Although they are completely different, the book and movie versions of The Spiderwick Chronicles are both well-thought out.

The Spiderwick Chronicles was written by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.  The main book series came out in 2003 and in 2004.  The books have helped to bring about a new sub-group in fantasy novels.

The movie premiered in 2008.  It was directed by Mark Walters and produced by Nickelodeon Movies.  It was filmed and shot in an interesting and fantastical method.

The basic plot is that the Graces; Mrs. Grace, and her children Jared, Simon, and Mallory; move into a house given to them by a relative.  Jared, Simon and Mallory are very resistance to the move, but explore the old house after they arrive.  Jared eventually finds a book, written by the father of the owner of the old house, and despite a warning, reads it.  He is, with his siblings, forced to help stop a shape-shifting ogre, Mulgarath, who wants the book. Jared, Simon and Mallory decide to visit their great-aunt, the owner of the old house, for advice.  They decide that they must go after Mulgarath.

The main differences occur after Jared, Simon and Mallory visit their great-aunt.  In the movie, they mostly stay in the house to draw their enemy to them.  In the book, however, they come home to discover their mother was kidnapped and that they have to find and rescue her, and in the process, defeat their enemy.  Some other scenes were cut from the movie; in the book, all of the Graces go to see Mallory’s fencing competition, which is not mentioned in the movie.

The movie followed the main plot of The Spiderwick Chronicles, but left out the majority of the fourth book and contained several large differences. The diction and tone used in the books compares moderately well to the movie’s images.