History Literature / TheSpiderwickChronicles

A streaming television adaptation, originally ordered by Creator/DisneyPlus, [[https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-spiderwick-chronicles-roku-pickup-disney-plus-1235567910/ was announced in 2023]] [[Series/TheSpiderwickChronicles22024 which made its debut on The Roku Channel in April of 2024]].

A streaming television adaptation, originally ordered by Creator/DisneyPlus, [[https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-spiderwick-chronicles-roku-pickup-disney-plus-1235567910/ was announced in 2023]] [[Series/TheSpiderwickChronicles which made its debut on The Roku Channel in April of 2024]].

A streaming television adaptation, originally ordered by Creator/DisneyPlus, [[https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-spiderwick-chronicles-roku-pickup-disney-plus-1235567910/ was announced in 2023 to make its debut on The Roku Channel]].

* NiceJobBreakingItHero:
** Fighting the Giants in the second series resulted in the Wyrms being able to run rampant.
** Jared reading the book in the first place.

* OurGargoylesRock: In The Feld Guide, gargoyles are a wingless, nocturnal, dwarf dragons that inhabit urban regions, hiding amongst the artificial gargoyles of buildings and jumping from rooftop to rooftop.

* RatKing: The idea of a rat king is discussed in ''Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles'' when the protagonists find three salamander-like baby dragons with their tails fused together. It's later discovered that the dragons [[spoiler:are merging together into a massive Wyrm King, i.e., a hydra. The characters defeat them cutting apart the muck binding their tails. Since they've been used to existing as one creature for so long, they become confused after their separation and are easier for the helpful giants to defeat.]]

* SummonBiggerFish: A variant. In the final book, [[spoiler:the kids trick Mulgarath into turn into a smaller fish so that he could be eaten by the regular fish]].

* TakingTheKids: Helen took the kids and left because her husband was cheating, and Jared still idolizes the dad because he was LockedOutOfTheLoop.

There are also some companion books, including a reproduction of the Field Guide itself, ''Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You''.

There are also some companion books, including a reproduction of the Field Guide itself.

A streaming television adaptation, originally ordered by Creator/DisneyPlus, [[https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-spiderwick-chronicles-roku-pickup-disney-plus-1235567910/ will now make its debut on The Roku Channel]].

* BluffTheImpostor: When Mulgareth pretends to be the kids' missing dad, Jared sees right through it and tests him.

* CallReceptionArea: The Spiderwick Estate and its surrounding grounds, where many faerie still dwell.

%% * Getting Crap Past The Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Noseeum Jack.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Every chapter begins with "In Which..."
* InWhichATropeIsDescribed: All chapters of both series.

* {{Leprechaun}}: According to The Field Guide, leprechauns are the craftspeople of faeriekind, with a particular specialty in shoemaking. As a result, they tend to earn a lot of gold from faeries commissioning their services, and they go great lengths to protect their gold stashes from humans.
* LoopholeAbuse: In ''Lucinda's Secret'', the elves hold Jared prisoner and threaten to keep him forever unless his siblings bring the guide, which they don't have. Jared tricks them into thinking he's Simon, and makes them ''swear'' to let Mallory and "Jared" go free. As soon as they're safely out of sight, Jared reveals that he's not Simon, so the elves are honor-bound to let him go. Which they do, ''[[IGaveMyWord very grudgingly]]''.
** This nearly comes back to bite the Grace kids in ''The Wrath of Mulgarath'', in which the elves reveal that if the siblings hadn't brought the guide like they promised, the elves would have just held Simon prisoner to force their hand, since they never swore not to hold ''him'' prisoner.

* OurBansheesAreLouder: In The Field Guide, banshees are detailed as nocturnal ghost-like beings that appear around specific households when a member is about to die, endlessly wailing in grief as they wash the bloodied clothes of the soon-to-be-dead.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Mulgarath's dragons are serpentine, multi-legged and venomous; these dragons are identified in The Field Guide as wyrms, with a traditional winged wyvern also being illustrated. Also of note is the Hydra of the sequel series, portrayed as numerous wyrms combined like a [[NightmareFuel rat king]], rather than a single creature with numerous heads.
* OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: Dwarves are the main antagonists of Book 4. They are master miners and metalworkers who inhabit deep mountain caverns. Unusually, they reproduce by carving statues of their kind that then come to life.

* OurGiantsAreBigger: Giants play a major role in the sequel series, but are otherwise only in The Field Guide. Here, they're shown as hill-sized behemoths resembling a humanoid mix of a dinosaur and a hornless rhinoceros. They spend most of their adult lives hibernating for long periods of time, during which grass and sod grow on their backs, and are able to breathe fire by ingesting [[FierySalamander salamanders]] or baby dragons.

* OurKelpiesAreDifferent: As described in The Field Guide, Kelpies are malign water spirits in the form of horses, with seal-like skin, cloven hooves and manes always dripping with water. They entice people into riding them in order to drown them, but can be controlled if a prospective rider manages to slip a bridle over their heads.
* OurKoboldsAreDifferent: Appear in Book 4 and The Field Guide under the name "knockers" (after a similar Welsh fairy; "kobold" is instead mentioned as another name for them). They appear as a mix of an albino frog and a wingless bat, with long fingers they use to tap on cavern walls to guide lost humans and warn them of impending threats.
* OurManticoresAreSpinier: In The Field Guide, manticores are described as puma-sized carnivores with appearances combining traits from monkeys and cats. Their tails end in poisonous quills they hurl at their prey.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: Merfolk play a major role in the sequel series, but are first detailed in The Field Guide. The book explains that merpeople dwell in great kingdoms in the ocean's depths, and while they don't trust humans, they often come ashore to satiate their curiosity (while they are able to breathe air, they will die if their skin dries out). Male merfolk are noted as being larger and rarer than females, but more bizarrely, merfolk are able to change sex in the same way many species of tropical fish do.
* OurNymphsAreDifferent: Treefolk, according to the Field Guide, are the humanoid avatars of individual trees that have acquired intelligence from living in faerie-touched territory. Different treefolk have different attitudes depending on the tree species they personify.
* OurOgresAreHungrier: Series BigBad Mulgarath is one. Ogres in the series are hulking, horned scavengers who use their great strength and intelligence, as well as their magical powers, to coerce humans and other faeries into giving them what they want.
* OurPixiesAreDifferent: According to The Field Guide, pixies are extraordinarily mischievous child-sized faeries who frolic in parks, gardens, and rural places. They enjoy playing ranks on humans and stealing objects that interest them, but are typically harmless and friendly as far as faeries go. Also detailed are sprites, which are insectoid faeries of diverse appearance and diminutive size.
* ThePhoenix: Present in The Field Guid, which explains it to be an extraordinarily rare species of bird that lives for centuries, and upon reaching the end of its lifespan, will build a funerary pyre to incinerate itself upon, leaving behind an egg that hatches a few days later.

* SeaSerpent: Detailed in The Field Guide, which includes an impressive four-page foldout illustration of a massive eel-like creature large enough to swallow a small boat whole. Arthur Spiderwick notes that the biggest individuals are as long as suspension bridges and able to create rogue waves or whirlpools as they swim.

* BigBad: The ogre Mulgarath.

The original series has a 2008 [[FilmOfTheBook film]], with the twins played by Creator/FreddieHighmore. A streaming television adaptation, originally ordered by Creator/DisneyPlus, [[https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-spiderwick-chronicles-roku-pickup-disney-plus-1235567910/ will now make its debut on The Roku Channel]].

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Books]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* AdaptedOut: Several characters, including Korting, the river trolls and the dragons.
* AdaptationalBadass:
** Most if not all of Mallory's DamselInDistress moments are adapted out, making her come across as an even more competent ActionGirl than in the book.
** Helen also is not kidnapped by the goblins like she is in the last book, and helps her children fight them as they defend the house.
* AdaptationalDumbass: Minor example. Thimbletack pulls the switch trick with the Field Guide much earlier in the books when the Graces visit Aunt Lucinda. In the film he believes them when they say they'll leave the book in the house, only to discover the switch and then pull it on them when they fly to find Arthur.
* AdaptationalHeroism: While far from a villain in the books, the hobgoblin Hogsqueal was still at best a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk who only helps the heroes when forced to. In the movie, he's a selfless vengeance seeker who happily helps Jared fight Mulgarath.
* AgeLift: The Grace siblings appear to have been aged by a couple of years. Jared and Simon were nine in the book, and played by the fourteen-year-old Freddie Highmore (though he's possibly playing as young as eleven or twelve). Mallory was thirteen and played by the sixteen-year-old Sarah Bolger.
* AlienBlood: Mulgarath's blood appears to be green.
* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The film uses [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoFcudPpCKc "Checkmate"]] by Yuugin as its theme song in Japan.
* AngelFaceDemonFace: Thimbletack is normally a brownie, which is a small, pink little thing. He turns into a more muscular, green, mini-troll like thing, known as a boggart, when he's mad.
* AscendedExtra: Red Cap was originally just a Goblin that appeared in the final book of the original, who looked important, and gave only a few orders to the captured protagonist. In the movie he's TheDragon, given intelligence by the BigBad.
* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Thimbletack, thanks to his love of honey, is easily distracted from anger. Hogsqueal and birds too.
* BadBoss: The Ogre is always berating and slapping around Red Cap and his other minions.
* BigBrotherBully: Mallory constantly picks up on Jared and belittles him, but is considerably kinder to Simon. She starts to mellow after everything she witnesses.
* BrickJoke: Hogsqueal and his appetite for birds. [[spoiler: It gets dropped on crow!Mulgarath's head like a ten-ton [[AnvilOnHead anvil.]]]]
* BrooklynRage: The "New Yorkers are tough" variant. When preparing to HoldTheLine at the end of the movie, Jared gives his mother two kitchen knives to fight with.
-->'''Jared''': "Steel. Cuts and burns."
-->'''Helen''' (still rather confused): "Well, thank goodness we're New Yorkers."
* CarFu: The troll chasing Jared and Mallory gets run over by a truck.
* CurseCutShort: Red Cap the lead goblin mumbles "Oh, sh-" as the stove full of tomato sauce explodes, reducing him and his lackeys to green puddles of goo.
* DesperateObjectCatch: Jared throws Mallory the rock "lens" so she can see what she's fending off with her fencing blade.
* DisappearedDad:
** The dad in question not only left the family, but is lying to Jared about coming to see him. [[spoiler: He can't, because he's found another woman.]]
** The same applies to Lucinda Spiderwick's father, [[spoiler:Arthur Spiderwick, the creator of the book. She witnessed him being carried away by fairies after she wandered outside of the protective circle around their house and was attacked by goblins.]] No one believed her when she told people about what happened to him for obvious reasons.
* EvilOldFolks: The ogre's first human guise is a creepy old man.
* EyeScream:
** Mallory slashes Red Cap's right eye with her saber, leaving a scar on it. The next time he's seen, Red Cap is blind in the right eye.
** Jared jabs a pipe right into the mole troll's left eye. The troll tears the pipe out, but in the process loses its eye.
* FacePalm: Helen when at her new job sees Jared and Mallory walking down the street, the latter with her sword in hand and both looking dishevelled from running through the sewers. She buries her face in her hand, and her co-worker assumes it's because she finds the training hard.
* FamilialFoe: Eighty years ago, the evil ogre Mulgarath menaced Arthur Spiderwick and his daughter Lucinda while trying to steal Arthur's research about the magical world. Decades later, he menaces the great-grandchildren of Arthur's brother.
* {{Fingore}}: [[spoiler:While being chased by Mulgarath, Jared escapes into the dumbwaiter. Mulgarath tries to stop him, only to lose three fingers on his right hand. Of course, he transforms into [[SnakesAreSinister a large snake]] to slide into the shaft.]]
* ForbiddenFruit: In the words of Mallory, "you found a book that says 'do not read', ''and you read it''?"
* GoodSamaritan: A small moment, but the tow truck driver who runs over the invisible troll stops, looks around and worriedly asks if he hit anyone.
* HoldTheLine: The Grace family defends their house against Mulgarath and the Goblins.
* MoodWhiplash: the Ogre's attempt to seize the book being foiled by Hogsqueal.
* NoSell: Jared attempts to burn the Field Guide in a fire, but thanks to the wards around the house, it doesn't work.
* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: British Joan Plowright as the older Lucinda Spiderwick. Especially notable since we hear her 8-year-old self speaking with an American accent.
* OurPixiesAreDifferent: Pixies, also called piskies, are one of the various types of humanoid fairies present in the setting, being diminutive winged humanoids with clothing made out of leaves and seed pods. They range in size from two feet high to the size of a child, separating them from the much smaller brownies, sprites, and stray sods and the taller elves. They're highly mischievous beings, and enjoy playing mean-spirited tricks on humans (such as knotting their hair, or pinching skin black and blue) and making off with small objects. Due to their attraction to humans, they typically live in green areas close to human settlements, such as farmlands, parks, and suburban gardens.
* RelatedDifferentlyInTheAdaptation: The Grace siblings are Arthur's great-great grandchildren in the book (through a sibling of Lucinda's), but the film implies they're descended from a sibling of Arthur and Lucinda is Arthur's only child.
* SignatureHeadgear: Red Cap is distinguishable from other goblins by the tricorne hat he wears. When [[spoiler:he and the {{Mooks}} get melted by the tomato sauce bombs]], that's the only thing left.
* SparedByTheAdaptation:
** In the books, [[spoiler: Arthur]] dies at the end. In the movie, [[spoiler: he stays with the Sylphs, but his daughter also comes with him, and reverts to the same age she was when he was taken away]].
** The final book also opens with the Graces discovering their house has been destroyed. In the film, the climax now happens at the house, which remains intact.
* TrickingTheShapeshifter: [[spoiler:Jared throws the book into the air, forcing Mulgarath to take on a crow form to grab it. Shortly thereafter he runs into a very hungry Hogsqueal, much to his detriment.]]
* WeaksauceWeakness:
** Tomato sauce, vinegar and salt are effective at hurting goblins, with the former being outright corrosive to their bodies.
** Mulgarath, it turns out, has one too. [[spoiler:In bird form, he's ''just as fragile'' as a real bird, as Hogsqueal happily demonstrates by snatching and devouring him.]]
[[/folder]]

* OurKelpiesAreDifferent: Kelpies are malign water spirits in the form of horses, with seal-like skin, cloven hooves and manes always dripping with water. They entice people into riding them in order to drown them, but can be controlled if a prospective rider manages to slip a bridle over their heads.

* AllTrollsAreDifferent: They're semi-aquatic with long floppy ears and point noses.

* BasiliskAndCockatrice: The cockatrice looks like a cross between a chicken and a frilled lizard. It turns any animals that see it to stone ([[FridgeLogic which makes you wonder what they eat]]), and also has venomous saliva.

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Mulgarath's dragons are serpentine, multi-legged and venomous. The Hydra is numerous wyrms combined like a [[NightmareFuel rat king]], rather than a single creature with numerous heads.

* OurGiantsAreBigger: They're only vaguely humanoid, being hulking, troll-like and apelike beings with heads jutting directly forward from their shoulders and no brain capacity to speak of. They also have seven fingers and hibernate for long periods of time, during which grass and sod grow on their backs. They can also breathe fire, although they need to ingest [[FierySalamander salamanders]] or wyrms first.
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: They are small monsters that look part toad, part angler-fish, and part bat. They're about the size of small dogs, but run and hunt in packs of ten or less. They're not particularly intelligent and prone to squabbling, but are adept at hunting small animals, particularly dogs, cats, and even human children. They don't have any teeth, and substitute with sharp rocks and bits of glass they find lying around. They're kind of the vermin of the faerie world, but unlike the rest of the fay they're able to thrive in our modern world by sorting through our refuse.
* OurGryphonsAreDifferent: Byron follows the typical eared variant of the classical gryphon body design, but has a more slender build and a beak with teeth/tooth like serrations. The movie makes him a regular gryphon. Griffins are also quite large -- Byron is around the size of a bus -- and mortal enemies of horses; because of this, the rare hybrid hippogriffs are considered to be a symbol of undying love.

* NoImmortalInertia: People whose lifespans have been prolonged by elven magic (i.e. [[spoiler:Arthur Spiderwick]]) will age and die as soon as their feet touch the ground outside the elven realm.

The original series has a 2008 [[FilmOfTheBook film]], with the twins played by Creator/FreddieHighmore. Creator/{{Disney}} has announced plans for a streaming series adaptation for Creator/DisneyPlus.

* UnicornsPreferVirgins: In ''Lucinda's Secret'', a unicorn grants Mallory a vision of one of its fellows being hunted by being lured by a young girl. When the animal-loving Simon is peeved that the unicorn is more interested in Mallory than himself, she points out that it's because she's a girl. [[AllThereInTheManual The spinoff book]] ''Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You'' subverts this, however. It claims that the idea that unicorns are specifically attracted to virgins is a myth, and they will only approach those who are truly innocent with pure spirits, regardless of their gender.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* AdaptationalHeroism: While far from a villain in the books, the hobgoblin Hogsqueal was still at best a JerkWithAHeartOfJerk who only helps the heroes when forced to. In the movie however he's a selfless vengeance seeker who happily helps Jared fight Mulgarath.
* AgeLift: The Grace siblings appear to have been aged by a couple of years. Jared and Simon were nine in the book, and played by the fourteen-year-old Freddie Highmore (though he's possibly playing as young as eleven or twelve). Mallory was thirteen and played by the sixteen-year-old Sarah Bolger.

** Mallory slashes Red Cap's right eye with her saber, leaving a scar on it. Later on, Red Cap is now blind in one eye.

** Tomato Sauce, vinegar and salt are effective at hurting goblins.
** Mulgarath, it turns out, has one of these too. [[spoiler:In bird form, he's ''just as fragile'' as a real bird, and Hogsqueal happily demonstrates how easily killed they are.]]

* YearOutsideHourInside: The elves' realm, [[spoiler:much to Arthur and Lucinda's grief]].

%%* SeeThruSpecs: The Seeing Stone. Hobgoblin spit acts as a permanent version.

* TrueSight: Needed to see the hidden world, unless a fairy decides to reveal themself. Can be achieved through fairy spit, a stone with a natural hole through it, and sometimes naturally appears in the SeventhSonOfASeventhSon or redheads.

* MadLibFantasyTitle: The title of each chapter. "In which [something related to the fey activity of this chapter]"

* NiceHat: Red Cap is distinguishable from other goblins by the tricorne hat he wears. When [[spoiler:he and the {{Mooks}} get melted by the tomato sauce bombs]], that's the only thing left.