The Nixie's Song: Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
The Nixie's Song: Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 8+

Spiderwick series continues with new characters.

Holly Black Fantasy 2007
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Parents say

age 10+

Based on 4 reviews

Kids say

age 8+

Based on 2 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that there's a bit of violence at the end, but otherwise this is pretty mild, milder than the original Spiderwick series, and not too scary or suspenseful.

Community Reviews

Justmerritt
Justmerritt Adult
January 4, 2019
age 18+

Some nasty conversation

My son and I read Wondla, another work by Tony Ditrelizzi and loved it. It was so magical and adventurous without much violence for the most part. Had my son listen to this on audio and I thought the way the kids spoke to each other was not something I’d like him to be exposed to. The main character is overweight and one kid calls him “lardass”. Lots of bickering between the kids. I’m sure the story is great otherwise but didn’t find it suitable for my 5 and 8 year old.
aliese B.
aliese B. Adult
April 2, 2017
age 9+

Unnecessary language

I felt it was not necessary to use the works "jerk" "crap" and "idiot". We started to listen to it on audio book with our 7 & 8 year old and turned it off.
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

With his mother dead, Nick is none too happy when his father remarries and he has to give up his bedroom to his new stepsister, Laurie. He's even less happy to find that she's a weirdo who believes in the fairies and the unseen magical world she has read about in The Spiderwick Chronicles. But he's really unhappy to discover that she's right.

Is It Any Good?

This doesn't have the freshness and exciting suspense of the original series, and Nick and Laurie are rather unlikable protagonists. It does have one bit that long-time fans will enjoy, though: an appearance in the story by the author, illustrator, and the twins on whom the series is supposedly based. Nick and Laurie go to see them at a book signing, hoping for some advice in dealing with a problem with a giant, and are vastly disappointed. The author has fun razzing herself and her partner, and it provides a little metafiction interlude that jazzes the proceedings up for a while. But in the next book the basic story will have to pick up considerably, and Nick and Laurie will have to become a whole lot more appealing, to hold onto fans of the original series.

This is the beginning of a new series spun off The Spiderwick Chronicles. The characters are new, the setting changed to Florida, but the concept is the same: we are surrounded by an unseen, mostly malevolent, world of magical creatures, and certain magical items (here a four-leaf clover and the water a nixie has swum in) can give one the Sight to see it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the idea of an unseen world all around us. Do you think it's true? Can you find any evidence one way or the other? Do you wish it was true? Why or why not?

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

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