The Spiderwick Chronicles, Parts I and II
By Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

Reviewed by Lawrence D. P. Miller

Holly Black and collaborator/illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi introduce a welcome departure from the recent pure wish-fulfillment model of children's literature with their Spiderwick Chronicles. Each of these first two volumes contains a stand-alone story about 100 pages in length, and both are ably illustrated.

The first volume introduces our main characters without any surprises; a trio of children and their mother move "temporarily" into the dusty old home of their dusty old matriarch. The familiarity of the premise is comforting rather than boring, and new readers unfamiliar with the typical setups will likely be intrigued. As the story unfolds, an increasingly dispirited group of kids finds mystery and adventure within the confines of the old house, including a rather cleverly written discovery of a secret room. The kids are then faced with the challenge of making peace with their new surroundings, and in doing so, unsurprisingly find peace within themselves. The second volume continues exactly where the first left off, with a new puzzle to be solved, and a new character to participate.

The main characters act decisively, if not always wisely, and no grown-up ever has to explain to them what's going on. They are deeply compelling, which is a bit surprising for a book of this length and reading level. While the typical kids' wish fulfillment is greatly downplayed, readers will find plenty of reasons to champion the heroes; one of the boys, for example, is constantly blamed for things he really didn't do, honest.

The vocabulary level increases noticeably from the first to the second book, as does the "spookiness" of the subject matter. Volume one poses one major question, and after it is solved, the book simply ends. Pick up volume two for a new problem to solve and its inevitable solution. Older readers used to books in which characters unravel a mystery by digging through the layers, such as the Harry Potter or Prydain books, might therefore find them unchallenging and perhaps a little boring. Neither of the Spiderwick Chronicles contains any content particularly inappropriate for young readers, though there are some scary parts.

The Field Guide Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi Simon & Schuster ISBN: 0-689859-36-8 Paperback, 128 pages May 2003 List Price: $10.95

The Seeing Stone Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi Simon & Schuster ISBN: 0-689859-37-6 Paperback, 128 pages May 2003 List Price: $10.95