Dipper's and Mabel's Guide to Mystery and Nonstop Fun! is a book "ghost-written" and illustrated by Rob Renzetti and Shane Houghton, and published by Disney Press. The book was published on October 7, 2014.
Want to know the best way to thwart the ghost that haunts your local convenience store? Or how to crack a top secret code? Find out in this jam-packed guide featuring tips, activities, and the show's trademark quirky humor. From Dipper's advice on how to handle the supernatural, to unlocking codes and ciphers, to taking Mabel's fun quizzes, this imaginative guide is sure to be a hit with fans of the show! This hardcover book in the best-selling Guide to Life format features 160 pages of hilarious journal entries, full-color images, and a double-sided pull-out poster!
Additional information[]
Dipper finds an old book in the attic of the Mystery Shack. He thinks it may potentially be cursed but decides to use it anyway to write up information about the mysteries of Gravity Falls, similarly to the journals. Mabel, however, after jumping on Dipper's bed over and over, convinces him to let her write in the book as well. Together they co-write the book, with Dipper's serious and paranoid writing mixing with Mabel's chipper attitude.
On page 9, Soos is compared to "a giant anime panda creature that makes the forests grow and lets you sleep on his tummy," which is a reference to the Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro.
On page 21, Dipper says that you should not say Bill's name three times in a darkened room. This is a reference to the popular legend of Bloody Mary.
On page 79, Dipper talks about the legend of Bloody Murray, another reference to Bloody Mary.
On page 82, Mabel says that her favorite book is "True Vampire Blood: The Diary Journal Chronicles: Sequel Moon Descending." The title is a parody of True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, and the Twilight series.
Shane Houghton giving a quick look of the book
On pages 86-87, in Gideon's letter to Mabel he states that he reads Preacher's Digest. This is a reference to Reader's Digest.
When Gideon signs his letter, he uses a different signature than the one he uses for everything else. This one is not joined and has hearts for dots.
All the first letters on the left side starting from the "H" in "Hello" to "D" in "Dinner" are capitalized, and if you read down it spells out the secret message: "HELP ME ESCAPE OR BE DESTROYED."
On pages 126-127, when Bill is writing, he ends his note by saying "How's Annie?!" This is a reference to the famous ending scene in Twin Peaks, when Dale Cooper repeatedly shouts "How's Annie?"
While the book is credited to have been written by Dipper and Mabel Pines, the actual book was written and illustrated by Shane Houghton and Rob Renzetti, a term known as "ghost-writing." This concept is mentioned in the book as well (p 62).
Series continuity[]
The book was "written" by Dipper and Mabel sometime after "Into the Bunker", as the shapeshifter appears pictured (p. 108)
Dipper references his last encounter with Bill in "Dreamscaperers" (p. 21)
Since Mabel begins to make sock puppets (p. 90), and later on, Bill Cipher writes pages 126-127, the events of "Sock Opera" occurs during this book.
Until the release of Journal 3 in 2016, this was the only Gravity Falls book to be released that contained original material in it as all other books were either retelling of episodes in book or comic format.
This was the first Gravity Falls book to contain a poster.
