Discuss the author's declared interest in faeries in the letter at the beginning of the book. Is the author successful in setting up a situation where normal children in a believable situation meet magical faeries?

Discuss Mallory's attitude to the noises she hears in the walls. Does she represent a rational viewpoint to discover what is happening? Is she too violent and insensitive in the situation of finding the creature's nest? Why is this the case?

What qualities distinguish Jared from his siblings? Why is Jared able to find out about the boggart and not Simon or Mallory?

Discuss Arthur Spiderwick and Aunt Lucinda. What information does the book give on Arthur Spiderwick and his Field Guide? What do we know about Aunt Lucinda? Why has she gone mad?

Discuss the old Victorian house. Which areas of it are public and which are private...