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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
Best: Really engaging, excellent learning approach.
Very Good: Engaging, very good learning approach.
Good: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
Fair: Somewhat engaging, okay learning approach.
Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

All reviews for magic and fantasy & holidays

1,170 results
  • Review
    Beautiful Creatures

    Lush book adaptation mixes romance, fantasy, some violence.
    AGE
    13
     
    Learning
    Select
    (DVD, 2013)
  • Review
    Teacher's Pest: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #3

    Bug-monsters offer light horror hijinks in third volume.
    AGE
    9
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Charles Gilman
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Invisibility

    Mix of brutality and tenderness makes fantasy seem real.
    AGE
    13
     
    Learning
    Select
    By David Levithan, Andrea Cremer
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Cloud Atlas

    Enormous scale and spectacle, but weak characters, story.
    AGE
    15
     
    Learning
    Select
    (DVD, 2013)
  • Review
    A Box of Gargoyles

    Friendship and family in Paris in exciting, creepy sequel.
    AGE
    10
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Anne Nesbet
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    The 13-Story Treehouse

    Madcap mayhem perfect for Big Nate fans.
    AGE
    8
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Andy Griffiths
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Beyblade

    Formulaic toy-inspired series has some good messages, too.
    AGE
    7
     
    Learning
    Select
    (TV, 2013)
  • Review
    Beast Wars: Transformers

    Award-winning '90s series is violent but entertaining.
    AGE
    8
     
    Learning
    Select
    (TV, 2013)
  • Review
    Power Rangers Wild Force

    Rangers and animals team up in solid incarnation.
    AGE
    7
     
    Learning
    Select
    (TV, 2013)
  • Review
    Soul Sacrifice

    Solid action RPG leaks blood at every turn.
    AGE
    17
     
    Learning
    1
    Platforms: PlayStation Vita
    (Game, 2013)
  • Review
    Doll Bones

    Tween tale is both creepy and sweetly poignant.
    AGE
    10
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Holly Black
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    The Lightning Catcher

    Kids battle severe weather in mild, whimsical fantasy.
    AGE
    8
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Anne Cameron
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle

    Wacky, gripping sequel has slapstick, swordplay, sweetness.
    AGE
    8
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Christopher Healy
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs

    Garden fantasy casts a strange spell.
    AGE
    4
     
    Learning
    Select
    By William Joyce
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    The Slither Sisters: Tales from Lovecraft Middle School #2

    Goofy comedy for young boys riffs on horror cliches.
    AGE
    9
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Charles Gilman
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Obsidian Mirror

    Complex time travel page-turner starts sci-fi trilogy.
    AGE
    12
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Catherine Fisher
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Tree Fu Tom

    Magical preschool series with thoughtful physical component.
    AGE
    4
     
    Learning
    Select
    (TV, 2013)
  • Review
    The Elite

    The Selection sequel is more romantic, still superficial.
    AGE
    13
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Kiera Cass
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Dead Island: Riptide

    Gory, bloody zombie shooter sequel with co-op play.
    AGE
    17
     
    Learning
    1
    Platforms: PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
    (Game, 2013)
  • Review
    Star Trek

    So-so sci-fi shooter based on rebooted movie series.
    AGE
    14
     
    Learning
    1
    Platforms: PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360
    (Game, 2013)
  • Review
    The Ability

    Brilliant, thrilling story of kids training in mind control.
    AGE
    9
     
    Learning
    Select
    By M.M. Vaughan
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    House of Secrets

    Page-turner is the perfect campfire tale but can get gory.
    AGE
    9
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Ned Vizzini, Chris Columbus
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Steam Train, Dream Train

    Jolly animals load a train in this dream of a bedtime book.
    AGE
    4
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Tom Lichtenheld, Sherri Duskey Rinker
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Miss Maple's Seeds

    Lyrical fantasy celebrates the magic of seeds and seasons.
    AGE
    3
     
    Learning
    Select
    By Eliza Wheeler
    (Book, 2013)
  • Review
    Hemlock Grove

    High school-set horror series is gory, sexy, and strange.
    AGE
    17
     
    Learning
    Select
    (TV, 2013)