This is a wonderful book suitable for many age groups.  It's part fairy tale, part fantasy, part action adventure.  The non-stop action made me thankful for the more sedate portions, which were not overdone. It would make a GREAT movie, with the characters rivaling those of the Harry Potter series.  I found myself becoming quite fond of many of the characters, and was sad for the book to end.  Never fear, though, the end leaves room for a sequel.