Customer Reviews

A Giant Problem

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I loved the original SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES. I devoured the whole set of five books within the same day. At the end of THE WRATH OF MULGARATH, Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi had hinted that there might be more to the Spiderwick story, and that definitely made me excited. A GIANT PROBLEM is now book two in the new BEYOND THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES series, and I must say that it's taken until this book to really make me enjoy these further adventures.

The story picks up immediately from book number one, and I had to go glance back through THE NIXIE'S SONG to remember different plot details. Pretty much, Nick and Laurie are off on further adventures to stop the coming onslaught of giants destroying by fire the whole of the state of Florida. A daunting task for two kids and a blind old man named Noseeum Jack. I had been hoping all along through the first book and in beginning this second one that the story would grow beyond stopping giants from randomly destroying things. Yes, the problem seemed large, but just not enough for me -- especially after the original five books. That's why I was pleasantly surprised and chilled to come to the twist ending of A GIANT PROBLEM. It took the whole series to a new height, and I am extremely excited to get my hands on book number three, which I won't even tell the title of since it holds a bit of the secret.

The writing is as usual superb, and the illustrations dazzling in that throwback style that DiTerlizzi is so brilliant at. Just looking at his drawings sucks the reader into another world. My only complaint is that I had to wait so long for book number two. I really hope that we don't have to wait another year before the final installment.

Down in the Florida swamps lies a giant problem. No, make that several giant problems. The fire-breathing giants are beginning to wake up, and only people with "the sight" can see them.

When the giants lay waste to an entire housing development project, it's high time for the giant slaying team to do something about it.

Unfortunately, the giant slaying team is made up of an old blind man, a chubby youth named Nick, his stepsister Laurie, his older brother Jules, and Jules' girlfriend Cindy.

Continuing the adventure from book one, The Nixie's Song, this episode pushes the envelope trying to cram too many things into one little book. You also get the impression that the author was in a bit of a hurry, as there are loose ends, continuity problems and far too many coincidences.

A quick read, and as usual, beautifully illustrated, but certainly not in the league of the original Spiderwick Chronicles. On the bright side, the ending of the book indicates that there's lots of excitement to come. Get this if you've already read The Nixie's Song, and hope that the next one will be better.


Amanda Richards, October 4, 2008

The continuing saga and just as good as the original Spiderwick series. We always sign up as soon as these series are available for our grandson, who loves them. Since we originally were stationed in Florida, we miss it and this book also captures the essence of the way Florida used to be. This is another excellent book for young people, so much better than other currently available series for this age. My wife and I enjoy it too.

Holly Black and Tony DeTerlizzi, A Giant Problem (Simon and Schuster, 2008)

Black and DeTerlizzi once again attempt to recapture the magic of the Spiderwick Chronicles in this second book of Beyond Spiderwick. And to an extent they succeed, in that these characters are interesting, though not as much as as those in the Spiderwick books. But the plot in this batch seems almost like an afterthought rather than an integral part of the story, which is odd; plot has always been Black's strong point, at least in the books of hers I've read. Still, if you enjoyed the Spiderwick Chronicles, this is not nearly as bad a sequel as, say, Batman and Robin or X-Men Origins: Wolverine. ***

Nicholas Vargas and his step sister Laurie have a giant problem - literally. Giants are on the loose and threatening to destroy Florida. Noseeum Jack is coaching them on how to kill the giants and their brother Jules and his girlfriend Cindy will help them, but it is still a daunting task. On top of that, their newlywed parents (Nick's father and Laurie's Mother) seem to be fighting all the time. Whatever happened to the nice, quiet summer vacation Nick had planned?

"A Giant Problem" is the nicely done second book in the "Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles" series by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black (the first book is The Nixie's Song (Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1)). So far DiTerlizzi and Black have managed to capture the same wonder and fantasy of the first Spiderwick Chronicle series. Nick and Laurie are good creations - adjusting to life together as brother and sister while also trying to fight the giants. There aren't too many fantastical creatures in this book - mostly just the giants and mermaids - but the fantasy elements are well done and there are some genuinely thrilling moments in the book, especially toward the end. What is really well done are the "real" elements in the book - a newly blended family trying to adjust to life together. The tension between Nick's father and Laurie's mother is very realistic. It is also nice to see more of Jule's character in this book and he leaves some clues that will no doubt be answered in the third book which is the final book in the series. The book ends on a cliffhanger that will have readers eagerly waiting for the next book to find out what happens to the Vargas children (and some familiar friends).

"A Giant Problem" is a wonderful fantasy book for readers young and old.

This is the second book in the follow-up to the Spiderwick Chronicles; Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles. I liked it better than the first book. I began to emphathize with the characters a bit more. It was much more interesting than the first book. Unlike the first book, this book left the story in a decent place. The main point of the book is wrapped up, yet there is a little catch at the end that leads you to the third book. The book is well-written and the drawings are again excellent. Still it is a very short book. I am not sure why these are split up into such short stories, maybe it's to make them more approacable to children?

In this book Nick and Laurie try to tackle the Giant problem in the area. With the help of Noseeum Jack can they rid the area of the giant problem before the whole area goes up in flames?

A pretty good book. I am looking forward to the last book in the trilogy. The way things are coming together that should be the best of the series.
[...]

Just when I thought this series could not get any better, man does it ever. The Vargas kids are back in a mess with fantastical creatures. The Giants, as predicted, are indeed waking up and as they fight for territory they are leaving a swath of destruction behind them. Jarod and Laurie are not on their own this time; Laurie tricked their older brother into carrying around a 4 leaf clover, and now he can see the creatures also. But they don't believe the adults will believe them, and they need to find a solution to the Giant Problem or all of Florida will burn.

I have now read 10 books that are part of the Spiderwick universe by Black and DiTerlizzi and think they are great. I cannot wait for my children to be older so I can share these adventures with them. And I approach the last book with some trepidation.

Nick Vargas has never exactly excelled at athletics, unless you count video games. He is pretty sure that his stepsister, Laurie, is equally poor at sports. All of this gives him a sinking feeling, since it looks like they have no choice but to learn to kill giants, at least according to Noseeum Jack. When Nick protests that they're kids and they should be having fun on their summer vacation, Jack informs him that giant slaying just happens to be their fate.

Laurie's idea is to talk other people into helping them destroy the giants. Nick is skeptical about her ability to actually accomplish this goal, but in the meantime he distracts himself by playing multiple video games in the nice, safe, air-conditioned house while the rain splatters against the windows. As long as he is racking up points on the screen, he can forget about the nixie expecting him to find her sisters. He also can ignore the fact that giants may be waking nearby. Maybe even more important, if he uses headphones, he can actually pretend that his father and his stepmother are not arguing.

When Jack appears on their doorstep, he persuades Nick and Laurie to accompany him into the rainy night. Nick is creeped out as they follow Jack through the swamp, lit by lightning and shaken with thunder. When Nick comments on the storm, Jack laughs. As Nick can soon see, what he's taken for thunder is actually two giants wrestling in the mud, fighting over territory. It's an awesome sight, to say the least.

When one giant triumphs over the other, Jack insists they must kill the victor. However, Nick and Laurie are too tender-hearted to hurt the injured creature. Jack decides to show the youngsters how it's done, but that just leads to the elderly man getting hurt. When Nick and Laurie take him home, Nick is intrigued by a photo he notices of a young, smiling Jack holding a pretty woman.

The next morning doesn't start well for Nick. He steps in the bowl of milk that Laurie left out for the faeries, falling and cutting his hands. Then he meets a hissing, gibbering, trash-eating faerie creature that Laurie is determined to befriend in spite of Nick's better judgment. Next, he gets a message from Taloa reminding him that unless he finds her sisters, he's going to be extremely sorry. Before he knows what's happening, two giants begin knocking down the houses in the development Nick's dad is building, catching everything in their path on fire with their blazing breath. And then things really start to get exciting, complicated by moral quandaries, family relationships and a mentor who must go missing. The big question remains: Can Nick and Laurie save Florida from giants?

A GIANT PROBLEM is yet another enjoyable episode for the many Spiderwick fans to glory in, complete with an ingenious conclusion and an intriguing cliffhanger ending. The illustrations include line drawings and newspaper articles; each is worthy of a long, thoughtful ponder. The characters --- stepsister, stepmom, dad, memories of his mother --- are layered and three-dimensional. Since Nick and his life are not air-brushed to perfection, readers will find much to identify within the midst of a fantastical adventure.

What a delightful book this is. This was the first book I've read in the Spiderwick Chronicles and I quickly found myself immersed in the story of Nicholas Vargas and his sister, Laurie. Add to this Noseeum Jack, a humorous character with a huge walking stick, a sharp machete and lots of advice on tracking giants.

I fell in love with the mischievous and voracious hobgoblin Sandspur and allowed myself to drift away on the magical songs sung by the wise, but tricky, Merpeople. Although Nick seemingly outwits the giants and saves the world at last, as I turn the final page, I wonder whether Nick's triumph will see us well into Book Three. I hope so. I hope to read more of the Spiderwick Chronicles in the coming months.

My 8 year old son & I loved All the Spiderwick books. We were a bit disappointed when the original series ended but this is a nice spin off. Just wish the came faster because we would read a book every 3 days.