🌲🐦‍⬛ LAIKA’S WILDWOOD IS HERE!

5 days ago

2 min read

(Not a craft post, but a awarness one since I'm from Portland)

Living in Portland, Oregon, you can’t really escape the Wildwood excitement! Between the giant painted crows around town (shoutout to the Portland artist who brought them to life—even if I wish there were more diverse artists getting that spotlight! Always the same artist), the local buzz has been hard to miss.

Now that the movie is out, I finally have something to say as a Portland parent! 😊❤️

First, the magical world and visuals are fun to experience, but parents, here’s a little heads-up if you’re planning to watch Wildwood with your kids and haven’t read the books.

⚠️ A few themes worth talking about: (no spoilers here, just information)

Gun violence: There’s a scene where a character sh00ts a bird with a gun, and characters carry weap0ns. With school sh00tings hitting close to home in Oregon, this theme may feel especially unsettling for some families in 2026.
The sleeping tea: A character puts sleeping tea in someone’s drink with good intentions. This is a great opportunity to talk with kids about consent, listening to parents and trusted adults, and why secretly giving someone something to make them sleep is not okay—even when someone thinks they’re helping.
The Elder’s slap: There’s a moment played for humor, almost like a “snap out of it!” joke. It was funny in context, but it could also open a conversation about physical boundaries and how we respond when someone is struggling.
War, grief, and a baby’s sacrifice: The story explores some heavy themes involving war, profound grief, and a character considering a drastic sacrifice. Younger viewers may have questions about loss, why people make painful choices, and how grief can affect us.
My parent take: These aren’t necessarily reasons to skip the movie! They’re just reminders that animated films can carry some surprisingly grown-up themes. Every child is different, and sometimes a little conversation afterward makes all the difference. Sometimes kids surprise us with what they can handle—and sometimes they close their eyes because a scene is just too much, whether it’s scary, sad, or a little too romantic for their comfort. 😂