Book Review: Lucinda's Secret by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi (Spiderwick Chronicles #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: A good mix of information and action

Cons: No big ones

The Bottom Line:

Trilogy middle

Gives needed explanations

Moves story forward

Part Exposition, Part Action

Lucinda's Secret is book 3 in the Spiderwick Chronicles.  The series of five books tell one interconnected story about the three Grace children, twins Jared and Simon and older sister Mallory, and what happens to them when they move into a distant relative's house.  It's a serialized story that starts when Jared finds a book that discusses the reality of all those creatures you thought were fantasy.  Having this guide sets them off on a series of wild adventures and build on each other.  As a result, these books really should be read in order to truly understand the fantasy world that is being created here.

This book in the series finds the Grace children dealing with the aftermath of the goblin attack from the previous book.  Thimbletack, the house bogart, is mad at Jared and ruining anything he can.  Mallory is convinced they need to give the guide they've found to the next creature that asks for it so they will be safe.  But Jared thinks that would be even more dangerous.

Then they reach a compromise.  They'll go visit their great aunt Lucinda and see what she knows about the book.  The story she tells might explain why she is in an insane asylum, if the children didn't know better.  Will her story check out?  What should they do with the book?

This book is part exposition and part action.  The first part of the book explains a bit more of the back story concerning the mythology of the series.  We finally find out just who Arthur Spiderwick is and why he wrote the guide in the first place, for example.

The second part finds our three main characters acting on a piece of information they find and getting into serious trouble.  It is an outgrowth of the first part, so it does feel like it fits.  Several plot threads are left dangling to be resolved in the next two books in the series.

With all this going on, the characters aren't especially deep.  I do feel we're really gotten to know the three Grace kids, but that's about it.  The rest of the characters aren't flat, but they aren't given enough material to feel like more than plot devices either.

Of course, when you are talking about a book that is just over 100 pages, includes wonderfully detailed black and white illustrations, and is aimed at elementary school kids, those are minor complaints.  The characters are developed enough to capture the target audience.  And the illustrations will help capture their imagination.

The book would work as a read aloud for younger kids or an early chapter book for those moving beyond their early readers.  One intense scene might worry the easily frightened, but most everyone should enjoy it.

This serialized story is entertaining and highly addictive.  Now that I've finished Lucinda's Secret, I'll be moving on to the next two books soon.