A Curriculum Guide to

ABOUT THE BOOKS

When Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace moved into their great-great-uncle Arthur Spiderwick’s
estate, they had no idea what awaited them. But once Jared finds Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide
to the Fantastical World Around You, he discovers a world of trolls, goblins, and sprites. And
after meeting their house brownie, Thimbletack, Jared learns that his family is in danger from the
fantastical world around them. In the new series, Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, the Spiderwick
Chronicles leave the old fashioned charm of New England behind and head south to embark on a
whole new journey with Nick and Laurie as they continue the fight against fiendish fairies in the
hot Florida sun.

ABOUT THE CREATORS

Tony DiTerlizzi is the author and illustrator of Jimmy Zangwow’s Out-of-This World
Moon-Pie Adventure as well as the Zena Sutherland Award-winning and the Young
Hoosier Book Award-winning Ted. In 2003 his brilliantly cinematic version of Mary
Howitt’s classic, The Spider and the Fly, received three starred reviews, earned Tony
his second Zena Sutherland Award, and was honored as a Caldecott Honor Book.
His most recent picture book masterpiece is G Is for One Gzonk! In addition, Tony is
the illustrator of Tony Johnston’s Alien and Possum series. He and his wife, Angela, and their
daughter reside in Amherst, Massachusetts. Visit Tony at www.diterlizzi.com.

Holly Black spent her early years in a decaying Victorian mansion, where her
mother fed her a steady diet of ghost stories and books about faeries. Her first
PHOTO © 2005 BY THEO BLACK

young adult book, Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale, was an ALA Top Ten Book for Teens,
received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews, and has been trans-
lated into twelve languages. Her second teen novel, Valiant, was an ALA Best Book
for Young Adults, a Locus Magazine Recommended Read, and a recipient of the
Andre Norton Award from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Her third YA novel,
Ironside, was a New York Times Bestseller. An avid collector of rare folklore volumes, spooky dolls, and
outrageous hats, she lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. Visit Holly at www.blackholly.com.
 Activity suggestions for using
The Spiderwick Chronicles books in the classroom and libraries*

1. After reading all The Spiderwick Chronicles, discuss with your students whether or not
the characters in The Spiderwick Chronicles grow and mature throughout the series or
remain stagnant.
2. As a class, identify the themes in The Spiderwick Chronicles and then find evidence in
the story to support the themes.
3. While reading The Spiderwick Chronicles, notice adjectives. Have students look up the
definitions of unfamiliar words to ensure the proper understanding of the material.
4. In The Ironwood Tree and The Wrath of Mulgarath, note how the author uses words to create imagery.
5. Have students write a diary page using the point of view (perspective) of one of the main
characters such as Jared, Simon, or Mallory.
6. Have the students write a ballad to commemorate Hogsqueal’s victory over Mulgarath.
Have the students perform the ballad for other students.
7. Imagine you have found a sprite. Using information found in The Care and Feeding of Sprites
ask students to write a persuasive letter to their parents on why they should be able to keep the sprite as a pet.
Ask them to present the argument to the class.
8. As a class, research the difference between a sprite and an insect. Use The Care and Feeding of Sprites for the
information on sprites and use a non-fiction book on insects.
9. Suggest to the students that the classroom or library is going to have a sprite for a pet. Research, using The
Care and Feeding of Sprites which sprite would be appropriate for the school or library. Determine what type of
housing, food, clothing and accessories will be needed. Exchange information with the class and discuss how
the class will take care of the sprite.
10. Instruct your students to pretend they are a parent and write a persuasive argument on why their child should
not own a dragon. Refer to Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide for reasons on why one should not own a dragon.
11. Together as a class, compare and contrast Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to a field guide found in the non-
fiction section of the library, perhaps one on insects or flowers.
12. Have the class make a faerie house using only natural materials. Write
a descriptive narrative on how the house was built, including where it
was built, what materials were used, the appearance of the house after
it was built and if anything was used to attract faeries to the house.
Revise the writing after it has been critiqued.
13. Discuss with the students the concept of shape changing. Ask the stu-
dents if they could change into another form, what that form would be.
Have the students write a paper describing how their bodies would
change shape using as many descriptive words as possible.
14. Divide the students into pairs. Identify rhyming words in
Thimbletack’s speech. Use phrases to identify beat. Have the students
try to carry on a conversation pretending they are Thimbletack and
can only speak in rhymes.
15. In Lucinda’s Secret and The Wrath of Mulgarath it is noticed that the
phooka only spoke in riddles. Have the students visit the library and
investigate the 818 section of the non-fiction section of the library to
learn more about riddles. Try expressing oneself in a riddle.
16. Using multimedia resources, have the students write a news report concerning the unusual events happening
around the Spiderwick estate and then video the report. Students could interview different members of the
Spiderwick family. Example stories could be about contaminated water with a burning sensation when drunk
(dragons), unexplained sightings of large birds (griffins), sudden disappearances of dogs and cats (goblins).
17. Discuss Mrs. Grace’s point of view concerning Jared’s odd behavior. Is she right to be worried about
Jared? What could she do differently to help Jared? Have the students role play a conversation between
Jared and Mrs. Grace.
18. Have the students imagine a new fantastical creature. Many helpful writing suggestions are included
in Notebook for Fantastical Observations. Give the students a small piece of paper, the size of a trading card.
Have them draw a picture on one side of the paper. On the reverse side have the students write descriptive
information about the creature. In the Notebook of Fantastical Observations there are examples of how trading
cards are made. Have a contest to see which ones are the best. Make copies of the best ones as if they were
trading cards. Give them out as rewards for good work and allow the students to trade them as if they are
trading cards. Visit www.International-Sprite-League.com web site to see trading cards for inspiration.
19. During dental month, (February), discuss the problems goblins have because they have no teeth and their
need to improvise new teeth. Refer to the Notebook for Fantastical Observations for a chart to help document
the students’ ideas.
20. The Nixie’s Song introduces new characters to The Spiderwick Chronicles. As a class, compare and contrast
Jared, Simon, and Mallory to Nick, Laurie, and Jules.
21. Discuss with your students how Jared deals with his anger versus how Nick handles his anger.
22. In The Nixie’s Song it is noted that Taloa is amphibious. Using Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide have students com-
pare and contrast a nixie to other amphibious creatures. Go to the library for non-fiction books on amphibians.
23. Ask students to do a characterization of Mallory, Simon and Jared. Revise and rewrite the composition.
24. Have students rewrite Jared, Mallory, and Simon’s excuse for getting home late using these details:
• Mallory is wet
• Simon is scratched and his clothes are in tatters
• Jared has grass stains and scraped elbows

Ask students to revise and rewrite the composition and present

it to the class.

25. Compare and contrast a hobgoblin and a goblin using a chart to

help the students understand and analyze the material.
26. Choose an excerpt from any one of the stories and have the chil-
dren perform readings using clear diction and voice quality.
27. Have students write a letter to their favorite character in the
books.
28. Go to www.Spiderwick.com to access ideas and information
about all things Spiderwick. Discuss fantasies as a particular
genre and compare to other genres. Discuss realism versus fan-
tasy citing incidents from the Spiderwick Chronicles. Compose
a fantasy of your own using a character or characters from the
Spiderwick Chronicles.

All suggestions for using The Spiderwick Chronicles in schools and libraries fall within the guidelines of the IRA/NCTE National Standards.

Visit www.spiderwick.com for additional activity suggestions.

 Note to Teachers & Librarians: Use the following questions to host a Spiderwick
Fiendish Faerie Fun! trivia game in your classroom or library. No faerie game is without risks, so as a
safety precaution, have your students wear red!

Trivia Questions Book One: The Field Guide

1. What style house did Great-aunt Lucinda live in?
2. Great-Aunt Lucinda says that someone brings her food, which tastes better than anything
the doctors had ever tasted. Who brings the food?
3. Originally, how did Jeffery and Lemondrop become Simon’s pets?
4. When Simon and Mallory pulled out the nest from the wall, Simon noticed something was
missing. What was it?
5. What method does Jared use to get up into Arthur Spiderwick’s library?
6. Arthur Spiderwick drew a sketch of a boggart with a notation that it had stolen something of his. What did
it steal?
7. Name one of the words that were printed on slips of paper that were found in the nest in the wall.
8. How did Arthur Spiderwick get into his secret library?
Answers to Trivia Questions Book One: The Field Guide
no droppings. 5. A dumb waiter. 6. His Spectacles. 7. Luminous or Soliloquy. 8. Through the upstairs linen closet.
1. Victorian. 2. Little men, also known as sprites. 3. He found them in a trap in Mrs. Levette’s downstairs apartment in New York. 4. There were

Trivia Questions Book Two: The Seeing Stone

1. What has Jared secretly been practicing?
2. Who predicted there would soon be trouble because of a “fell smell in the air?”
3. Besides the Seeing Stone, what other methods allow one to have the Sight?
4. When did Arthur Spiderwick’s brother, Theodore, disappear? How did Jared find out?
5. What keeps the river troll from capturing Jared and Mallory when they go searching
for Simon?
6. What did Jared and Mallory find in the grass that belonged to Simon?
7. The cage Simon was found in was lined with __________.
8. How many goblins did the river troll gobble up?
a. three b. five c. ten
9. How long does hobgoblin spit allow one to have the Sight?
10. How did Thimbletack punish Jared for grabbing the Seeing Stone?
Answers to Trivia Questions Book Two, The Seeing Stone
the mattress apart.
burns trolls. 6. A Single brown shoe. 7. Thorns. 8. C. 10 fat goblins. 9. “Until someone pokes out your eyes”. 10. He ripped Jared’s sheets to shreds and tore
1. Drawing. 2. Thimbletack. 3. a. Red Hair; b. Being the 7th son of a 7th son; c. Faerie bathwater. 4. 1885. From an old Pennsylvania newspaper article. 5. Sunlight

Trivia Questions Book Three: Lucinda’s Secret

1. What did Arthur Spiderwick do for a living?
2. Besides talking in riddles, what special talent do phookas have?
3. While phookas talk in riddles, Thimbletack talks in _________.
4. What did the phooka mean when he said, “If grass can move, a boy could find himself
rooted in place.”
5. Why wasn’t Jared tricked by the stray sod?

Answers to Trivia Questions Book Three, Lucinda’s Secret

ing his shirt inside out.
1. He illustrated advertisements. 2. They can shift shapes. 3. Rhymes. 4. The elves would capture them and turn them into trees for eternity. 5. He was wear-
Trivia Questions Book Four: The Ironwood Tree
1. What is the term used to describe fungi that give off a dim bluish glow?
2. How did Jared protect himself against Not-Jared?
3. As Jared and Simon are being transported via cage from chamber to chamber, Jared
thought he saw something on the wall move. What was it?
4. Dwarves are noted as great craftsmen. What material do they use which would hurt
fairies?
5. Knockers have the ability to understand __________.
6. What does the knocker give to Jared and why?
7. When fencing, why did Jared think it was unrealistic to count only hits to the chest?
8. Who does Mallory have a crush on?
9. When Jared and Simon search for Mallory after the fencing match they find her fencing medal and an
engraved stone with the word _______.
10. Who lives in the quarry?
11. Who unscrambles the words: MITES OPEL THREE TOCK KON and what does it mean?
12. What plans do the dwarves have once Mulgarath gains control of the world?
13. What trick did the dwarves play on Jared?
14. Where did Simon and Jared hide when the dwarves thought they had escaped?
15. Simon plays ________ with the mechanical dogs.
16. Who is Not-Jared?
Answers to Trivia Questions Book Four, The Ironwood Tree
sister’s freedom but not for Jared and Simon’s freedom. 14. On top of the cage. 15. Fetch 16. Mulgarath
three times to open. 12. They plan to build glorious new forests of ironwood trees and rebuild the world in silver, copper and iron. 13. Jared bargained for his
stonewantstotravelwithyou”. 7. Because getting hit in the leg hurts plenty. 8. Chris, the captain of the fencing team. 9. Trade. 10. Dwarves. 11. Simon: Knock
1. Bioluminescence. 2. He used a pocketknife. 3. One of the carving’s arm moves. 4. Iron. 5. Stones. 6. He gives Jared a cold stone because, “the-

Trivia Questions Book Five: The Wrath of Mulgarath

1. What happened to the books in Arthur Spiderwick’s library?
2. Who did Hogsqueal save from the goblins?
3. What trick did Thimbletack use to capture Hogsqueal?
4. How was Arthur Spiderwick able to come out of the woods to speak to Jared if he was
not allowed to touch the ground?
5. What flaws do ogres have that Jared was able to use to his advantage against Mulgarath?
6. While waiting to be taken to Mulgarath, Jared and Mallory watched a goblin toss some-
thing into a fire. What was it?
7. Another word for a baby dragon is ___________.
8. What color are Richard Grace’s eyes?
9. What shape does Mulgarath shift into that leads him to his doom?
10. How does Jared know when to take Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to
the faeries?
11. Who accompanies Jared when he takes the Field Guide to the faeries?

Answers to Trivia Questions Book Five, The Wrath of Mulgarath

greenish brown leaf blows into the Grace’s house with note saying it is time. 11. Mallory, Simon, Helen Grace, great-aunt Lucinda, Thimbletack and Hogsqueal.
around him and dropped in a carpet in front of him.” 5. Ogres are vain and prone to bragging. 6. A baby dragon. 7. Dragonet. 8. Hazel. 9. A swallow. 10. A
1. The books had been ripped free of their bindings and scattered. 2. Simon’s pet kitty. 3. He used yarn that magically tied Hogsqueal up. 4. “Leaves swept
Trivia Questions for: Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide to
the Fantastical World Around You
1. At night these creatures give off a faint glow which can be confused with fireflies.
2. How many rows of teeth do manticores have?
3. A cock-a-trice is also known as a ____________.
4. What happens when one looks into a cock-a-trice’s eyes?
5. Name four other talents Leprechauns have besides making shoes.
6. Why are trolls nocturnal?
7. When was the last recorded dragon slaying and by whom?
8. The offspring of a horse and a griffin is a ______________.
Answers to Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide Trivia Questions
instantly into stone. 7. In the 8th century by Sir Garrot. 8. Hippogriff.
1. Sprites. 2. Three. 3. Basilisk. 4. It will turn into stone. 5. They tailor clothes, build homes, fashion tools and forge horseshoes. 6. Sunlight will turn them

Trivia Questions For: The Notebook for Fantastical

Observations
1. What did Kelly L. give her brownie, Skifflewhim, to eat that made him so mad he turned
into a boggart?
2. After Ross captured a lizard, why did he drop it?
3. When Eric N. went to Soltieg the dwarf’s house, what games did they play?
4. Why couldn’t Eric ever return to Solteig the dwarf’s house?
5. What fantastical creature is most likely to warn you of a gas leak?
6. When Steven was trying to earn his Order of the Arrow badge, he witnessed an ogre changing shapes.
What shapes did the ogre morph into?
Answers to Notebook Trivia Questions
and a card game with cards etched in gold. 4. He stole a golden ball. 5. A Knocker. 6. He first morphed into a bear shape then shape shifted into a stag.
1. Kitty Litter. 2. It was a dragon and it had bitten Ross injecting poison into him. 3. They played a dice game with rubies, a board game with glass figurines

Trivia Questions For: Care and Feeding of Sprites

1. Which sprite of all the sprite species is considered the most aggressive and clever?
2. Name 3 creatures often mistaken for sprites.
3. What species of sprites carry their food on their heads?
4. When trooping faeries get together, what kind of behavior should warn you of impending
trouble and why?
5. When a sprite is exhibited in a show, what qualities are the judges looking for?
6. Why should you not use perfume or scented soaps on your sprite?
Answers to Care and Feeding of Sprites Trivia Questions
tricks and over all appearance. 6. Sprites are severely allergic to most chemicals.
1. Hominid or human like. 2. Goblins, pixies and will-o-wisps. 3. Fruit Sprites. 4. They are quiet. They are usually planning some tricks. 5. Smart outfits,

Trivia Questions For Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles

Book One: The Nixie’s Song
1. What word did Nick spell with his alphabet soup?
2. The first time Nick was able to see faeries it was because a) he had red hair b) Hogsqueal
spit in his eyes c) he had a four leaf clover.
3. Later, what other method did Nick use to get the Sight?
4. As Nick escorts Laurie around their neighborhood, Laurie stops to go wading to look for
evidence of faeries. What evidence is she looking for?
5. What did the giant think salamanders were and why did he want to eat them?
6. What is Jared and Simon Grace’s real last name?
7. How often do giants wake up?
8. How did Nick and Laurie transport the nixie back to the pond?
9. Who is able to soothe the angry giant and how?
10. Why was Nick’s father’s new car filled with sand?
11. Laurie hates her name and wishes her name was a) Gweneth b) Lauranathana c) Evelyn
12. How did Nick prove to Jared Grace that he had the Sight?
Answers to The Nixie’s Song Trivia Questions
singing. 10. Nick had refused to help look for Taloa’s sisters. 11. b) Lauranathana 12. Nick told Jared he wished he could forget he ever knew about faeries.
there or reed pipes made by nixies. 5. Baby dragons, which would allow him to breathe fire. 6. Finnelly. 7. Every 500 years. 8. A wheelbarrow. 9. Taloa by
1. LAME. 2. c) He had a 4 leaf clover. 3. Taloa submerged Nick in water she had been soaking in to gain the Sight. 4. Hoof prints to indicate a kelpie lives

Major Motion Picture Coming to Theaters February 2008!

Copyright © 2007 by PARAMOUNT PICTURES.

All Rights Reserved.

THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES: THE MOTION PICTURE*

Read it before you see it!
You’ve read the books and now you are going to view the movie. STOP! WAIT!
Before watching the movie, do a simple drawing of a main character in the books. Describe in your own words
how you envision the character to look and act from the images and descriptive words in the book.
Now that you have seen the movie:
• Look at your drawing and reread your written description of the character you chose. Did the character in
the movie look and act the way you thought it would?
• Using a Venn Diagram compare and contrast The Spiderwick Chronicles books to The Spiderwick Chronicles movie.
• Choose a main event from one of the books. Retell the events of the story in sequence. Compare the same
event in the movie. Was the sequence of events the same in both the book and movie?
• Were there events missing? If there were missing events what were they?
• Did they add events in the movie that are not in the book? If they did what were they?
• Write a characterization of a character from one of the books. Use evidence from the book to prove your point.
• Write a characterization of the same character from the movie. Use evidence from the movie to prove your
point of view.
• There are visual effects in The Spiderwick Chronicles movie. Were the characters created by visual effects
made to look realistic? Defend your opinion with evidence from the movie. Did the actors portray their
characters realistically?
• What was your favorite part of the movie? Defend your opinion with evidence from the movie. Was it the
same part that you enjoyed in the books?

All activity suggestions for using The Spiderwick Chronicles in schools and libraries fall within the guidelines of the IRA/NCTE
National Standards.
http://www.ncte.org/about/over/standards/110846.htm
 Visit www.Spiderwick.com for a complete list of movie tie-in titles

Book #1: Book #2: Book #3: Book #4: Book #5: The Spiderwick Chronicles
The Field Guide The Seeing Stone Lucinda’s Secret The Ironwood Tree The Wrath of Mulgarath Box Set
ISBN-13: 978-0-689-85936-6 ISBN-13: 978-0-689-85937-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-689-85938-0 ISBN-13: 978-0-689-85939-7 ISBN-13: 978-0-689-85940-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-689-04034-4
ISBN-10: 0-689-85936-8 ISBN-10: 0-689-85937-6 ISBN-10: 0-689-85938-4 ISBN-10: 0-689-85939-2 ISBN-10: 0-689-85940-6 ISBN-10: 0-689-04034-2

A Brand New Cycle has begun!

Notebook for Fantastical Care and Feeding of Sprites Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide
Observations ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-2757-0 to the Fantastical World Around You
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-0345-1 ISBN-10: 1-4169-2757-3 ISBN-13: 978-0-689-85941-0
ISBN-10: 1-4169-0345-3 ISBN-10: 0-689-85941-4 NEW!

NEW!
Book #1: The Nixie’s Song
ISBN-13: 978-0-689-87131-3
ISBN-10: 0-689-87131-7

NEW!

Deluxe Collector’s Trunk

The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, The Chronicles of Spiderwick
Lucinda’s Secret, The Ironwood Tree, A Grand Tour of the Enchanted
The Wrath of Mulgarath, Notebook for World, Navigated by Thimbletack
Fantastical Observations By Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
By Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black • Illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-5038-7
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-5015-8 • ISBN-10: 1-4169-5015-X ISBN-10: 1-4169-5038-9

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing • www.SimonSaysTEACH.com

www.Spiderwick.com • www.International-Sprite -League.com
This guide has been provided by Simon & Schuster for classroom, library, and reading group use. It may be reproduced in its entirety or excerpted for these purposes.
Poster ISBN: 1-4169-5266-7 Guide prepared by Spiderwick enthusiast Lynn Dobson, librarian at East Brookfield Elementary School, East Brookfield, MA.