Lucinda's Secret: AND The Ironwood Tree [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

The Grace kids--13-year-old Mallory and 9-year-old twins Jared and Simon--get to catch their breath in the third installment of the Spiderwick Chronicles, as they visit their "crazy old" Aunt Lucinda for some help in deciding the fate of the troublesome Field Guide

Fresh from near-fatal goblin and troll attacks in the previous book (The Seeing Stone, the children are torn over whether to hang onto their long-lost great-great-uncle's book or to turn it over to the menacing faeries. Thimbletack--the house brownie who's transmogrified into an angry "boggart"--has lost his patience with the kids, and he starts subjecting Jared to increasingly nasty pranks. Hoping that Lucinda might know something about Uncle Arthur's fate (or at least have some advice on how to fend off the faeries), the three children talk their mom into a trip to the asylum for a visit--but there they learn their situation might be even more dangerous than they imagined. (And, as readers of the series know, the kids already thought they were in hot water.)

Holly Black doesn't dish up the action quite as fast as she did in the first two books, but Spiderwick fans won't be disappointed: We learn more Spiderwick family history, we get an ominous glimpse of events to come, and Tony DiTerlizzi introduces a few new faeries to the menagerie in his ever-evocative pen and ink--including a special treat, the Cheshire-esque phooka. ("You've lost your uncle! How careless.") Ages 6 to 10) --Paul Hughes --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Grade 3-6-Simon, Mallory, and Jared Grace know that faeries are real-and that they aren't always the charming creatures portrayed in popular fairy tales. Ever since they discovered Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, the Grace family has been surrounded by magical beings with decidedly hostile attitudes. They have a wounded griffin convalescing in the carriage house, a spiteful house boggart playing malicious tricks, and even weirder oddities lurking around practically every corner. Hoping to learn more about the book and its long-vanished author, the kids decide to consult their Great-Aunt Lucy, Arthur's daughter. She has been hospitalized ever since she was attacked by faerie beings who suspected that she knew where her father's book was hidden. She warns that the family will be in grave danger if they remain at Spiderwick Estate. When the siblings find an old map that leads into the elves' secret forest, their aunt's grim prediction seems all too plausible. The story ends with a cliff-hanger, to be continued in book four. There is some background exposition, but familiarity with the plot and character relationships from the earlier volumes is assumed. The black-and-white Arthur Rackhamesque illustrations add a satisfyingly eerie note to this mock-gothic tale, which will be best appreciated by readers who have followed the "Spiderwick Chronicles" from the beginning.
Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

"With their evocative gothic-style pencil drawings and color illustrations, rhyming riddles, supernatural lore, and well-drawn characters, these books read like old-fashioned ripping yarns."

-- New York Times Book Review

"The books wallow in their dusty Olde Worlde charm: Faeries! Dumbwaiters! Attics! But then, reading has an old-fashioned charm too."

-- Time magazine

"Appealing characters, well-measured suspense and an inviting package will lure readers...Youngsters may well find themselves glancing over their shoulders."

-- Publishers Weekly, starred review --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Beware, the faeries will use all their power to stop you from reading these books! In "Lucinda's Secret", things at the Grace residence are getting completely out of hand. As if being attacked by goblins and almost eaten by a bridge troll wasn't enough, now the house boggart, Thimbletack, is out to get Jared. Simon has a very hungry griffon recuperating in the carriage house, and Mallory is convinced that the only way to stop the madness is to get rid of the Guide...In "The Ironwood Tree", first a pack of vile, smelly goblins snatch Simon. Then a band of elves try to entrap Jared. Why is the entire faerie world so eager to get their hands on Spiderwick's Guide? And will the Grace children be left alone, now that the Guide has mysteriously disappeared? Don't count on it! This title has been written by Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black, and read by Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars").

Holly Black is the bestselling author of the Spiderwick series. Her first 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 translated 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 teen novel, Ironside, the sequel to Tithe, was a New York Times bestseller. Her new novel, White Cat, is coming Summer 2010. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. Visit Holly at www.blackholly.com.

Tony DiTerlizzi is co-creator and illustrator of the bestselling Spiderwick Chronicles, the author and illustrator of Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-this-World MoonPie Adventure, as well as the Zena Sutherland Award winning Ted. His brilliantly cinematic version of Mary Howitt's classic The Spider and The Fly earned Tony his second Zena Sutherland Award, and recieved a Caldecott Honor. Tony's art has also graced the covers of such well-known fantasy writers as Peter S. Beagle, J. R. R. Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, and Greg Bear. He has also made significant contributions to Dungeons and Dragons and Wizards of the Coast's Magic; The Gathering. His first chapter book, Kenny & the Dragon debuted as a New York Times Best Seller. He lives with his wife, Angela and their daughter in Western Massachusetts and Jupiter, FL. Visit Tony on the web at diterlizzi.com. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Chapter One: IN WHICH Many Things Are Turned Inside Out

Jared Grace took out a red shirt, turned it inside out, and put it on backward. He tried to do the same with his jeans, but that was beyond him. Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You lay atop his pillow, open to a page on protective devices. Jared had consulted the book carefully, not sure any of it would help much.

Since the morning after the Grace kids had returned with the griffin, Thimbletack had been out to get Jared. Every so often he could hear the little brownie in the wall. At other times Jared thought he saw him out of the corner of his eye. Mostly, though, Jared just wound up the victim of some new prank. So far his eyelashes had been cut, his shoes had been filled with mud, and something had urinated on his pillow. Mom blamed Simon's new kitten for the last, but Jared knew better.

Mallory was completely unsympathetic. "Now you know how it feels," she kept saying. Only Simon seemed at all concerned. And he practically had to be. If Jared hadn't forced Thimbletack to give up the seeing stone, Simon might have been roasted over a spit in a goblin camp.

Jared tied the laces of his muddy shoe over an inside-out sock. He wished that he could find a way to apologize to Thimbletack. He'd tried to give back the stone, but the brownie hadn't wanted it. The thing was, he knew that if everything were to happen all over again, he would do exactly what he had done. Just thinking about Simon being held by goblins -- while Thimbletack stood around talking in riddles -- made Jared angry enough to almost break his laces with the force of the knot.

"Jared," Mallory called from downstairs. "Jared, come here a minute."

He stood up, tucking the Guide under his arm, and took a step toward the stairs. He fell immediately, hitting his hand and knee against the hardwood floor. Somehow Jared's shoelaces had been tied together.

Downstairs Mallory was standing in the kitchen, holding a glass up to the window so that the water caught the sunlight and cast a rainbow on the wall. Simon sat next to her. Both of Jared's siblings seemed transfixed.

"What?" Jared said. He was feeling grumpy and his knee hurt. If all they wanted was to show him how pretty the stupid glass looked, he was going to break something.

"Take a sip," Mallory said, handing the glass to him.

Jared eyed it suspiciously. Did they spit in it? Why would Mallory want him to drink water?

"Go ahead, Jared," Simon said. "We already tried it."

The microwave beeped and Simon jumped up to remove a giant mound of chopped meat. The top part was a sickly gray, but the rest of it still looked frozen.

"What's that?" Jared asked, peering at the meat.

"For Byron," Simon said, dumping it into a huge bowl and adding corn flakes. "He must be getting better. He's always hungry."

Jared grinned. Anyone else would be wary of a half-starved griffin recuperating in their carriage house. Not Simon.

"Go on," Mallory said. "Drink."

Jared took a sip of the water and choked. The liquid burned his mouth and he spat half of it onto the tile floor. The rest slid down his throat like fire.

"Are you crazy?" he yelled between bouts of coughing. "What was that?"

"Water from the tap," Mallory said. "It all tastes that way."

"Then why did you make me drink it?" Jared demanded.

Mallory crossed her arms. "Why do you think all this stuff is happening?"

"What do you mean?" Jared asked.

"I mean that weird things started happening when we found that book, and they're not going to stop until we get rid of it."

"Weird stuff was happening before we found it!" Jared objected.

"It doesn't matter," Mallory said. "Those goblins wanted the Guide. I think we should give it to them."

The room was silent for a few seconds. Finally Jared managed a hushed, "What?"

"We should get rid of that stupid book," Mallory repeated, "before someone gets hurt -- or worse."

"We don't even know what's wrong with the water." Jared glared at the sink, anger coiling in his gut.

"Who cares?" Mallory said. "Remember what Thimbletack told us? Arthur's field guide is too dangerous!"

Jared didn't want to think about Thimbletack. "We need the Guide," he said. "We wouldn't have even known there was a brownie in the house without it. We wouldn't have known about the troll or the goblins or anything."

"And they wouldn't know about us," Mallory said.

"It's mine," Jared said.

"Stop being so selfish!" Mallory shouted.

Jared clenched his teeth. How dare she call him selfish? She was just too chicken to keep it. "I decide what happens to it, and that's final!"

"I'll show you final." Mallory took a step toward him. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead!"

"So?" Jared said. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead right back!"

Mallory took a deep breath. Jared could almost imagine steam coming out of her nose. "Exactly. We could all be dead because of that book."

The three of them looked down at "that book" dangling from Jared's left hand. He turned to Simon, furious. "I suppose you agree with her."

Simon shrugged uncomfortably. "The Guide did help us figure out about Thimbletack and about the stone that lets you see into Faerie."

Jared smiled in triumph.

"But," Simon went on and Jared's face fell, "what if there are more goblins out there? I don't know if we could stop them. What if they got in the house? Or grabbed Mom?"

Jared shook his head. If Mallory and Simon destroyed the Guide, then everything they'd done would have been for nothing! "What if we give back the Guide and they keep coming after us?"

"Why would they do that?" Mallory demanded.

"We'd still know about the Guide," said Jared. "And we'd still know faeries are real. They might think we'd make another Guide."

"I'd make sure you didn't," said Mallory.

Jared turned to Simon, who was pushing a wooden spoon through the half-frozen mess of meat and cereal. "And what about the griffin? The goblins wanted Byron, didn't they? Are we going to give him back too?"

"No," said Simon, looking out of the faded curtains into the yard. "We can't let Byron go. He isn't all the way better."

"No one is looking for Byron," Mallory said. "It isn't the same thing at all."

Jared tried to think of something that would convince them, something that would prove that they needed the Guide. He didn't understand the faeries any more than Simon or Mallory did. He didn't even know why the faeries would want the field guide when the only thing in it was stuff about them. Did the faeries just not want people to see it? The only person who might know the answer was Arthur and he was long dead. Jared stopped at that thought.

"There is someone we could ask -- someone who really might know what to do," Jared said.

"Who?" asked Simon and Mallory in unison.

Jared had won. The book was safe -- at least for now.

He smirked. "Aunt Lucinda."

Copyright © 2003 by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.