E. Nesbitt’s classic Five Children and It was, unfortunately, never added to my repertoire of books. Therefore, I cannot testify to this rendition’s accuracy; however, its’ delightfully fresh atmosphere and storytelling make up for any discrepancies.

Freddie Highmore stars as Robert, the bratty younger brother in a family of five children who, in the midst of a world war, are sent to stay with their eccentric country relatives: their mathematician uncle (Kenneth Branagh) and his monster-obsessed, under-socialized son, Horace. Robert, in particular, causes dissent in the family as he struggles to accept the absence of his pilot-father and resents his older brother Cyril’s new-found authority; while sweet Anthea and Elizabeth are more concerned with keeping peace. Their mysterious new abode, however, holds a promise of excitement, and in a Narnia-like adventure the children discover the old castle’s secret - a hidden passage to a beach inhabited by a mysterious creature. An adorable Jim Henson puppet, this feisty “sand fairy” can grant the children one wish a day.

Each morning becomes a scramble for a wild wish which, they soon learn with disappointment, will only last the day - and rarely turn out quite as they expected. While the children initially use the wishes for selfish means, their focus gradually moves off of themselves and onto the needs of others.

Unlike many of Branagh’s other films, this story contains no adult content. Robert is not unlike Lewis’ Edmund: angry at the situation and missing his father, the boy causes tension among his siblings and frequently mouths off to his Cyril. The children have a hard time accepting their strange cousin Horace, who, isolated from the company of anyone but his eccentric father, performs eerie experiments and ‘surgery’ on plastic dolls in his dungeon laboratory. The one scene in which his cousins finally confront him in his bizarre pursuits could be a little disturbing for younger viewers: having discovered the sand fairy, Horace’s wish for a T-Rex gets a little more out of hand than he expected.

However, the children develop a compassion for their cousin and soon take him under their wing. Likewise, though they initially used the wishes for selfish purposes, they gradually learn to put others’ interests before their own. With a sentimental and fulfilling culmination and captivating performances by a cast of eccentric adults and charming young actors, this is a film that will engage children of all ages.