I read this book on a whim, mostly surprised to learn that there was a book before either of the movies were made. I, like most children of the 80s, saw Disney’s 1975 Escape to Witch Mountain multiple times when I was growing up. A childhood favorite. I saw the 2009 Race to Witch Mountain with my own children. When I learned that there was a book, I had to read it. Just to see which movie was more true to the book, and to see how the original story was told.
Not surprisingly, I really enjoyed the book. I read it in an afternoon when not feeling well, so didn’t have anything to really interrupt me. The story is closer to the 1975 movie, but there are huge changes (nothing surprising about that considering Hollywood’s record in movie adaptations). Most notably, Tony and Tia are in the foster care system in the book, Tia can’t speak (kind of), and Jason O’Day is a pastor the children are already familiar with.
The book is a fast-paced read, which is great for younger readers that aren’t interested in loads of detailed imagery. I think my kids will really enjoy having this read aloud to them during family reading time. I’m glad I bought it, instead of just borrowing it from the library. There is some environmentalism in it, but it’s not heavy handed and doesn’t detract from the story. I whole-heartedly recommend this to parents looking for a fun science fiction story for their children. It’s very clean, no profanity, very little violence, lots of cute animals. Kids will enjoy it, as will most adults.
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