Thursday, February 21, 2008

Thursday Book Report: The Spiderwick Chronicles: Book 1



Yes, a young adult book. And yes, I did read The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1: The Field Guide to Willow, but I am counting it anyway as it fits my parameters of my 2008 challenge.

Andrew and I first saw the preview for the Spiderwick Chronicles movie back in December when we saw The Golden Compass and both of us were intrigued by it as we are always looking for movies for Willow. However, we both thought that this movie might be a little scary for her. My solution? I told her we would read the book together and if she wasn't scared by the book we would go see the movie.

Well, it took us all of three days to read the book aloud. And we went out and got the second book today.

We loved it! I loved that there was the odd illustration to puncuate part of the story. I loved how the kids seemed real - squabbling, a little messed up by their parents' divorce, and wanting to help each other and hide things from their mother. The three Grace children - thirteen year old Mallory and her twin nine-year old brothers Jared and Simon have moved with their mother to their great-aunt's delapidated Victorian house after their parents' divorce. They all seemed to have been traumatized by the event and have manifested this in different ways. From the moment they step into the house, something seems odd and the three of them set out to find out what is going on and stumble onto something they could not have imagined before.

We can't wait to get started on book number two! And incidentally, as an adult, from the moment I read on page 1 that Jared imagined his sister Mallory would grow up to be "either...an Olympic fencer or in jail for stabbing someone with a sword" had me laughing out loud and I knew it would be a book that Willow and I would enjoy on separate but equally enjoyable levels. We heartily recommend this book - and it is well-suited to reading aloud.

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And just for those of you who thought I was getting just a bit too proficient in my cat-pic-taking, may I present the fastest cat in the East?



Can't let me get too cocky here.

7 comments:

Lauren said...

Some of the best books out there are for children or young adults.

Kitty go flashy fast!

Anonymous said...

Youe dad and I also want to go see that movie - or maybe show it here in HB on the big screen when it comes out in video....
Love & Hugs

Suzanne said...

What's with all the kitty pictures all of a sudden? Did I miss a memo or a meme or something?

Jo said...

Suzanne,

I am putting up a pic of Lucky each day for Lent.

LizzieK8 said...

Two of my adult children and I read the Spiderwick books in a couple of days. We thought they were wonderful and thought the movie equally wonderful. Special effects were really, really good!

A good story is a good story no matter what age it is marketed for!

Anonymous said...

I love these books. I read them as they were coming out and just couldn't wait for each one. I hope the movie is just as good.

Anonymous said...

I found the books while I was pregnant and bought them all for future reading a-loud. They are great though. I'm such a whimp though, I had a nightmare LOL