i would think that this be one of those film whose director hadn not read the book it be base on and be it not for the fact that they be just slightly similar . it be certainly possible for a great film to be base very loosely on a book and this be certainly the latter but not the former . there be a number of flaw . one be that it try to be too much like the railway child and probably because adult would expect this and be from the same author . another be that it also seek to be too like harry potter and down to the music and in overemphasize the setting . i have nothing against j k rowling or the film but the book be just nothing like the harry potter one . i think the psammead and though very well voice by eddie izzard and in character too and be almost gratuitously in a totally inappropriate environment . i may have miss something here and a the comment make about one of the character own book may have be a reference to the inaccuracy of the adaptation . there be also no need for the extra character and and today special effect could easily have be use to tell the story a it be write and but they weren not . i saw this film with my two child and one of whom know the book and the other of whom doesn not . the one who do know it think it be all right but wasn not as enthusiastic a the one who doesn not . i be not sure what this mean .