The Spiderwick Chronicles is directed by Mark Waters, and written by Karey Kirkpatrick, David Berenbaum and John Sayles. It is based on the books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black.

This is a "serious" children's story, which is often the very best kind. When the movie was over, my wife said it was "perfect". That doesn't mean it was the best film she's ever seen, just that it was a "perfect" movie for the genre. I agree.

Time is taken to make you care about the Grace family and their problems with coming to an isolated inherited house, after the break up of the parents' marriage. The twin-brother characters of Jared and Simon are played by Freddie Highmore. (Highmore is a young actor of considerable skill, and his casting was a major bit of good luck for the makers of this film.) Jared is feeling the separation from his father more so than his brother and sister, Mallory, played by Sarah Bolger.

In the course of exploring the house Jared discovers a "field guide" to a world of mythical creatures like fairies, goblins, and ogres, written by his great grandfather. However, this book is very dangerous and protected by .... better go see the movie.

This is an entertaining movie and well worth spending an enjoyable 96 minutes viewing it.

The movie tie-in version of the field guide is in bookstores now!