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Five Children and It
Adventure, Family, Fantasy
The Psammead is an 'it', an ancient, ill-tempered sand-fairy with a spider-shaped body, bat-like ears, and snail-like eyes. It is grumpy but has the power to grant one wish a day, which must be made before sunset. Five siblings—Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and infant Hilary—encounter It and experience the highs and lows of frivolous wish-making.
View on IMDbAppeals to viewers who enjoy charming literary fantasies about children learning that magical shortcuts bring unexpected complications.
- Tone
- whimsical, playful, warm
- Payoff
- amusement, wonder
- Pacing
- brisk
- Intensity
- gentle
- Structure
- linear
- Themes
- sibling bonds, wish fulfillment, responsibility, childhood imagination
- Setting
- early twentieth century, rural English countryside and family home