I have 2 daughers, a pre-teen and a teen. They read the book and wanted this movie desperately. I wanted to see what all the hype was about, but being a busy Mom, I didn't have much time to read nor had much leisure time. I borrowed the audio book from the library and listened as I drove around. We bought the DVD from Best Buy and finally watched the movie. No wonder the girls bawled their eyes out. It's a sweet story and age-appropriate for my girls. This is an awesome movie to match the book, and a purchase I don't regret.