The Secret World of Arrietty

The series of Borrowers books by British children’s author Mary Norton has been adapted several times for the big and small screen with mixed results.

The material seems to be an ideal fit for the Japanese animation team at Studio Ghibli, which has made The Secret World of Arrietty into a charming adventure tale for kids and adults alike.

The screenplay was adapted by Ghibli co-founder and legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Ponyo), who has plenty of experience with fanciful tales involving mythical creatures and curious young protagonists.

The film follows a 4-inch-tall family known as the Clocks, who live underneath the floorboards of a suburban home with a lush outdoor garden. They survive by sneaking out at night and “borrowing” small items such as sugar cubes from the family who lives above them.

Their anonymity is compromised when Arrietty, the Clocks’ mischievous teenage daughter, is spotted by a precocious human boy visiting the house for the summer. Although the pair strikes an unlikely friendship, the suspicions of the housekeeper pose a threat to the tiny interlopers.

Arrietty is a change of pace in today’s world of frenetic animated films with 3D special effects and computer-animated crispness. Sometimes, however, a more deliberate approach yields greater rewards.

The hand-drawn animation style is delightful, with plenty of sequences set amid the grass and foliage adjacent to the house where the bulk of the story takes place.

The film, which marks the directorial debut of longtime Miyazaki collaborator Hiromasa Yonebayashi, originally was made with Japanese dialogue before being dubbed into English for both British and American audiences.

The American voice cast includes Bridgit Mendler (TV’s “Good Luck Charlie”) in the title role, along with Will Arnett and Amy Poehler as the parents and Carol Burnett as the housekeeper.

The story is modest and the pace is relaxed, without an abundance of traditional heroes and villains and earth-shattering conflict. There are the expected lessons about acceptance and friendship along with advocacy for ecology and protection of endangered species.

It’s a film that hopefully will prove that children these days don’t respond only to bright colors and loud noises, but also to character-driven stories taking them to strange new worlds.

Rated G, 94 minutes.