Parents' Guide to

Lost and Found

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Picture-book adaptation will delight even youngest kids.

Movie NR 2013 54 minutes
Lost and Found Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 24 parent reviews

Dsj
Dsj Adult
May 22, 2020
age 5+

It’s scary!

There’s a super stormy dark sea with a GIANT octopus that’s comes out of the water, dwarfing the boat
Yarnbird
Yarnbird Adult
May 29, 2020
age 2+

A Wonderful Film!

I love so much about this film! The animation is slow and beautiful. It basically has no dialogue yet it’s such a lovely story to follow. I think it is a great introduction to screen time despite the briefly intense storm and octopus scene. I like the way the scene shows children that something can seem scary but in the end not be scary at all. I simply adore it!
See all 24 parent reviews

What's the Story?

LOST AND FOUND, the animated adaptation of Oliver Jeffers' best-selling picture book, follows a simple story: One day, a boy opens his family's front door and finds a penguin standing there. The boy figures the penguin must be lost, so he sets out to figure out where penguins come from and decides to find a way to transport the penguin back home. Along the way, the boy and the penguin become friends, so when the two set off in a rowboat to the South Pole, it's unclear if that's really what the penguin wants after all.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (24 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Narrated by acclaimed actor Jim Broadbent, this delightful movie is vividly colored and features Jeffers' signature typography in the boy's village. Jeffers' books are all wonderful, but you never know if an adaptation is going to accurately capture what makes a book so memorable. Luckily for fans of Jeffers' picture books, Lost and Found is a lovely little animated adventure about a boy and the penguin that mysteriously shows up on his doorstep one day.

This is ultimately a story about the two main characters' feelings. As in the book, there is no direct dialogue, only narration. This allows the viewer to focus on the boy and the penguin's expressions and gestures and to see how their journey is not simply about getting to the South Pole but about something deeper -- finding a home and a true friend. Short and sweet, this adorable movie will appeal to kids and adults alike.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the message of this story. What does the boy realize when he drops off the penguin at the South Pole?

  • If you could have any animal show up at your door, what would it be? Why would you want to be friends with that animal?

  • Parents and kids, talk about which of your favorite picture books you wish would get turned into a movie.

Movie Details

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