The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell
Acceptable with guidance. Age: 9+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
A fast fairy-tale mashup with real sibling loyalty and a family still grieving a father. The virtue is secular: courage and kindness without any reference to God or grace. The magic is Oz-mode wonder, not occult practice; the witch is a villain, not a role model. The reservation: the Evil Queen's cruelty is excused by old heartbreak, and affairs sit in the backstory of a book for eight-year-olds.
For parents
Read-aloud from 7, independent reading from 9. Fine for Catholic kids with a parent nearby. Ask: does a sad past make the Queen's choices right? Where does real forgiveness come from? Note for the series: the later prequel books introduce an openly gay character and a gay allegory; Lumen reviews each volume separately.