The Spiderwick Chronicles

We got some more excellent Spiderwick an art this week, check it out! Thanks to Annie, Anna, Andrew and Marisa!

Name: Jacob
Question:Tony what are your favorite creatures?

TD: My favorite in the series is Hogsqueal! My favorite in Arthur’s Field Guide is the Sea Serpent…did you see the deep-sea diver in his gullet?

Name: Tanisha
Question: Who is your favorite author?

TD: I have a lot of favorite authors from when I was a kid. I enjoyed books by Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstien, the Brothers Grimm, and Andrew Lang’s Colored Fairy Books.

Name: hi
Question: My personality is just like a changling, exept I do not speek in riddles. Am I one that has just forgotten

TD: Whoa! Do you have an aversion to red? Or iron? Do you long to explore the woods, never to return home again? Then perhaps, you just might be a changeling…though would a changeling like using technology like a computer? hmmmmm.

Name: Whiteny
Question: do you use REAL sprites for the ISL?
And if you do, Will they like spending time with and bonding with humans?
I don\’t want poeple to take the whole thing to far and making Faeries dislike us even more!
Or worse, If its proved that they exist poeple might start hunting them down. If they dont have the sight they would probally invent some crazy thing that lets them see faeries. Is that possible?

TD: Hi Whitney! I think that the sprites represented in the ISL are the closest I could come to rendering REAL sprites. I don’t think that all species are suited for co-habitation with humans. So you may want to check out (shameless plug here): The Care & Feeding of Sprites to learn more. Lastly, I wouldn’t worry about others capitalizing on The Sight or hunting faeries. If folklore and fairy tales teach us anything, its that the fae usually get the best of humans in the end.

Name: greta
Question: what do u know about the tooth fairy?

TD: I know that when I left my tooth under a pillow as a kid, I thought that a glittery little girl fairy would exchange it for money. According to Hogsqueal, and several other hobs Arthur interviewed, hobgoblins are taking the teeth to use as their own and leaving shiny metal coins in their place. Go figure.

Name: Roger
Question: When is the next Spiderwick Book (A Giant Problem) going to come out?

TD: The next book in the Beyond series will be out this September. I can tell you that I have already painted the cover, and that Holly has turned in a early manuscript. Can you guess what the BIG creatures in it will be???

Name: Katt
Question: Do yu not think that the film has taken over, for exapmle the books have photos on the front whereas your drawings look much better?

TD: This is a great point Katt, and you have made quite an observation noting that packaging for the Spiderwick books has changed. But these film-versions (or “movie tie-ins” as they are referred to in the publishing industry) will only be out for a limited time in conjunction with the film and DVD. After awhile, we’ll return to the original book jackets, though we are thinking about re-designing the jacket for Arthur’s Field Guide…what do you think?

Name: Luke
Question: Is the Phooka on Jared, simon, and Mallory\’s side, or on Mulgarath and the goblin\’s side?

TD: Good question Luke. I am pretty sure the phooka is on the phooka’s side. I picture him more an observer than a participant in the battle with Mulgarath. By the way, that scene was inspired by a certain smiling cat in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – another childhood favorite of mine.

Calling all fans, artists and giant catchers! In keeping with the “Giant” problem introduced in our latest Spiderwick installment, “The Nixie’s Song,” fans are invited to participate in a “Trap the Giant” contest in partnership with the awesome kids’ site, www.bonus.com.

The 3 winning trap designers will receive some serious grand prizes, including a signed limited edition poster from Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, signed copies of each of the Spiderwick books (yes, the whole library), and a copy of the amazing Vivendi Spiderwick video game (PC version).

You don’t want to miss this one! The contest launches February 21st….check it out at: Bonus.com

This ran in today’s Publisher’s Weekly:

A Tasty Promotion for Spiderwick
By Karen Raugust — Publishers Weekly, 1/17/2008

Simon and Schuster has partnered with General Mills for a 10 million-box, five-brand cereal promotion tied to the Spiderwick Chronicles. Running from January 1 to March 1, the promotion’s timing is tied to the Spiderwick film being released in February. But its focus is entirely on the books. In fact, when the two companies started talking about the partnership, the film was optioned but didn’t have a green light, so it wasn’t a factor in the deal, according to Laura Ferguson, S&S director of premiums, CDP and corporate sales.

Specially marked boxes of Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Reese’s Puffs, Cookie Crisps and Honey Nut Cheerios will include one of three collectible books based on the second title in the Spiderwick series, The Seeing Stone. The three will be evenly distributed among the 10 million boxes, with each store receiving some of each title. The cover is visible through a clear window in each box.

Each book features a third of the original story with a special introduction and conclusion, followed by a brand-new prequel story and illustrations created by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black in conjunction with GM and S&S. The new material, which comprises about 10 to 15 of the 64 pages in each book, is available only through the GM promotion.

This project has taken almost 2 years to complete. But, having VERY fond memories of getting a cool prize in a cereal box as a kid, I do think it was worth it. Holly and I created “Lost Chapters” (with new art) for the Spiderwick universe.

One lost chapter is about Thimbletack becoming a boggart, another is how the troll’s bridge was destroyed, and the last one was how Hogsqueal (or Hoggy, as I call him) was captured by the goblins.

Hopefully, if you are already a fan of the books, you’ll enjoy these little sidetracks. The cool thing is that the boxes have a window showing you what book is inside, so you won’t have to eat your weight in Lucky Charms only to find a duplicate prize…man, I hated when that happened as a kid.

Some serious Spiderwicky goodness arrived in my mailbox this week. Check out these gems:

These are just AWESOME guys (and gals)! Keep’em comin…

Boy, they’ve come a long way since Atari’s Adventure, and Legend of Zelda! Here are some screen-shots of the Spiderwick video game which will have more characters and settings than what is in the movie, check out these Xbox shots:

…and here are some from the Playstation:

(*btw, the platform system links take you to pages with many more shots)

The game designers were up on set when Holly and I were there and we were able to brainstorm a bit and offer some ideas. I know you will be able to play Jared, Simon, Mallory and Thimbletack! SO COOL! Can’t wait to fence as Mal on the Wii!

I have been putting off my commentary on the wonderful, strange feelings that go through my mind on the realization that Spiderwick will be a feature film released across the world in a couple of months. I can tell you that recently I attended a screening for all the folks at Simon & Schuster who work on the books, and they really enjoyed it - which is a good sign to me.

I was thirteen years old In 1982 when I saw Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal. That movie blew my imagination wide open and I immediately began drawing the many muppet denizens that I saw on the screen.

It is exciting, and somewhat dreamlike, to be on the other end of the equation. When I recieve drawings of my characters rendered by imaginative young artists, like Anna here, I am truly touched.

I get giddy thinking that my visuals, and the fantastic world Hol and I created, will perhaps inspire and ignite the next generation of imaginologists…what an awesome Christmas present!

Happy New Years!

Name: stone
Question: Do you dream of all of your characters?

I’ve dreamed of the sort of creatures in the field guide since I was a kid, just as I’m sure many people before me have.

Name: River
Question: Do you have the sight?

Honestly River, I have no way of knowing. I’ve never seen a faerie, but that’s not to say I never will.

Name: Angel
Question: what do mermaids eat?

Mermaids are thought to partake of a rather diverse and interesting fare, consisting of all sorts of marine meats and vegetables, all raw, including shellfish, seaweeds, crabs, lobster, fish, etc. Some believe it may resemble Japanese cuisine in this many respects.

Name: Maxwell
Question: I have like three fairy rings in my backyard, I went to go check them out and I found reddish orange feathers in and around the circles. What do you think came there?

Well, it’s difficult to say, they could be any number of things. There is a chance they may be the feathers of birds used for transportation, they could be from some elaborate costume for the faerie revels, they could even be fallen from some form of feathered fey itself!

Name: Katana
Question: In the back of the Spiderwick field guide it says the work is purely fictional, but in the new book \”The Kelpies Song\” Laurie explains you had to put that so you wouldnt get sued. I was just wondering which was true.

What a tricky question! It may just be confusing intentionally…

Regarding Brownies:
It sounds like the questions below may all relate what could be a friendly household brownie, but as some of you have found things broken or other signs of mischief you may have boggart issues. Brownies are said to be rather harmless, if not friendly and helpful. Boggarts, however, were once brownies that were mistreated by humans and have as a result turned bitter and malicious. Your best bet in either case is to leave out a bowl of milk, and a scrap of food every once in a while to keep your fey friend happy, or to win back their favor.

Name: zach
Question: I think I have a brownie in my house. How do I make sure?

Name: Anike
Question:> Wherever I go a door opens, almost closes and opens again. Whenever I look through the door I don\’t see anybody. Do you know what it might be?

Name: River
Question: I thank I saw a brownie yesterday I’m very excited, how should I approach it?

Name: Nicholas
Question: I think I have a boggart because when I got home one day my mattress was shredded to pieces. What should I do?

Name: lilroo
Question: I think I have a boggart in my basement, because my cat suddenly disappeared but the milk stills goes away after I put it out. What do you think?

Hey everyone! I’ve been hard at work on the second book of BEYOND THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES which is tentatively titled A GIANT PROBLEM. I am almost all the way through a rough draft. I’m hoping to have it done so next week in Florida I can do some research. Wish me luck.

In the meantime, I thought I would try and answer some of your questions:

Name: Kalyn
Question: Are you basing this film on all 5 books or will there be one movie per book??

HB: The Spiderwick Chronicles film is based on all 5 books, although not all the stuff in all the books made it into the film. Interestingly, some of the characters and places and scenes that didn’t make it into the film might show up in the video game. If you want more info on the movie, there will be downloads, news, games and other stuff showing up on this site as the movie release gets closer.

Name: Von
Question: are some of the things in the book based on actual folklore? coz i read a part that’s similar to a folklore here in our place, the one about wearing your shirt backwards/inside out.

HB: Yes, well spotted, Von. Most of what is in Arthur Spiderwick’s Field Guide is based on folklore and you can find similar stories around the world - one of the reasons why Arthur felt that people might believe that what he experienced was real. He tried to verify the folklore and also explain some of it, using what he knew about biology and natural history.

A friend of mine recently told me that she was lost somewhere, turned her jacket inside out and found her way where she was going, so it seems to work pretty well.

Name: Emily
Question: Do you ever get writer’s block? i love your work!!!! _Emily

HB: Thanks, Emily! I sometimes get stuck when I’m writing, which isn’t exactly the same as writer’s block, but can be very frustrating. It helps for me to talk over the plot with a friend (like Tony) or to go back and see if I took a wrong turn somewhere in the manuscript.

Name: mckinley
Question: do elfs like cold weather?

HB: There are some of the faerie folk that are particularly at home in cold weather, some even are said to spread cold with their touch. Many, however, are not so comfortable with ice and snow. Leprechauns are notorious for breaking into the wine cellars of manor houses and waiting out the winters there. In the Spring, lots of food and drink has disappeared along with them.

Name: Abby
Question: what do brownies drink?

HB: Brownies love to drink milk and will appreciate it if you leave a bowl of milk out for them. Make sure to put it out of reach of your cat, though, as a brownie looks a lot like a mouse from a distance.

Name: chris
Question: yo chris again i think i saw a river troll and my brother says he saw a lake kelpie and at my dads house i think we have a bogart because we came back from the nadal day fireworks and the the electrek heat was on full blaset writ back.

HB: Chris, sorry about your boggart problem. Maybe if you leave out some milk, the boggart will stop tormenting you and start acting more brownie-ish. I’m more worried about the river troll and the kelpie, though! My advice is to stay clear of that water, don’t get on the backs of any mysterious ponies–and to hope that those two will finish each other off. You really have a high incidence of faerie activity where you live - you should document your findings.

Name: joe
Question: i saw an atlantic sea king andn i did not know what to do so i got out of the water what should have i done.

HB: Wow. An Atlantic Sea King sighting. Very impressive, Joe. I am not sure what you should have done as I would have been tempted to get out of there too! It’s a shame you didn’t have one of those new waterproof cameras as I sure would have loved to see that picture. Maybe, though, you can draw him from memory like Arthur did.

Hello!

Our friends at Simon & Schuster have forwarded a a whole mess of questions for Holly and I to answer. Last week, I was flying back from Los Angeles (Where we had watched a rough cut of the movie and then presented it at the San Diego Comic con), and I had plenty of time on the flight to answer some of these great and thoughtful queries. I hope they shed a little light on the fantastical world around you:)

Name: Blayne
Question: Are there really fantastical creatures in the world?

TD: Hmmm, that’s an interesting question because I think most animals and plants are pretty fantastical in some way or another.

But you are likely referring to the creatures in Arthur’s Field Guide, and though I have never seen one, these creatures are alive and well in myths, folklore and fairy tales. I wonder what kind of stories you could create Blayne to keep them alive and well too ☺

Name: Addi
Question: Have you ever seen any creatures from the world of the faeries?

TD: I have never seen one of the creatures in the world of fey, Addi, but if I could, I’d love to see a sprite, unicorn or perhaps the Phooka…

Name: Amanda
Question: Is Spiderwick just a made up name or does it mean something?

TD: Hi Amanda. We made up the names of the characters to protect the “real” Jared, Simon and Mallory.

Spiderwick is one of those compound names like “Luke Skywalker” that is meant to evoke a certain image. In this case, I feel it conjures up a somewhat antiquated and spooky feeling – just like the world Arthur enters.

Name: Crystal and Grace
Question: Hi Tony! My friend Grace and I are big fans and are wondering about something. How do you know if a Faerie has been using the bathwater you put out for them?

TD: Hi Crystal! Hey Grace!

Gee, I am not sure how one would know if a faerie has been using water to bathe in. I suppose the only way to find out would be to leave water in a faerie infested area and splash some in yours eyes – but that also sounds like the perfect way to get an eye infection as well, so I am not sure I’d recommend it.

Name: Jasmin
Question: How do you start writing books and do the publishers look down on you if you are only say 13 because I really enjoy reading and writing (especially your books) !

TD: Hi Jasmin, I really like this question because I actually created my first fantasy field guide when I was 13!

It was full of dragons, goblins and other weird made-up creatures, all drawn and written out by me. It eventually fueled my desire as an adult to make a field guide to fantastical creatures. So, though a publisher may not be interested in your story right now, (heck, no one would publish my old field guide from when I was 13, the drawings weren’t that great), stick with it, because you never know where it might take you.

Name: Zodiac
Question: Hi there, I love the Spiderwick books, how did you come up with the idea?

TD: Hi Zodiac, I am happy to hear you enjoy the Spiderwick stories – they were sure fun to make.

Well, we did get a letter from 3 kids who claimed that they believed in fairies. But prior to that, I had been illustrating a lot of fantasy stuff like Dungeons & Dragons books and Magic: the Gathering cards. And, coincidentally, I was also working on big field guide to fantastical creatures often found in myths, folklore and fairy tales – so there you go ☺

Name: Holly
Question: Is there any other way to see the magical creatures without the stone or the hobgoblin?

TD: Holly, check out the front matter in Arthur’s Field Guide when you get a chance. Several other methods of gaining “the sight” are mentioned including standing with one foot on land while the other is in water, and touching someone who has the sight already.

Holly and I will be answering your Spiderwicky questions, so keep’em coming!