Rating: Not for me

Reading Level: Mid-Elementary

A Japanese fairy tale about a girl who travels to a mysterious town for summer holidays. A more liberal parent might find it entertaining and fun, but my family takes a pass on heavy sorcery unless it illustrates biblical principles (e.g. Lord of the Rings).

Possible Concerns:

  • Sorcery, witchcraft, curses, and spells. All the characters in the village are “sons and daughters of sorcerers.” There is also a witch who places curses on families.
  • Candy from strangers. Not to mention the stranger was a gnome!
  • Paganist explanations for the seasons. Seasons controlled by enchanted furnaces in a house (not by God’s design).

I don’t mind magic and creativity if we can pull biblical principles from it, especially if from another culture. But this one was a little bit too steeped in sorcery/witchcrafty for me, without obvious take-aways.