After a busy week we all like to snuggle down with popcorn and watch a good movie, and what makes a better movie than one that was based on a book!
It is a common difficulty to get kids of a certain age to like reading. But I have found that having a movie that ties in with a book can be a spark for the imagination. Suddenly the book is not so intimidating, or boring. However sometimes the movie is very different from the book. (How to train your Dragon, anyone?) This can give us wonderful opportunity for discussion.
What did we like about each format?
Why do you think the change was made between the two?
Do you have a preference between the book or the movie?
It’s ok to like both equally, even though they are different. Some of my favourite movies are so different from the book that it’s hard to believe that they started off as the same story. I have been thinking lately about which books in our library have companion movies. It turns out there are A LOT of them.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it came largely from a brilliant website called: https://childhood101.com/teen-books-movies/
I’ll start with a list of Young Adult and older kids books that have been made into movies. If you are more the Curious George set, I’ve got you covered too, just keep scrolling.
Teen and Older Kid Books
Holes : Stanley Yelnats is fighting his family’s generational curse of being the bad kid when sentenced to dig holes at a boy’s detention camp. Stanley then discovers the warden has a reason for all these holes, he’s trying to find something…but Stanley is on to him!
Hoot : Roy is the new kid in town and it’s hard enough trying to make friends but now he will learn a lesson in standing up for what is right as well as he helps his new friends stop a pancake house being built on land that is home to a colony of endangered owls.
The Chronicles of Narnia : Four siblings journey through the back of a wardrobe to a magical world cursed with an eternal winter, where they encounter an evil snow witch, make new friends, meet a majestic king and learn important lessons about courage, honour and loyalty.
How to eat fried Worms : Billy is a normal kid with no money who wants a new minibike. To earn the money his friend Alan bets Billy $50 that he can’t eat 15 worms in 15 days. Billy and his friend Joe get creative with ways to prepare the worms so they’re more edible- boiled, fried, topped with ketchup, mustard, horseradish, even whipped cream!
Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events : A trio of young orphans face down just about everything that could go wrong for a group of kids. From losing their parents to fighting bad guys (including their mysterious and ruthless Count Olaf), they defy death and more to overcome a truly horrible series of unfortunate events.
A Wrinkle in Time : When a mother and her two children come down for a late-night snack and find a stranger speaking of tesseracts that allow travel through space and time, it stirs up memories of the children’s father and his disappearance, and sets them on a journey to find him.
Bridge to Terabithia : Unlikely friends Jess and Leslie love to play in their amazing enchanted world in the woods called Terabithia. When tragedy strikes, Jess is heartbroken and must learn to deal with his grief, thanks to the support of his family and the lessons his friend left with him.
Coraline : A young girl explores her new home while her parents work, only to discover a secret, alternative world complete with a new set of parents. Not everything is as it seems though with a spooky turn of events that leave Coraline to make an important choice.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children : A teenage boy is sent to a relative’s home on an island after a family tragedy. When he discovers an abandoned orphanage he also discovers that the children that have lived there were more than a bit different, and potentially dangerous and that they may in fact still be alive.
Wonder : Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school – and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted – but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, behind his terrible facial abnormality?
Little Women : A classic tale exploring the lives of four very different sisters growing up in the late 1800s as they each discover their own sense of self, the importance of family and friends, and their place within their community and the wider world, all while wondering if their father will return safely home from war.
The City of Ember : The lights of the City of Ember are said to provide the last place safe for the human race, however after centuries of use the embers are starting to dim. When Lina finds an ancient message, she’s sure it holds a secret that will save the city, but first she and her friend Doon must race to figure out the clues that will stop the lights burning out and keep the darkness away.
The Neverending Story : Bastian finds an old book called The Never-ending Story and, as he reads, Bastian discovers himself as an actual character in the book! He discovers the magical land in the book, Fantastica, is in grave danger and that he is the only one who can save it.
Eragon : Eragon believes he’s just a poor boy living on a farm until he discovers that he’s actually the last of the Dragon Riders. With only a sword, a fiercely loyal dragon, and the wise words from a friend he begins his journey as one fated to play an essential role in an upcoming war – along the way enduring perilous travels, sudden battles, capture and escape.
The Golden Compass : Lyra is a strong, young girl from a world that feels very familiar but is also very different from our own. Hers is a world of magic, where each person is paired with a “daemon”, an animal connected to them. But Lyra must journey to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule to save her friend, Roger, who has been stolen by the evil Gobblers for sinister purposes.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants : As a group of four 16-year-old girls face their first summer apart, they promise to rotate a pair of seemingly magical jeans among them, at the summer’s end sharing their favourite adventure while wearing the pants. The jeans travel the world, tying together the four girls as they discover their own strength in the face of new love, unexpected friendships, a father’s remarriage and more.
The Giver : Twelve year old Jonas finds nothing odd about his colorless world of conformity and contentment, until he receives his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory. As he learns more about the world through the memories he realizes there are dark secrets deciding the fate of the community.
The Kite Runner : The unforgettable story of a wealthy Afghastianian boy and his friendship with his servants’ son in a dangerous time. When an event changes the lives of both boys forever, wealthy Amir learns the importance of loyalty, redemption, and education.
the Boy in Striped Pajamas : Set during World War II in Germany, Bruno moves with his family to a new location for his father’s work. Bruno, bored with his surroundings, finds a friend but his new friend is separated by a fence and he just doesn’t understand why. The forbidden friendship has startling consequences for Bruno and his family.
The Hobbit : The tale of a place called Middle-Earth where elves, humans, orcs, and dwarfs are at war for their homes and treasures. Bilbo Baggins is a comfort loving hobbit who finds himself on the wrong end of adventure when recruited to help a family of dwarves raid the home of a dragon.
The Lord of the Rings : Join Frodo Baggins as he gathers together a courageous band representing the different races of Middle-Earth for a journey to destroy the legendary One Ring and stop an evil rulet. The fellowship is broken as the true battle for Middle-Earth begins… who will survive.
The Maze Runner : Thomas remembers only his name as he wakes inside a lift that takes him up to meet a group of boys who also only know their names. They have formed a community within the confine of the highwalls. What faces them on the outside – death, monsters, and more, they know little of. All they know is they have to survive somehow.
Divergent : In a futuristic Chicago it comes time for Beatrice to decide her faction. Should she stick with that destined by her family or choose a new destiny. When the results of her choice aren’t quite what she planned, Beatrice finds herself on the run to hide a secret. Ultimately she must decide – stay and endanger her family or unleash the truth and endanger her new friends.
The Book Thief : When a small, lost and broken German girl living through war learns to read, and love and treasure books, she finds comfort and strength between their pages and shares this comfort with those she shelters with.
The Hate You Give : Starr moves freely between her poor neighbourhood and the rich prep-school she attends, until the night her whole world is shattered when a police officer kills her best friend. Starr is the only one who really knows what happened that night and the information she holds could not only destroy her community but also put her whole family at risk.
The Hunger Games : Panem is a nation divided into districts, those districts must fight to the death yearly for supplies to survive. But this year it all changes when an older sister volunteers to save her younger sister from being a part of the Hunger Games. Katniss becomes a beloved star in the Capitol, finding allies and making plenty of enemies along the way.
If I Stay : 17 year old Mia has no memory of the accident, only recalling driving along the snow covered Oregon road with her family. Then she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck. With her whole family gone Mia must make a choice – does she stay or does she go?
The Fault in our Stars : When Hazel finds that her tumor has shrunken it gives her parents hope, but Hazel isn’t so sure. She’s accepted her diagnosis no matter how grim until Augustus Waters appears at her Cancer Support Group, now Hazel must rethink the ending of her story.
Romeo and Juliet : A town divided into two families, but the teens from both families have a secret affair and are pried apart and sworn never to see each other. How will they survive without the other, what secret plans will they make to see each other?
To Kill a Mockingbird : Based in the 1930s, a tale of the unjust and cruel things people faced and put others through. A young girl watches as her lawyer father puts it all on the line to defend a young black man in the south during these times when that’s unheard of.
The Boy who Harnessed the Wind : After drought causes his family to lose all of their crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and no income, a young boy is determined to find a way to fix the situation. After searching for a solution in his village library, William builds a windmill from scrap parts, bringing electricity to his village and it, so much more.
Hidden Figures : Before man walked on the moon, a group of dedicated four female NASA mathematicians known as human computers used pencils, rulers and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets and astronauts into space. This is their story.
Lion : Five year old Saroo lived in a poor village in India, in a one-room hut with his mother and three siblings, until the day he boarded a train alone and got lost. For twenty-five years. In those years Saroo went from the streets of Calcutta all the way across the world to Tasmania. And then he found his way back home again.
Younger kids Books
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland : When Alice spies a little white rabbit who is very much in a hurry she follows him and finds herself in the magical land of Wonderland on an odd adventure with a cast of strange characters, including Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Red Queen.
Where the Wild Things Are : Follow Max on his adventure in his beloved wolf suit! Off to faraway islands where he finds a group of Wild Things who call him King. Together they cause havoc until Max smells something wonderful calling him back home.
Peter Rabbit : The tale of a very mischievous rabbit who finds his way into trouble in the gardens of Mr. McGregor who hates animals raiding his vegetables!
The Gruffalo : A mouse who faces being eaten by a range of forest foes invents a creature that is sure to strike fear in anyone – but little does the little mouse know, that the Gruffalo actually exists!
Horton Hears a Who : The classic tale of Horton, a pretty large elephant, who swears he hears the smallest of voices on a flower calling for help… but no one else believes him. Horton sets out to help the voices he hears.
The Cat in the Hat : When a brother and sister are stuck inside on a rainy day, the Cat in the Hat appears to add fun to the day, and in the process makes a huge mess. With mother on her way home soon the children despair – how will they clean ever it all up in time?
Curious George : A young monkey named George is taken from the jungle by the man in the yellow hat and starts a new life in the city. George however is a curious little one and gets into trouble just by being curious. Follow the pair along with all their misadventures.
Ella Enchanted : A new take on the tale of Cinderella, Ella is a girl who is cursed with the gift of obedience. After losing her mother, her father weds again and Ella is determined to survive both her new step-mother and her horrible step-sisters but tired of being taken advantage of, Ella sets out to break the curse that binds her.
The Lorax : A classic story from Dr. Seuss about The Lorax, a creature who speaks for the trees when their environment is threatened, reminding us all of the importance of speaking up for those that can’t speak for themselves.
Madeline : Madeline lives in the beautiful city of Paris. She has no fear and is always the first to try to save the day with her kind words and actions, jumping into action when a friend falls ill and must go to hospital.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs : What if it was raining spaghetti noodles instead of rain! Listen to the tale a grandfather tells his grandchildren of a town where food rains from the sky.
Mary Poppins : When the East Wind blows the magical Mary Poppins over Cherry Tree Lane and into the lives of the Banks children, life becomes a wonderful adventure.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz : When a young girl named Dorothy finds herself in a strange place after a tornado rips through her home in Kansas she must travel through the land, making friends and dodging a wicked witch, to find a way home.
Peter Pan : When Wendy helps Peter chase down his shadow and reattach it, he offers her and he brothers the adventure of a lifetime – fly with him to his home in Neverland.
The Secret Garden : When Mary comes to live with her great uncle she discovers the gardens are a great place to escape the strange house and its mysterious noises. And then she discovers the key to a locked portion of the garden and then the adventures really begin.
The Borrowers : A family of tiny beings lives behind the walls “borrowing” their household items from the human beans above the floorboards. All is well until one member of the family is spotted upstairs by a human boy. 
Harriet the Spy : Harriet investigates and reports in her journal every day, writing down anything and everything about everyone. When her journal falls into the wrong hands and everyone reads what she has to say about them, life becomes a lot more complicated for Harriet.
The Story of Ferdinand : A friendly bull named Ferdinand is forced back into bullfighting after being free, but makes new friends along the way and teaches them some very important lessons.
A Little Princess : A wealthy, imaginative young girl attends a strict girls boarding school. When her father is assumed dead in the war, Sara struggles as a penniless orphan, moving in to the servant’s quarters at the school. Ultimately Sara proves both resilient and kind to others in the face of her own struggles. 
Diary of a Wimpy Kid : When Greg nervously enters middle school he is happy to have his somewhat daggy best friend by his side. But what happens when his friend becomes more popular than him?
The Tale of Despereaux : The intertwined story of Desperaux Tilling, who loves music, a princess, Miggery Sow, who has just one simple wish, and Roscuro, who just wants a life in the light. Follow the trio as they each find their own way until their stories all combine.
Inkheart : A surprising adventure begins when Meggie’s father is reading a story and the evil character comes to life in their living room. The family must figure out a way to use the same magic that brought evil to their world to overcome and conquer it.
The Invention of Hugo Caberet : Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. Until a mechanical person, a key, notebook, and a hidden message all lead to a much bigger adventure for Hugo.
How to Train your Dragon : Follow the adventures of a Viking boy known as Hiccup as he discovers the world of dragons, and even befriends one and begins to train it so he and his fellow Vikings can ride them. 
Matilda : Matilda faces a whole new set of challenges when her dreadful parents send her off to a school with a horrid principal. Fortunately, a kind teacher takes her under her wing and together they find a way to get our from under those that are confining them.
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day : From starting the day with gum in his hair to just about everything going wrong, Alexander experiences the absolute worst day ever. What do you do on a day like that? Well, you may think about going to Australia, or you may just be glad to find that some days are like that for other people too.
The Jungle Book : Saved from the jaws of the evil tiger Shere Khan, a young man-child, Mowgli, is adopted by a wolf pack and taught the law of the jungle by lovable Baloo the bear and Bhageera the panther.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory : Charlie Bucket is excited to find the last of five golden tickets to tour the famous Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. What he and the four other winners don’t know is that they are about to be taken on the wildest of sweet rides with many important lessons to learn. 
A Bear called Paddington : When the Brown family discover a small bear named Paddington in a train station they are not prepared for the trouble he’d find thanks to his curious nature.
Charlotte’s Web : The story of a runt of the litter piglet named Wilbur, Fern (the girl who saved him), and Charlotte (the spider who weaves words into her webs). Follow the group as they learn about friendship, life, and even death, together.
Stuart Little : A kind couple adopt a sweet, humanlike mouse, who faces danger from the couple’s cat and the disappointment of his new human brother. When two mice show up claiming to be his birth parents, Stuart learns an important lesson about family. A great movie for families, Stuart Little is very different from the likewise wonderful book of the same name.
As I said before, this is by no means an exhaustive list of books with tie in movies in our library. There are many, many more, some obvious (Hello Harry Potter) and some either new (watch for Shadow and Bone) or so old we may have forgotten them (like Where the Red Fern Grows). If you know of any more feel free to mention them, we would love to know your favourites. And check out our free streaming service Kanopy, available to you through our website.
If you want to get reviews before watching with the kids so there are no surprises you will have to unlearn for the next month, I recommend common sense media or plugged in media reviews. Both are very thorough and sensitive to young viewers.
