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A Very Brave Witch and More Great Halloween Stories for Kids

(Rated NR, Family and kids, Starring Elle Fanning)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Animated Scholastic stories spook preschoolers just a tad.

Themes in this movie include:   honesty

Why We Rated This on for Ages 4 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    "A Very Brave Witch" teaches that assumptions and stereotypes are often wrong when a little witch ventures out to meet some "scary" humans. "Georgie" explores the feeling of being unwanted. "The Three Robbers" subtly explores repentance when the bad guys become good and rescue orphans.

  • Role models:

    Several characters show bravery, empathy, good friendship skills, and smarts, but the characters are not explicitly designed to be role models.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    It's more the concept of witches and ghosts that provides the fright in these stories rather than any specific scary event. In "A Dark, Dark Tale" viewers are led through a spooky house by a deep-voiced narrator who builds tension with each step until the climax -- a mouse hiding in a box! "The Three Robbers" briefly shows an ax and some threatening behavior with a "blunderbuss."
 

What Parents Need to Know

About A Very Brave Witch and More Great Halloween Stories for Kids

Parents need to know that spooky music and exaggerated voices are the only potentially frightening elements of this Halloween-themed collection of short films. Witches, ghosts, and robbers all make appearances, and while their presence might raise tensions for the youngest children, nothing truly scary happens.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about real and pretend. What kinds of characters in the movies are real and which are pretend?
  • Why do people dress up on Halloween and other occasions?
  • Which story was your favorite, and why?
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