October 2016

The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide

by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

After finding Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastic World Around You, a mysterious, handmade field guide in the attic of the ramshackle old mansion they've just moved into, nine-year-old identical twins Jared and Simon and their thirteen-year-old sister Mallory discover that there's a magical and maybe dangerous world existing parallel to their own. It’s the world of faerie, inhabited by creatures who live alongside humans by hiding their identity through invisibility and trickery. The Grace children want to share their story, but the faeries will do everything possible to stop them... The Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of five captivating books that unfold one thrilling adventure!

A Note from the First Lady:

Dear Read20 Book Club families,

If you are like me, Halloween is still one of the best holidays ever. What other holiday asks you to disguise your identity in costume and go door to door to collect candy from neighbors? Halloween was such a fun holiday when our children were young, and today we get to enjoy seeing our six grandchildren dress in costume!

Reading stories about fantasy and adventure sets the mood for Halloween, and we have a tradition to feature a fantasy-adventure novel in October. This year, we invite you to read The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. It’s a five book series that takes readers on a wondrous journey to a mysterious land with all kinds of magical creatures and unexpected surprises. Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide may be checked out at your public library or online through Tennessee R.E.A.D.S. (Regional eBook & Audiobook Download System) for Kids. Click on this link to access the October Read20 book in both eBook and audiobook format!

I hope that you enjoy reading The Field Guide, the first book in the Spiderwick Chronicles, and remember that there are four more books in the series to enjoy after you finish the book of the month!

Keep up the great reading,

Crissy Haslam
First Lady of Tennessee

Family Activities

Use your imagination to draw a picture of the faeries portrayed in the book, including Brownies, Boggarts, Changelings, and Pixies. The human characters in the book see the characters as dangerous and fearful. Why do they feel this way? How would you react if you met these characters in real life?
In the story, the Faeries are completely invisible to the humans unless they want to be seen. However, there are certain ways that humans can see into Faerie without permission. It's called The Sight. Use the characters you created in the previous activity to plan your own Faerie hunt. Hide the Faeries around your classroom or house—be sure to make rules and clues around how others can find your characters!
In the United States, Halloween is celebrated on October 31. The holiday has its roots in the pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, and it was Christianized in the 9th century as "All Hallows' Eve" to precede the Roman Catholic celebration of All Saints' Day on November 1. Research common aspects of Halloween, such as costumes, pumpkins, witches, and candy to understand how that aspect came to be a part of Halloween tradition.
Authors from around the world are coming to Nashville this month to participate in the 28th annual Southern Festival of Books, held October 14-16. The festival celebrates the joys of reading and learning, and it could be a great activity for your family! Visit the Southern Festival of Books website for information about the schedule of events and participating authors.