TV Review: Roxy Hunter and the Secret of the Shaman
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that the main character of this
made-for-TV movie is an opinionated, strong-willed tween whose
determination to solve mysteries often leads her to break rules
(she sneaks out at night and steals a piece of a town monument)
and act disrespectfully to adults and rudely to peers. But
she's also self-reliant and resourceful and has enough
self-esteem to stand by her convictions in the face of
opposition. Suspense is mild enough that it won't bother the
movie's target tween viewers, but two scenes show the supposed
ghost of a young girl, and a few characters wrestle with having
lost loved ones.
Families can talk about how the media portrays tweens in general and girls in particular. What characteristics would you say describe Roxy? Are these positive or negative traits? Would you think the same thing if her character was a boy? Do you think the media gives an accurate view of tween life? In your opinion, which tween characters are more believable than others? Why?
Common Sense Media Review
As she settles into life in Serenity Falls, young gumshoe
Roxy Hunter (
Aria
Wallace) stumbles upon another mystery in need of solving.
A local vagrant (Richard McMillan) is building an unusual
structure in the woods, and Roxy's sense of adventure leads her
to believe that he's a shaman in disguise. She appoints herself
his apprentice, and when a missing piece of the town's new
monument is stolen and turns up among his things, Roxy is the
only one who insists he's innocent. Only with her determination
-- and some impressive detective work from her best friend, Max
(
Demetrius
Joyette) -- can the real culprit be discovered.
There's no doubt that tweens -- especially girls -- will thoroughly enjoy Roxy's adventures. And in many ways, the precocious gumshoe is an appropriate role model for her female tween fans. She's resourceful, self-reliant, determined, and fairly bursting with gumption and self-assurance. Once she takes hold of a cause, she always sees it through to the end, and she's never bothered by negative pressure from peers or adults.
But Roxy's strong-willed personality often leads her to make questionable choices, like sneaking out of the house at night or stealing the crystal from the town's lighthouse. She also turns the tables on irritating peers by playing pranks on them, and she speaks and acts rudely to adults. But in the end, she owns up to her wrongdoings and faces the consequences for them.
For more adventurous tween girls, try Harriet the Spy , The Baby Sitters Club , and Roxy Hunter and the Mystery of the Moody Ghost . Roxy fans may also enjoy the source books by Tracey West.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
