My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree

Gr 2–5—The "Equestria Girls" films are set in a realm in which versions of the My Little Pony characters exist in human form as high school students. In this installment, main character Twilight Sparkle and her fellow students head to Camp Everfree, run by the preternaturally perky Gloriosa Daisy and her brother, Timber Spruce. Twilight, still reeling from the events of Friendship Games, in which magic allowed her corrupt and evil alter ego, Midnight Sparkle, to take over, is understandably on edge. Things get even odder: Gloriosa seems to be hiding secrets, and Timber tells the campers a frightening tale about the vengeful spirit Gaia Everfree. When Twilight and her friends begin to experience magic abilities, Twilight fears that these capabilities signal danger—and the return of Midnight Sparkle. The Flash-style animation is a little cruder than in other iterations of the franchise, and the story has a fairly predictable climax and resolution, with the girls saving the day and Twilight once again becoming aware of the healing power of friendship. The character design (long legs, flowing tresses, big eyes), wardrobe changes, and romantic subplot (between Twilight and Timber) make this installment, like others in the "Equestria Girls" series, more mainstream and less whimsical than the original My Little Pony TV show, but fans will find the narrative engrossing and will appreciate the heartfelt message and emphasis on friendship.