The Rescuers (1977)

The Rescuers is another great movie from Walt Disney. In it we meet two small mice from the Rescue Aid Society: Belgium’s Miss Bianca and the janitor, Bernard. When a little girl named Penny sends a message in a bottle asking for help it finds its way to the Rescue Aid Society. Miss Bianca asks to take the case and chooses Bernard as her partner, perhaps because he was the only male not clamoring to be a part of her adventure. Bernard is highly superstitious, disliking the number 13 for instance while Miss Bianca is thrilled with the adventure. It is a charming movie, and as a rarity in Disney sequels, the next one The Rescuers Down Under is also a lot of fun. Enjoy them both!

The Swan Maiden by Howard Pyle

The Swan Maiden is another story where the girl has to save the boy, or perhaps mutually save each other might be a more apt description. The youngest King’s son finds out that a beautiful swan has been stealing his father’s golden apples. When he captures the swan, she turns into a beautiful maiden. She tells him that she is being held captive by an evil witch. The Prince goes to save the girl and is given three impossible tasks. The Swan Maiden does them all for him. They then escape and live happily ever after. It has always been one of my favorite fairy tales.

Gods of Egypt (2016)

Gods of Egypt is based very loosely on Egyptian mythology. The original myth tells how Set murdered his brother Osiris and how Horus, Osiris’ son, avenged his death. The movie basically tells the same myth but adds in a couple of mortals that help Horus achieve his goals. Also the gods are a noticeable presence in this world, showing up as giants opposed to the smaller mortals. Some may argue that this movie is too white-washed. I don’t think there are a lot of Middle Eastern people in this movie. But for me, if the acting is good I can still enjoy the movie! Plus I really know very little of the original mythology so I enjoyed this movie.

Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sophie Kelly

Kathleen Paulson is a small town librarian with some quite extraordinary cats. Owen can disappear at will and Hercules can walk through walls. When these two felines discover that their beloved owner is accused of murder, it is up to these four legged fur balls and their clever owner to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The Black Cauldron (1985)

The story is based off the book by Lloyd Alexander of the same name. I have read the first book in the series The Book of Three but never ventured farther into the series. The movie tells of the “Assistant Pig Keeper” Taran and his quest with three misfit friends to outwit the Horned King and prevent him from using the titular Black Cauldron to raise his zombie army. Perhaps not one of Disney’s best movies but still good and worth a second look.

Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

The children seemed to have nothing in common. The noble. The unlucky Trader. The former thief. The girl who could call the lightning. But somehow they all ended up at Winding Circle. Soon they realize why they have been brought to this remote location. They all have magic, and only here at Winding Circle can they learn to use and control it. The four children are forced to create a deep and abiding bond that no one can break in order to survive earthquakes and storms and none of them will ever be the same again. The first in Tamora Pierce’s The Circle of Magic Series.

The Thief of Baghdad (1940)

King Ahamad is tricked out of his kingdom by the evil magician Jafar. He meets a thief named Abu who helps him escape. Along the way of their adventures Ahamad falls in love with the princess. Abu helps him both regain his throne and his chosen love. There are genies, magic jewels, and evil spells. This movie is one of my all time childhood favorites. As an adult I realized how many similarities it had to Disney’s Aladdin. I seriously think the screenwriters of Aladdin either watched this movie or the older, silent one with Douglas Fairbanks that came out in 1924 or perhaps both! (For the record I have never seen Fairbanks’ version). Watch all three and decide what you think!!