I loved this book! It was a charming read! It had positive messages about friendship and caring for others! It is not violent. Unless you consider the water horse wrecking a boat and eating some birds very violent. Although, in one part of the book, a heron pecks thw water horse leaving a little bit of blood on its skin. One character says son of a sea cook to replace the b word. One character also offers a wee drum. Besides that, there is nothing very wrong with this book. Kids ages 8 and up should read it.