyway, the characters are pleasant and the central premise of a field guide to goblins and other fantastic creatures is a rich one. But I would want to see far more incredible story telling, and at a reasonable length, to invest in this series wholeheartedly.

Spiderwick Chronicles-- Not just for kids.......2007-08-25

I enjoyed many things about this book-- the artwork is enchanting and the storyline is inventive and as an adult reading this book - I was taken back to being a kid and loving every moment of being lost in the story and my own imagination. Great Read!

I'm 22 and I loved this set.......2007-08-24

My husband and I are into Fantasy and sci-fi books. We knew of Holly Black, and we love her other books. My husband loved the set and so did I. The pictures help give you a mental image of the people in the book, so as you read your mind has something to go off of. We plan on keeping this boxed set for when we have kids, I'm sure that they will love then just as much as we did.

Average customer rating:

Finally something different
Goblins!
Gobs of fun
kind of funny
Cute, but not "Faeries."

Goblins!
Brian Froud , and Ari Berk
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810949415

Book Description

Anyone who brings home this book will be in big trouble. Renowned artist Brian Froud and scholar Ari Berk have conducted a thorough investigation into the goblin realm. (For the uninformed, goblins, a subspecies of faery, are those maleficent creatures that cause all manner of havoc in the human realm.) The fruit of their labor, however, turned out to be a rotten apple: the book is infected with goblins.

Now, thanks largely to Froud and Berk's continuing carelessness, the noxious, viscid, and largely nonsensical volume has been unleashed on an unsuspecting public. Among its pages are reproductions of the ancient, odoriferous Codex Goblinensis; a glossary of common goblins and their markings; and a gazetteer of goblin photographs taken with the arcane Goblin Camera. Those fearing an infestation can refer to the section detailing how to determine if you've "got goblins" and, if so, what you can do about it. (There is nothing you can do about it.)

Combining the folkloric approach of Faeries with the utter wackiness of Lady Cottington, this is the team's most visually rich and outrageous opus yet.

Customer Reviews:

Finally something different.......2007-08-06

Another amazing Froud book. I love this one because its very funny and it shows a darker side of the Fae. Its not the typical pretty faery book. The pictures are (as always) really great. Another Froudian must have.

Goblins! .......2007-06-08

This is a great book, exactly what I was looking for! The illustrations and the commentary are wonderful.. and it fits in perfectly with my fairy collection.

Gobs of fun.......2006-07-01

At first reading, it's more of what Froud has done so well, so often. His delicate, dangerous caricatures take on little eldritch lives of their own. His palette tends to the gray, brown, and olive, with delicate pen strokes for outlines and emphasis. A little story goes with each, and larger story ties them all together.

There's a larger story still, outside of the story here. Glimpses of that create the spell that lifts the hairs at the nape of your neck - knowing that something is going horribly awry, but never knowing quite what. The basic idea is clever enough idea. The book as a whole, though, is a brilliant vehicle for that idea. It suffers from a few small flaws, but only a few and only small. I recommend this to anyone who loves the faerie (and not just the fey or fairy), or who loves fantasy art.

//wiredweird

kind of funny.......2005-07-08

The art in this book is truly great - true froud goodnes. The comic turn the bok tries to take is amusing, but bungling through some truly annoying long drawn out stories makes them far too dry and english for my tastes.

Cute, but not "Faeries.".......2005-06-16

This book, while it has its enchanting moments, is not nearly as "inspired" and as grand as Froud's "Faries" or Poortvliet's "Gnomes." For the Froud collector only.

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)

Average customer rating:

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)
Series improves as it goes on.
ironwood tree
spider wick the iron wood tree book 4
AMAZING BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4)
Holly Black
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689859392

Amazon.com

After a brief breather in book three (Lucinda's Secret), the Spiderwick Chronicles heat up with doppelgangers, then dwarves, then a dastardly double-cross, as this five-part series approaches its dramatic end.

The Grace kids (9-year-old twins Simon and Jared, and 13-year-old Mallory) might think that things have finally quieted down for them, but the nefarious faerie world has many more surprises in store. In the second chapter, titled, "IN WHICH the Grace twins are triplets," a mysterious and menacing shape-shifter shows up at Mallory's fencing match--and before Simon and Jared can suss out what's up, their sister disappears, presumably kidnapped. Eager to recover Mallory, the two descend into a strange subterranean world beneath a nearby quarry, only to find themselves prisoners and then privy to a wicked (and almost unbelievable) plan. The twins do end up tracking down Mallory, but only in very peculiar circumstances--not the least of which that she's wearing a dress.

Author Holly Black once again skillfully manages to weave in plenty of creepy details (including a bloody final chapter) without whitewashing or leaving young readers feeling too creeped out--and she gets able assistance from Tony DeTerlizzi's ever-evocative pen-and-ink drawings (especially in the looming menace of the Mulgarath). Fans of the series will have a hard time waiting for the final installment, titled fittingly, ominously, The Wrath of Mulgarath. (Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

First a pack of vile, smelly goblins snatch Simon. Then a band of elves try to entrap Jared. Why is the entire faerie world so eager to get their hands on Spiderwick's Guide? And will the Grace kids be left alone, now that the Guide has mysteriously disappeared? Don't count on it.

At school, someone is running around pretending to be Jared, and it's not Simon. To make matters even worse, now Mallory has disappeared and something foul in the water is killing off all the plants and animals for miles around. Clues point to the old abandoned quarry, just outside of town. Dwarves have taken over an abandoned mine there. And the faerie world's abuzz with the news that a creature with plans to rule the world has offered them a gift to join with him -- he's given them a queen...

Customer Reviews:

The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4).......2007-01-16

We love this book. The series is so much fun. I have enjoyed it as much as my seven year old.

Series improves as it goes on........2006-12-14

Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, The Ironwood Tree (Scholastic, 2004)

The fourth installment in the Spiderwick series continues bringing the storyline together. Once again, character-building is dispensed with; the plot's the thing here, but by the fourth book in a series, you should know everything you need to know about the characters. And to be fair, you do know everything you need to know about what the main characters can do; you just haven't gotten to know them very well over the course of the series. But that's not the fault of The Ironwood Tree.

Things hit kind of a lull in the series' third book, but heat up again in The Ironwood Tree, where the Grace siblings encounter their nemesis, Mulgarath, the driving force behind all of the (unfortunate) events that have driven the series so far. Mulgarath's minions, the dwarves, have kidnapped Mallory to install as their queen, and Jared and Simon have to find a way to get her back.

As with all the Spiderwick books, the action is fast and furious, with Black's writing well-complemented by DiTerlizzi's drawings. The series is getting better as it goes on; if you'd previously given up on it, give it another try. The books are short (easily readable in one sitting), and everything points to a satisfying conclusion. *** ½

ironwood tree.......2006-12-07

I DIDN'T LIKE THIS BOOK CALLED IRONWOOD TREE IT'S AABOUT A GIRL THAT IS MISSING FROM SWORD TOURNAMENT.BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO GET INTRESTID IN THE BOOK AND IT WAS SLOW TO READ.

spider wick the iron wood tree book 4.......2006-11-17

This is about 2 brothers going through a fantasy world to save there sister. This is a wonderful story of adventure and I think you will really enjoy it. Jared is the older brother and he is very mischievous. Chris is the younger sibling and he is just an innocent little thing. Mallory is the oldest and she is a very experienced fencer. She is kidnapped and taken to another world. That`s when Jared and Chris have to rescue her from the evil elves. Also Jared and Chris are taken as prisoners. Then they escape and rescue Mallory.

ONE of my favorite parts is "come on! I can't be late," Mallory said, smoothing her hair back unnecessarily." It's my first match "!

And my response was these few sentences really lead me to keep reading because I want to know what's going to happen next.

Just jump to the rocks, I'll give you the flash light.

I felt he said that just like it was nothing, so if he feels that way he should do it.

Mallory said shut up your so loud.

I think that's so mean and harsh to say to your own siblings.

AMAZING BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-10-02

The spider wick chronicles have five adventures books!!!The books are about three children always getting in some trouble.There names are Jared,Mallory and Simon!!!In book four they loose there sister and have to go find her but there are dwarves procting here case!!!

The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5)

Average customer rating:

Excellent book
The Wrath of Mulgareth(Spiderwick Chronicles #5
SpideWick Book Review
not about spiders
My son loves this book

The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5)
Holly Black
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689859406
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com

Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi pull off an impressive five for five with Wrath of Mulgarath, the satisfyingly dramatic conclusion to their series, The Spiderwick Chronicles. After the gory conclusion of the The Ironwood Tree, we don't get even a moment's reprieve before the action picks up again, in a starting chapter entitled, fittingly, "IN WHICH the World Is Turned Upside Down." Thirteen-year-old Mallory and nine-year-old twins Jared and Simon return to the Spiderwick Estate only to find their home in shambles, with trash and broken furniture scattered across the lawn and Simon's griffin chasing a "goblin" across the roof. The faerie world that the Grace kids have so slowly probed in this series has finally come home to roost. Black and DiTerlizzi pack a lot into the finale of this beautifully produced series, with dragons and goblins and elves--and even a magical cameo by Arthur Spiderwick (the long-lost author of the disappearing-reappearing Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You). We get a dramatic rescue, a clever end to a fearsome foe (with some thanks to Hogsqueal from book two), and a long denouement that leads to a final cryptic note from the author and illustrator: "Are there more ogres / and dragons to slay? / Is there more mayhem, / perhaps, on the way? / Ask Tony and Holly. / They'll swear that it's true. / But you still won't believe / what's coming for you!" (Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Three ordinary kids, Jared, Simon, and Wallory Grace, have entered another world -- without leaving this one! Two remarkable talents, New York Times best-sellers Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, have risked everything to bring this remarkable account to light. Five books -- one thrilling adventure -- the Spiderwick Chronicles!

Their world is closer than you think.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-09-29

My son loves the series of this book and was so glad to hear it came out with a new one. I bought it for his birthday and he actually loved getting this book as a gift.

The Wrath of Mulgareth(Spiderwick Chronicles #5.......2007-08-10

I think the ending to this book was very good. I love the entire series and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out next year.

SpideWick Book Review.......2007-04-17

Spiderwick Book
By: Tony DiTerlizzi

This book is called Spiderwick. It is about a single mom raising twin boys and a daughter. They have just moved into their new house on the edge of the forest. They start to encounter weird and strange things in the house, such as fairies, goblins, and horrible creatures.
They find a secret attic that has strange items, and they find a fairy. He helps them on there journeys and explains what they are encountering.
Eventually the twins get kidnapped so there sister goes out and tries to find them. But will she succeed? It is a great book for kids in about fourth to fifth grade. If you like surprise, adventure and suspense than read Spiderwick and find out if the brothers get saved or experience their worst nightmare.
I like this book because every time you think that everything is ok something bad happens and it keeps you thinking. I also like it because of the reaction of the characters when something strange happens. I know I like this book and you will too.

[...]

not about spiders.......2007-03-13

3 Kids save the Day
This is a book review on the book of Spiderwick The Wrath of Mulgarath, by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. The story mostly takes place in the town of Spiderwick Estates.
Mom Dad We Are Home!
"Mom dad we are home" is what the main characters said in my book when they got home from school. But there was no answer. Then they ran upstairs, and saw that the place was trashed. And all they found was a little rhyming guy on the table, his name was Hogsqueal. And Hogsqeal told them their parents had been taken by the goblin army of Mulgarath. Then they go to the junk yard where Mulgarath's lair is. And fight for their mom and dad to be free. On the way they fight tons of goblins.
Favorite Book
I loved this book! It was really action packed. I think it is a great book for boys, maybe girls too. I loved this book because you can learn lots of lessons. For example, always go for what you want. And the kids don't care if something seems impossible, they will just do the best they can. They are not scared if it looks like they don't stand a chance against goblins, the will either figure out how to beat them or get out of it. Another thing I like was that when the authors put the pictures on the side, I felt like I was in the book with them.
Lost Someone
I can really relate to the characters in my book because they only lost their parents and found them but I lost my great uncle Lloyd for ever. So if you feel like you have ever lost someone go to the nearest bookshelf and read it.
Read It
If you like to travel to different imaginary places, would be a great book for you

My son loves this book.......2007-02-17

This book is part of a set that I purchased for my son. He read it in one sitting so I know he enjoyed it. The illustrations are fun.

The Princess and the Goblin (Puffin Classics - the Essential Collection)

Average customer rating:

A Few Pro's and Con's to the Puffin Classics Edition
One of the best fantasy books period
A Classic Fantasy Tale
A Great Story to Read!
Wonderful story full of insight

The Princess and the Goblin (Puffin Classics - the Essential Collection)
George Macdonald
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140367462

Amazon.com

As always with George MacDonald, everything here is more than meets the eye: this in fact is MacDonald's grace-filled vision of the world. Said to be one of J.R.R. Tolkien's childhood favorites, The Princess and the Goblin is the story of the young Princess Irene, her good friend Curdie--a minor's son--and Irene's mysterious and beautiful great great grandmother, who lives in a secret room at the top of the castle stairs. Filled with images of dungeons and goblins, mysterious fires, burning roses, and a thread so fine as to be invisible and yet--like prayer--strong enough to lead the Princess back home to her grandmother's arms, this is a story of Curdie's slow realization that sometimes, as the princess tells him, "you must believe without seeing." Simple enough for reading aloud to a child (as I've done myself more than once with my daughter), it's rich enough to repay endless delighted readings for the adult. --Doug Thorpe

Book Description

Considered by W.H. Auden to be "the only English children's book in the same class as the Alice books," The Princess and the Goblin is a classic example of nineteenth-century children's literary fairy tales. Both this tale and its sequel, The Princess and Curdie, follow in the tradition of the folk tales of Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm, yet also impart to the reader a sense of MacDonald's personal vision and unique style. This volume is the only adult edition of these classics currently in print.

Download Description

Princess Irene's discovery of a secret stair to the top turret of the castle leads to a wonderful revelation. At the same time, the miner's son Curdle overhears a fiendish plot by the goblins who live below the mountain. It will take all of their wit and courage, plus the help of Irene's magic ring, to make sense of their separate knowledge and foil the goblins' schemes.

Customer Reviews:

A Few Pro's and Con's to the Puffin Classics Edition.......2007-08-03

The Princess and the Goblin is a truly delightful tale that is beautifully told by George MacDonald and deserves five stars. But, I will not attempt to review the story itself, for there are such wonderful descriptions and testimonies from other reviewers on this page concerning the content of MacDonald's work. However, I would like to describe the Puffin Classics edition in a little more detail. Please be aware that the Puffin's paperback cover is very soft and not as durable as other paperback covers. As well, the paper quality is rather grainy, which may not hold up well in the years to come. Thus, I have allotted this product four stars. On a positive note, I am pleased that the publishers kept the nostalgic illustrations by Arthur Hughes. Also, this copy has been edited well for typos and simple mistakes. With these particular points in mind, I would like to encourage the potential buyer to consider other editions of the text as well. Everyman's Childrens Library (The Princess and the Goblin (Everyman's Library Children's Classics Series)) has produced a hardback copy, which may be a better choice if the copy is to be given to a child. Also, for the MacDonald researcher or literary student, I would highly recommend the Johannesen edition(The Princess and the Goblin (George Macdonald Original Works)) since it is an authoritative edition. However, when it comes to the price, the Puffin Classics edition can not help but to be rather tempting. I hope these few notes have been helpful - Happy shopping.

One of the best fantasy books period.......2007-06-18

So it's written for children but I could hardly tell the difference. The simplicity of the storytelling made it all the more appealing and the veins of courage, humilty, and human frailty running through it were impressive and awe inspiring. Like I said it's simple but don't let that word fool you. It's brilliantly written and encourages the reader to look at his or her own character. "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." Proverbs 27:19 It's a lesson we could all learn if not relearn...

A Classic Fantasy Tale.......2007-04-17

Macdonald inspired C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. He is the father of modern fantasy. This is one of his best. Directed more for kids, but like all of his tales, sophisticated enough for adults.

A Great Story to Read!.......2007-04-07

This book is a good classic for everyone to read because it is an enchanting story about a princess named Princess Irene and the adventures she has. She meets a boy miner named Curdie and she finds a great great grandmother living in the top tower room of Irene's house. Her nurse doesn't believe Irene--that she actually has a grandmother living in the top of the house. Irene eventually goes into the mountain and finds Curdie tied up. I really like the story because I like adventure and I also like mysteries and this story was sort of like a mystery (especially when I had to stop at the end of a chapter and wait to find out what happened next). I also think you could learn a lesson or two from this book: you don't have to see to believe (Curdie learned this). Irene learned that if you are not sure whether or not something is a dream or real, it can be real, and it is wonderful when it is.

Review by EGM, age seven.

Wonderful story full of insight.......2006-12-30

My mother read this book to me when I was four or five years old. The book was very memorable and my impressions of two of the main characters, Curdy and the grandmother, stayed with me over the years. I assumed the book had gone out of print and was surprised to come across it while browsing in a bookstore one day.

The story is magical and reading it again after so many years was very enjoyable. It was almost like undertaking a type of archaeological excavation deep into the recesses of my memories.

The author, George MacDonald (1824-1905), lived in Scotland and in addition to writing, was also a Christian minister. I later learned that he was very influential on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I personally believe that Tolkien's idea in The Hobbit of a mountain filled with goblins originated with George MacDonald's story of the goblin filled mountain in this book.

The story is a kind of allegory. There is a princess that was sent away from her father's house, a grand and beautiful palace built upon a mountain (her father is a king), to live in a house on the side of another mountain, half-way between its base and its peak. This seems to be a metaphor for the Christian idea that human spirits leave the home of their Heavenly Father, to enter mortal life. (see Wordsworth's poem: "Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The soul that rises with us, our life's Star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar: Not in entire forgetfulness, And not in utter nakedness, But trailing clouds of glory do we come From God, who is our home...") It seems fitting to say that mortal life is found half-way down from heaven.

Curdy is a young miner who works in the mountain with his father every day. The mountain is filled with goblins that can only come out at night. The princess lives in a castle that is very mysterious. Its foundations stretch down into the mountains where the goblins live, but its upper towers are rarely visited, and a wise old woman, who turns out to be a type of symbol of heavenly guidance, lives there.

Curdy learns about the goblins' plot to invade the palace and capture the princess, and with the help of the wise old woman is able to save the princess. Curdy is not able to see the wise old woman at first because he does not believe in her. In one telling scene, the princess brings Curdy to see the old woman, but Curdy has not yet prepared himself to believe and so cannot see her. The princess is hurt because Curdy does not believe her and wants the old woman to show herself to Curdy. To this request, the old woman wisely replies that Curdy "is not yet able to believe some things. Seeing is not believing - it is only seeing." She also admonishes the princess that someone who already sees, (because they have developed faith) must be patient with others who cannot yet see, and therefore "must be content ... to be misunderstood for a while."

George MacDonald is one of my favorite storytellers. The Princess and the Goblin has a sequel, The Princess and Curdie, which is equally enjoyable. Another great book by MacDonald is The Wise Woman. MacDonald said that he didn't write for children "but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five."

I am in complete agreement with the reviewer who said that anyone will profit by reading this book.

The Goblins of Labyrinth : 20th Anniversary Edition

Average customer rating:

Loved this movie I expected more from this book
The Goblins of Labyrinth
Great reprint with good extra material !

The Goblins of Labyrinth : 20th Anniversary Edition
Brian Froud , and Terry Jones
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810970554

Book Description

In 1986, the magical fantasy movie Labyrinth introduced the world to a set of unforgettable goblins from the minds of Jim Henson and Brian Froud. Not only has the film become a classic with a huge cult following, but Brian Froud's long out- of-print book about the malevolent and cantankerous goblins—packed with his brilliant drawings and paintings—has achieved similar cult status.

Now Abrams is proudly reissuing The Goblins of Labyrinth in a brand-new 20th Anniversary Edition. With even more artwork than the original and a new afterword from Brian Froud, this mesmerizing work, like Froud's The World of The Dark Crystal, is a must-have for collectors and Brian Froud fans everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Loved this movie I expected more from this book.......2007-02-09

I remember when Labyrinth first came out I watched it over and over. I thought this book would delve into the world of Labyrinth in detail. No such luck. It's nice and I love Brian Froud's drawings but not as great as I hoped.

The Goblins of Labyrinth.......2007-01-09

My daughter, the "Fan" loved this book. I wished the colors were more vivid.

Great reprint with good extra material !.......2006-11-15

As an owner of the original 1986 print I was very pleased with this reprint. The paper is strong and the printing looks very good.
At the end there are a few new extra pages with some interesting never before seen concepts by Mr. Froud.
I wish there will be a Making of photo book someday, but as for now this is the must own book for LABYRINTH fans.
Oh, and forget the RETURN TO THE LABYRINTH Manga...please! ;-)

The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Warning to cat lovers
"They Didn't Say Why. They Just Wanted It..."
The Seeing Stone Book 2
Great book
The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone

The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 2)
Holly Black
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0689859376

Amazon.com

In the Spiderwick Chronicles' second book, things get even more exciting--and kind of scary--for the Grace kids, as the strange faerie world hinted at in The Field Guide blooms to full life around them.

After making tentative peace with Thimbletack (a coveralled house brownie who's "the size of a pencil"), Jared chooses to ignore the creature's pleas that he destroy his great-great-uncle's mysterious tome, Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You. Thimbletack warns, "You kept the book despite my advice./Sooner or later there'll be a price." Sure enough, the brownie soon sniffs out a "fell smell in the air," and the disappearance of Simon's new cat starts to make sense. And if the chapter titled "IN WHICH Mallory Finally Gets to Put Her Rapier to Good Use" doesn't get your heart racing as fast as the kids', just wait till you get a load of the troll. ("Cooome baaack. I haaave something for youuu.")

The series' already-fast pace picks up quickly in the second installment, and we can begin to imagine what other sorts of trouble these three will turn up as they learn the rules to this odd (and dangerous) new world--while, of course, trying to explain away the strange goings-on to their mother. Next up, book three, Lucinda's Secret. (What's her secret? I want to know. Now! (Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

we said no
still you looked
now instead

someone gets cooked

Customer Reviews:

Warning to cat lovers.......2007-08-08

The Seeing Stone, like its predecessor, is a very short book. It took me roughly 20 minutes to start and finish this book. For younger readers, this is pretty ideal since many children are intimidated by longer books. Unfortunately, I thought the drawings of a cat roasting over a fire, along with mention of eating cats, kittens, and various other small creatures, to be more than a little disturbing. My family loves cats, and even though there's nothing very graphic in this book, both of my children (10 and 12) felt upset about the drawings and descriptions.

Otherwise, my kids enjoy these quick-read books.

"They Didn't Say Why. They Just Wanted It...".......2007-07-20

This is the second of five books in "The Spiderwick Chronicles," and although it has since been released in a boxed set: The Spiderwick Chronicles (Boxed Set): The Field Guide; The Seeing Stone; Lucinda's Secret; The Ironwood Tree; The Wrath of Mulgrath, you can apparently still buy the books singularly. If you get one, you really need the whole set, so if you're interested, I'd jump straight from this review to the link provided. However, I thought I'd still do a review for those who buy them separately for whatever reason.

Created by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, "The Spiderwick Chronicles" make up a great little set of stories that deals with the experiences of the Grace children - Mallory, and the twins Simon and Jared, who move with their recently-divorced mother into the Spiderwick Estate. As they soon discover, the house and grounds are infested with faeries, and with the help of Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You (Spiderwick Chronicles) (found in a secret library), the three siblings must deal with the often-dangerous inhabitants that they share their house with. Treated as an adaptation of real-life occurrences (each book begins with a copy of a letter signed by the "real" Grace children, and includes other bits of evidence citing the story's authenticity throughout), Black draws on a range of fairytales and folklore in order to give the activities that the children and the assortment of faeries get up to a sense of resonance.

This being the second book, Black can skip the introductions and backstory, and jump straight into the action. Jared is fascinated by the Field Guide and the information it has to offer him, although his twin and older sister are less keen on the idea of keeping it - because the faeries are unhappy at a mortal having access to their secrets, they consider it too dangerous to keep around. But for Jared, the book is giving him a much-needed sense of purpose, and he's loath to part from it.

However, then things take a turn for the worst when Simon is snatched by goblins after the Field Guide (a Grace family member is kidnapped by the faeries in practically every book, and Simon is the first to go). Guided by clues in the Guide, Jared acquires a seeing stone from the house-brownie Thimbletack, a stone with a naturally-bored hole in the middle that has been designed to strap around his head. Through it, he can see the faeries (Black never adequately explains how he and his siblings can see Thimbletack without it) and he and Mallory take to the woods to save their brother - and on the way they outwit a troll, meet Hogsqueal the hobgoblin (one of the series' best characters) and learn more about Arthur Spiderwick, the author of the Guide and original inhabitant of the house.

A warning for parents: these series deal with the dark side of the faerie world, harking back to a time when fairytales were for grownups and could often deal with some pretty grisly stuff. Therefore, be prepared for a pet cat getting roasted over an open fire and a rather scary-looking troll - of course, all this is what I appreciate most about the series, but you might want to censor these books if your little darlings are sensitive to this sort of thing.

"The Seeing Stone" is followed by Lucinda's Secret (Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 3), the typical middle-installment that deals with answering questions and mysteries before heading into the action-packed final installments: The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 4) and The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5).

The Seeing Stone Book 2.......2007-02-28

The Seeing Stone takes place in the Aunt's house of 3 people named Jared, Mallory, and Simon. This exciting story had goblins, creatures, monsters, and trolls. Simon and Mallory went to look for Jared, who was missing, and the adventures begin. Jared finds a magical stone wrapped in newspaper in an old box, and he gives it to Simon. The goblins want this stone, and they think Jared still has it . Jared gets kidnapped and put in a cage. This magical stone lets you see things that no one else can see. Simon and Mallory end up rescuing Jared, and they return home. They all get grounded at the end of the story by their mother because she was worried about them being out so late. I recommend this book to everybody.

Great book.......2006-12-19

The book I am reviewing is the Seeing Stone. By Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black. It is one of the Spiderwick chronicles. Three kids Mallory, Simon, Jared go on an adventure that is far away from the Spider Wick Estate. When the three kids go outside and Simon falls behind, he gets captured by trolls. When Mallory and Jared find out that Simon gets kidnapped they gear up in gadgets that they find in Arthur Spiderwick's barn. When Jared looks in one of the draws in the barn he finds a weird stone. That lets him see things other people can't see. I'd recommend this book to everybody in the world because it's a fun book.

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone.......2006-11-16

During the book I have chosen the problem was that these three kids Jared,Simon, and Mallory have been living in their great-aunts house and weird things have been happening to them,all because Jared found a Feild Guide that tells about magical creatures. One of the creatures is a goblin and its army that take Simom, and Jared and Mallory go out to find him.On the way, Jared finds a stone that lets him see magical creatures.
On their way to find Simon , they have to be clever around a water troll, but they get past it for luckily the sun burnes the troll. Then finally they find Simon and a little hobgoblin that if it spits in your eyes you can then see magical creatures without the seeing stone. On the way home they find an injured griffin , and then they took it home and cared for it. Finally, when the three kidss got home they were grounded because they were out late till 12:30 A.M. and their mother was worried sick about them. Then everything was back to normal andonly some invasions weren't happening so read the next book and see the trouble the three kids go through.

Grey Griffins #1: The Revenge Of The Shadow King (Grey Griffins #1)

Average customer rating:

an entrancing read from start to finish
This Book is Not Good For Young Children
this book is awesome
The Revenge of the Shadow King
enchanting fantasy

Grey Griffins #1: The Revenge Of The Shadow King (Grey Griffins #1)
Derek Benz , and J. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: Orchard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439795745

Book Description

Max Sumner and his three best friends, Harley, Ernie, and Natalia--who form the secret club The Grey Griffins--seem to be the only people in their very normal Minnesota town to notice that strange things have started to happen. When creatures like goblins and fairies and unicorns, all characters from a card game the Grey Griffins play, begin to make appearances in Max's backyard, Max and his friends know something is terribly wrong. And it's up to them to stop the wicked creatures of the cards from destroying their town-indeed, their world.

Customer Reviews:

an entrancing read from start to finish.......2007-08-19

From the first page I was hooked. I finished this book the day I received it from my younger siblings book fair. It is a great fantasy for all ages!

It starts off with the four friends who call themselves the grey griffins, and they include the billionaire Grayson Maximilian sumner III or max, Natalia romanav, Harley Eisenstein, and ernie tweeny. They all get together and play this game called round table, supposedly invented by King Arthur himself to train his knights (and soon to be a real card game come christmas!), at a shop owned by their grandfatherly-like-figure Iver. When max finds an odd book inside of his grandmother's attic room and says some magic words whispered in his head, the creatures from the round table game are unleashed to wreak havoc. so you have goblins and dragons and fairies and pixies and vampires running around, added to this you have the black witch morgan le fay, a mysterious teacher, a school mate turned blue monster, and an evil shadow king trying to destroy the world, and that is the exact recipe for a fantastic story, over flowing with action, by far one of my favorite books (yes even better than harry potter)!

This Book is Not Good For Young Children.......2007-05-17

My son is having nightmares because of this book. He found this
book in the 1-5 public grade school library and also at the school
book fairs which promotes this book.
It is not appropriate for ages 9-12, in spite of what the author says.
The front cover even give us the willies, and we're adults!
Parents beware what society is presenting to your kids!
"Secret portholes, evil goblins, magical battles, brave knights,
lost jewels, enchanted forests, and the likable heroes running for their lives.
Round Table includes character cards of strange and amazing creatures
like goblins and fairies, ten-sided dice called knucklebones

............"Come on!"........... they are trying keep the horror movie
industry alive by starting with your young kids.

this book is awesome.......2007-05-10

this book is awesome. it has so much suspence i had to eat salad wile reading. by jacob age 10.

The Revenge of the Shadow King.......2007-04-25

In this book, Revenge of the Shadow King, has a card game called Round Table. Max, the main character, has a friend named Heraly. He has a card that shows a monster on it. It said that it could betray you at any moment. The monster could injure you or even kill you. It won't just hurt you it will also hurt the people that are playing with you. Max found a book in his grandma's attic. It was called the Codex. When Max opened the book it unleashed all kinds of monsters. Max realized that the monsters that were coming out, slowly, were the monsters from the Round Table cards. Will Max and his friends be able to stop the monsters or will it be too late? Will the monsters take over the world?
I like this book because it was very interesting on what was going to happen next. At one moment you thought that this or that was going to happen. At the next it was like wow I never thought of that. I would recommend this to people that like monsters and unaccepted twists.

enchanting fantasy.......2007-03-23

this is VERY good book. I finshed it in two days (which is fast for me.)
and no this book does not use over use similes, my opinion is that the more they explain the better you picture the character. but anyway this good fantsy book that for all ages to read over and over again (I know did)

Average customer rating:

14 Year Later, Still A Great Tale
Fantastic Story!
Goblins in the Castle
The Goblins in the Castle
Goblins in the Castle

Goblins in the Castle (Minstrel Book)
Bruce Coville
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0671727117

Book Description

What moans at midnight in Toad-in-a-Cage Castle?

Toad-in-a-Cage Castle was filled with secrets -- secrets such as the hidden passages that led to every room, the long stairway that wound down to the dungeon, and the weird creature named Igor who lived there. But it was the mysterious night noises that bothered William the most -- the strange moans that drifted through the halls of the castle where he was raised.

He wanted to know what caused them.

Then one night he found out....

Customer Reviews:

14 Year Later, Still A Great Tale.......2007-01-31

I first purchased this book when I was seven years old at a school book fair because I was raised by my father on The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings and the cover, title and description looked cool.

I remember vividly being in second grade and being absolutely tantalized by the day or two it took for me to finish it. It was just a wonderful tale of charming adventure that immediately struck the right chord with me. I'm 21 years old now and I still find myself taking time every year or so to pick up the very copy of the book I purchased when I was 7 to re-aquaint myself with the characters and the adventure and the feeling of being so completely absorbed with a story that can't really be captured beyond grammar school levels that the rest of the world doesn't matter.

This book has stood the test of time for me. It served as a fantastical escape when I was a wee lad and can still provide that exact same charm now as I finish college that I don't believe I'll ever be able to find anywhere else.

Stellar book that will do nothing but encourage young people to read; it's something that's really needed today.

Fantastic Story!.......2007-01-10

I read this book to my fourth grade students every year. The storyline is exciting and enjoyable for students of all backgrounds. Bruce Coville writes this novel in a way that keeps the children engaged and always wanting more. Each chapter ends with a "cliffhanger", leading to choruses of "Read more! Read more!" The characters in this story are well-loved by myself, and my current and former students. They are all able to sing Igor's bear bopping song long after the last word is read. This is an absolutely fantastic book~one of Bruce Coville's best!

Goblins in the Castle.......2006-12-20

Goblins In the Castle

What would you do if you found a secret passage in your room that led down to a dungeon filled with evil marauding goblins?

Goblins in the Castle is about a boy who does just that. He opens a door he shouldn't, letting out the spirits of a Goblin army. Now he needs to leave the castle and take down the goblins for good. During his adventure he meets people and asks if they will join in his great adventure to defeat the goblins. Oh, did I mention his best friend is a hunchback who whacks people with his teddy bear?

Goblins in the Castle was written by Bruce Coville and illustrated by Katherine Coville. Bruce has written many books you might know like: "Space Brat" and "My Teacher is An Alien."

The Goblins in the Castle.......2004-11-22

THE GOBLINS IN THE CASTLE

By: Bruce Coville
The book I'm doing this report on is The Goblins in the Castle. It's about a boy named William, a girl named Fuana, and a thing named Igor. In the book William lived in a castle and finds a hidden passage and meets Igor. On Halloween he accidentally let the goblins out of the north tower. Igor said they needed to see Granny Pinch Bottoms. They go and on the way Igor was stolen by goblins and William falls in a pit and meets Fuana, then goes to Granny Pinch Bottom, she gives him items to save the goblin's land. He went and did what she told him and saves goblin land.
I think William is the kind of kid that just wants some attention. He is brave to do what he's told. He's friendly to his friends. He's kind of crazy.
The problem was William opened the north tower door and let the goblins out. Another one is that he doesn't know what to do. The most important one is trying to find the courage to save the goblins.
The solution was the goblins roamed free because William made them good. He finds out what to do from Granny Pinch Bottom. He finds the courage by figuring out what at stake.
I would recommend this book to people that likes a good mystery. I would rate it at a five star book and because it's cool.

Goblins in the Castle.......2004-01-08

This is a great book. I have read it to my 4th and 5th grade students and to my own children and they have all loved it. It has just the right mix of "scary" and funny to keep the reader's (or listener's!) interest. This book is not one of Bruce Coville's best known stories, but once you read it, it WILL be one of your favorites!

Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia

Average customer rating:

Humm. Thought it could have been more positive.
Just what the title indicates
Nearly everything you wanted to know about the Fairy Realm
Great Resource
Excellent source of information on the Wee Folk!

Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins: An Encyclopedia
Carol Rose
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0393317927

Book Description

A fabulously entertaining work with over 100 delightful illustrations--Library Journal calls Spirits, Fairies, Leprechauns, and Goblins its "favorite work of 1996." In more than 2,000 alphabetically arranged entries, readers will meet angels, demons, elves, encantados, fairies, familiars, keremets, nats, nymphs, and many other strange beings from around the world. Carol Rose introduces the reader to the little--and not so little--folk, delightfully various and, at the same time, strikingly similar from country to country. Wherever humans have lived, the supernatural beings have dwelt alongside us. People serve to explain the unexplainable--the strange disappearance of a traveler in a dark wood, that odd thumping in the attic, the fresh cream turned sour overnight. Often they reveal the stoic humor with which human societies have faced their difficulties. But whatever their source, our guilts, fears, dreams, or imaginations, the spirits have fascinated and enchanted us through the millennia. Chosen by Library Journal as a Best Reference Source.

Customer Reviews:

Humm. Thought it could have been more positive........2007-02-07

A smart purchase, indeed. It was a good book if you consider it a compendium of historical mythical accounts. But, I think today's readers want current thinking and experience. I also got Dr. Christian von Lahr's "If You Could Only See .. A Gnome's Story" where he channels modern day communications that correct many of the old myths. Co-author Christopher Valentine adds that special warmth that keeps the subject enchanting. I still consider the Encyclopedia a great reference, but would like to see an update that accounts for the many wonderous New Age encounters. As well, we need more and more books on this subject as the world is beginning to understand that this realm is of a parallel nature and exists for those who can see.

Sue

Just what the title indicates.......2002-09-25

This is an amazingly comprehensive volume cataloguing spirits--supernatural beings less powerful than deities--from cultures around the world.

A book like this is hard to summarize in a review, but it suffices to say that this is a wonderfully broad overview of the subject, covering every culture and every spirit you can think of, with only a little bit of oversimplification. (Durga, for example, is referred to as evil, which is somewhat less than accurate.) Spirits, demons, djinns, faeries, and their kin are all present and accounted for. Use this as a first reference, then make sure to look more deeply into whatever interests you most.

Nearly everything you wanted to know about the Fairy Realm.......2002-06-09

While not as good as the Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, this is a very good resource on fairy lore from cultures around the world. The entries are well written and very comprehensive.

Great Resource.......2001-08-26

It seems Carol Rose went through every culture to collect all the entries. Its very hard, these days, to find good resource materials for mythological beings but this book has it all. No fairy tale aspects, just facts:) Definetly recommended for the fantasy writer or fantasy fanatic.

Excellent source of information on the Wee Folk!.......2001-06-03

This work is thorough and reliable. If you need information on a given spirit it is probably in here.

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