It seems somehow cheapening to call this story a cute little kids book, but I can't help my impressions. I have a feeling I would have adored it about 17 years ago. It was still a good read and the story was nicely done and the characters were well-drawn. But it was definitely a kids book.
So while I don't fault it for not being anything more than a well-told story in the children's fantasy section, it also wasn't one of those kids/YA books that you can come back to again and again no matter how old you are. If I stumble across the sequels, I will probably give them a try, but I'm not sure if I'll seek them out. On the other hand, if I meet a 9 year old girl in need of a "Girls who do stuff!" story, this is one of the first I will reach for.