New to Spiderwick
Begin with The Field Guide and read through The Wrath of Mulgarath. Those five short books form a complete first adventure.
Book Series · 8 Books
The Spiderwick Chronicles Books
In order from The Field Guide to The Wyrm King.
Three siblings discover that the strange creatures in an old field guide are real—and living dangerously close to home. The short, illustrated adventures combine family mystery, hidden faeries, and fast-moving peril for newly confident chapter-book readers.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read the Spiderwick Chronicles
Follow the publisher's current numbering from The Field Guide through The Wyrm King. Books #1–5 tell the Grace siblings' original story. Books #6–8 continue the same hidden-faerie world with Nick and Laurie in Florida; these three were once promoted as Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles but are now numbered #6–8 on the publisher's maintained list.
The field guides, sprite guide, and observation notebook add creature lore or activities but are not required reading. A child can save them until after The Wrath of Mulgarath, when the first five-book adventure is complete and the people and creatures in the guides will be familiar.
Sources: Simon & Schuster's current eight-book order, Simon & Schuster's first-book guide.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
These are short books, but the faerie world can be genuinely threatening. Children are chased, kidnapped, tricked, and attacked by goblins, trolls, ogres, and other creatures. There are weapons, injuries, frightening transformations, and sustained danger, illustrated in black and white without graphic gore.
The opening books also begin with a family under strain after the children's father leaves. Jared's anger and the adults' difficulty believing him are important parts of the story. The siblings argue, but cooperation and trust become their strongest protection.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
The numbered story has a natural five-book stopping point before the cast and setting change.
Finished the Grace siblings' story
Continue with The Nixie's Song, book #6. It introduces Nick and Laurie in Florida while reconnecting their discoveries to the original adventure.
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$858
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 6–10 · 2003
The Field Guide
By Holly Black, Tony DiTerlizzi (Author/Illustrator)
A family moves into a new home and discovers a mysterious presence in the walls.
144 pages· 9,962 words· Est. 2 hour read
$8.99Save 5%
Paperback
Summary: In a creaky old mansion, the Grace siblings—Jared, Simon, and Mallory—uncover a mysterious field guide that unveils a hidden faerie realm. As they delve deeper, they realize this magical world is fraught with danger. The faeries, determined to keep their existence secret, will stop at nothing to silence the children. With their lives intertwined with the secrets of the faerie world, the Grace children must navigate this perilous adventure. Will they manage to share their incredible story, or will the faeries succeed in keeping their world hidden forever?
In reading order
The Spiderwick Chronicles Series
8 books · Published 2003–2009
#1
Sale price
$858
The Field Guide
Chapter Book · Ages 6–10 · 2003
A family moves into a new home and discovers a mysterious presence in the walls.
#2
Sale price
$858
The Seeing Stone
Chapter Book · Ages 6–10 · 2003
A group of siblings discover a magical world of fairies and other creatures while staying in a dilapidated old house
#3
Sale price
$858
Lucinda's Secret
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2003
A group of siblings discover a magical world of fairies and other creatures living in secret all around them.
#4
Sale price
$858
The Ironwood Tree
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2004
Goblins and elves target the Grace kids for a mysterious guide. Can they uncover the truth before it's too late?
#5
Sale price
$858
The Wrath of Mulgarath
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2004
The Grace kids must rescue their mother and defeat a goblin army.
#6
Sale price
$858
The Nixie's Song
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2007
A boy and his siblings must stop rampaging giants before Florida is destroyed.
#7
Sale price
$858
A Giant Problem
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2008
Giants awaken, threatening Florida. Can siblings stop the chaos?
#8
Sale price
$858
The Wyrm King
Chapter Book · Ages 7–12 · 2009
Giants gone, but a dragon threatens Florida. Can kids save the day?
Optional creature lore and activities
Spiderwick Field Guides and Extras
4 books · Published 2004–2008
Illustrated reference books, an observation notebook, and a short licensed story that expand the world without continuing the eight-book sequence.
Sale price
$2374
Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2004
Discover a hidden world of legendary creatures and secrets in a mysterious tome that could change everything.
Sale price
$1899
Notebook for Fantastical Observations
Chapter Book · Ages 7–11 · 2005
Discover hidden faerie realms and embark on your own magical adventures.
Sale price
$2089
Care and Feeding of Sprites
Picture Book · Ages 7–12 · 2006
Sprites aren't as sweet as they seem. Discover their true nature.
Sale price
$379
Thimbletack's Mission
Chapter Book · Ages 7–7 · 2008
A house brownie must protect a mysterious book from a curious boy.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Spiderwick Chronicles series?
There are 8 books in the Spiderwick Chronicles series. It began with The Field Guide in 2003, and the newest book, The Wyrm King, was published in 2009.
What order should you read the Spiderwick Chronicles books in?
Start with The Field Guide and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #8.
What ages are the Spiderwick Chronicles books best for?
The series is best for ages 6–12, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
Which Spiderwick Chronicles book is the longest?
The Wyrm King (Book #8) is the longest book in the series at 20,747 words (240 pages).
Which Spiderwick Chronicles book is the shortest?
The Seeing Stone (Book #2) is the shortest at 9,199 words (144 pages).
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring The Spiderwick Chronicles to life.
Keep exploring
Similar Series
Magic on the Map
Ages 7–9
Hamster Princess
Ages 7–11
My Father's Dragon
Ages 7–11
The Secret Rescuers
Ages 7–10
The Real Slam Dunk
Ages 7–10
Geronimo Stilton: Micekings
Ages 7–10
Harper
Ages 7–9
Rainbow Magic: The School Day Fairies
Ages 7–10