The Spiderwick Chronicles series is now fifteen years old and has just been re-released by Simon and Schuster.  I was lucky enough to be sent the first three titles in their gorgeous new hardback editions.

Book One – The Field Guide

When Mallory, Jared, and Simon Grace move into the dilapidated Spiderwick Mansion, they are less than impressed by its cobwebby interior and strange scuttling sounds in the walls.  However, Mum is insisting that moving her will be a fresh start for them all so they just need to make the best of it.

Things take a turn for the better when the adventurous trio discover a mysterious handmade field guide bundled away in a dusty old chest in the attic.  It is then that they discover the existence of a magical and dangerous parallel world – the world of faerie.  And the faeries and determined to keep their world secret by whatever means possible.

Book Two – The Seeing Stone

After finding a mysterious book tucked away by Arthur Spiderwick, the Grace children’s life has gotten stranger and stranger.

First, Simon’s latest cat, Tibb’s goes missing, then Simon himself disappears! Riddling brownie, Thimbletack, warns Jared that this may be as a result of keeping the field guide but does lead Jared to the lens of stone which he’ll need if he’s to see the goblins seemingly responsible for the kidnap. Mallory is initially sceptical but goes into the Woods with Jared anyway.  Will Mallory be convince that goblins are the kidnappers and will she and Jared be able to rescue Simon before it’s too late?

Book Three – Lucinda’s Secret

The situation at the Spiderwick estate has spiralled out of control. Having survived attacks from goblins and bridge trolls, Jared is now being tormented by the house boggart.

Determined to get to the bottom of the strange goings on in the house, the children persuade mum to take them to visit batty old Aunt Lucinda (who’s house they’re living in) in her care home. When they get there, the Grace children are amazed to discover that Aunt Lucinda is fully aware of the cohort of magical creatures living in her childhood home, The Spiderwick Mansion,  and even more flabbergasted to discover that she has a flutter of sprites living with her in the home. And knows all about the Guide.

Unfortunately, plenty of other magical creatures know about the Guide too and they want it desperately. What lengths are the creatures prepared to go to get the book back from the children? How will the children be able to protect themselves without it?  If only they could work out why the faeries wanted it so badly…

A cracking series packed with adventure, mystery and danger. These are magical creatures with menace who will go to great lengths to protect their kind.  The perfect read for fans of Fantastic Beasts or  Lemony Snickett.

Library Girl.

*Many Thank to the lovely team at Simon and Schuster for sending me these books to review*