Alice, in the foreground, and her grandfather in Alice and the Extraordinary World (GKids)

 April and the Extraordinary World is such a treat, a rare delight, one that comes along far too infrequently, particularly in the world of children’s animation. Here you will not find snarky asides and comments meant strictly for adults. There is no bouncy pop tune or zippy soundtrack. It’s simply a beautifully drawn, well-crafted film about a resourceful very smart young girl in search of her family.

I don’t want to give away too much, because there are so many delights to discover, so I’ll stick with the basics. In an alternate universe, in the early 20th century, scientists routinely go missing, resulting in no major discoveries nor an expansion of the Industrial Age… voila, steampunk dystopia. The scientists still around are conscripted by the government, which is involved in an endless war with other countries over forests and coal. Our heroine, April, comes from a family of scientists who have been working for decades to develop the Ultimate Serum, which would provide immortality and destroy all disease. The police raid their lab, and during an escape, her mother and father are killed. April and her grandfather get away, but they go their separate ways.

Lest you think I have already spoiled too much, this all happens within the first 15 minutes. The exposition is so light on its feet that you are actually surprised that it IS exposition. The story proper moves 10 years forward as a 20-year-old April is an orphaned urchin attempting to replicate her parents’ experiment while avoiding exposure to the police. When a young man named Julius saves her after she is caught stealing chemicals, the adventure truly begins.

It’s refreshing to see a heroine who is smart and resourceful and sought after because she is smart and resourceful. And the story squarely focuses on April. And she does science! Which in the real world, is, or should be, no big deal, but in film? And in animated film? It’s enough to have a heroine that isn’t a princess or a tricked-out warrior, but in terms of finding a role model? Smart, determined and resourceful are not bad ways to go. About halfway through, April changes from urchin wear to a dainty dress, thus allowing Julius to see her beauty, which is unfortunate, but April is still in control and not defined by Julius’s growing feelings for her but by her own feelings for Julius. She takes charge in that respect as well.

And the animation. Oh, the animation, beautifully hand drawn and versatile enough to transport us from a grimy, smog laden Paris to a lush tropical jungle. It also conveys characters’ emotions with a few simple drawn lines. It’s something to behold and a reminder that while there are many ways to skin a cat, some ways are better than others.

Even though this is an alternate dystopian future, the message and tone is bright and hopeful: sacrifices are to be made for the greater good. Simply caring about the Earth goes a long way to making it a better place.

If one can pick between the dubbed English version and the original French dialogue, everyone should choose the original for the delightful voice performances of Marion Cotillard in the title role and Jean Rochefort as her grandfather.

This is a perfect film for smart, preteen kids (as well as adults) and a welcome relief from the YA dystopian merry-go-round that Hollywood finds itself in.