Siblings Jared, Mallory, and Simon learn more about the mysterious book in their possession when they visit elderly Aunt Lucinda, who is confined to an asylum. The trio then discovers the book has been stolen by a nemesis. Populated with elves, faeries, and unicorns, this heavily illustrated story will appeal to fantasy fans though it lacks a real beginning and ending.

In The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 3: Lucinda's Secret by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, siblings Jared, Mallory and Simon, having escaped goblins and trolls, are now being harassed by a house boggart. Mallory thinks the only way to stop the madness is to get rid of the Guide. And the only person who can help them is their strange old Aunt Lucinda.

Gr 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.