I have just finished reading this to my little boy. Having not read it since I was in primary school, I had forgotten how old fashioned a lot of the language and descriptions were. 1 chapter in I thought it might be a bit ambitious for a 5 year old, but to my surprise and joy, he loved it. It really is the sign of a good book when the magic of the story can shine through language decades old. 5 stars from me and Sam!