THIS week's third animated feature is aimed at youngsters who have grown up with Klaus Baumgart's best-selling children's books.

First published in 1996, the charming series has sold more than two million copies worldwide and has been translated into 25 languages.

Co-directed by Thilo Graf Rothkirch and Piet De Rycker, who made The Little Polar Bear, Laura's Star is an equally endearing tale of friendship and bravery.

Seven-year-old Laura (voiced by Hooton) loves to imagine herself travelling through deepest space in her cardboard rocket.

Her fantasies among the brightest stars are a retreat from reality and the upset of moving to a new apartment in a new city with her mother (Vere), father (Saich), younger brother Tommy (Da Silva) and the pet cat.

Laura desperately misses her old neighbourhood and staunchly refuses to make new friends with the local kids, including the boy next door, Max (Thomas-Davis) and his mischievous Robot Cat.

Instead, she spends hours with Tommy or sits alone staring up at the heavens.

One night, as she sits up on the roof deck admiring the moonlit sky, Laura notices a shooting star fall into a nearby park, leaving behind a trail of shimmering meteor dust.

Following the trail, Laura discovers the crash-landed star, which has been hurt: one of its points has broken off.

And so the little girl uses a plaster to mend the star, which rewards Laura by sprinkling her stuffed toys with stardust and bringing Minnie-Rabbit (Reinl) and Bear (Nontschew) to life.

Laura eventually shares her magical discovery with her brother Tommy, who brings his wooden dog on wheels to life.

The star and Laura embark on exciting adventures together, including helping her cellist mother retrieve her missing bow.

However, the star's power begins to wane and Laura realises that she must let her best friend go so it can float back into space and regain its former glory.

Laura's Star is sweet without being too cloying, hammering home key messages about self-sacrifice, helping others, loving your family and teamwork.

Aimed at pre-teens, the pace throughout is gentle, with nothing too scary or unsettling, and the largely hand-drawn animation is colourful.

Hans Zimmer's twinkly orchestral score is nicely complemented by two upbeat tracks entitled Stay and Touch The Sky.