Want some easy motivation to get your kids reading more? Try movies based on books, reading the book first!
Reading books that have been adapted into movies or television series can be very motivating! First, read the book, then watch the movie or series. (We know that books and movies both are rewarding but kids *may* think that the movie is the reward.)
Discussing the differences between the book and movie will happen naturally. You might inquire further with questions like these:
- What did the movie change?
- What did the movie leave out or add?
- Which characters were true to the author’s description?
- Was the setting what you imagined? Why or why not?
- Are you glad you saw the movie or do you wish you had skipped it?
- Why do you think that someone picked this book to turn into a movie?
BOOK CLUB IDEA: Recently, my tween’s book club read The Giver and watched the movie. I loved this idea because it gave them a fun activity for their book club meeting, especially for their age group.
BOOK + MOVIE: Below, you’ll find children’s picture books made into movies as well as chapter books made into movies. So, I’ve listed both the BOOK and the MOVIE with the children’s book listed first.
Children’s Picture Books Made Into Movies
BOOK: The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
MOVIE: The Cat in the Hat
BOOK: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrows
MOVIE: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
BOOK: Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey
MOVIE: Curious George
BOOK: Eloise by Kay Thompson
MOVIE: Eloise at the Plaza
BOOK: Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
MOVIE: Hair Love
BOOK: Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
MOVIE: Jumanji
BOOK: Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
NETFLIX SERIES: Llama Llama
BOOK: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
MOVIE: The Lorax
BOOK: Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
MOVIE: Madeline cartoon
BOOK: Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Meltzer
TV SHOW: Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
BOOK: Paddington Treasury by Michael Bond
MOVIE: Paddington
BOOK: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
MOVIE: Polar Express
BOOK: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
MOVIE: Where the Wild Things Are
Chapter Books Adapted Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 – 12
Many wonderful chapter books have been adapted into movies. It’s quite interesting to compare the differences and similarities and a great thinking exercise.
Honestly, it’s impressive how well-done most of these adaptations are. You’re going to love watching them!
Read the chapter book which is listed first. Then, decide if you want to watch the movie listed second.
Do you have any favorite adaptations? How about your kids?
Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: A – I
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Louis Carroll
Alice in Wonderland live action or Alice in Wonderland cartoon
American Girl of the Year books
America Girl movies
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Anne with an E (Netflix series)
The Baby Sitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin
Baby Sitter’s Club
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Because of Winn-Dixie
The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
The Black Stallion
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Book Thief
The Borrowers by Mary Norton
The Borrowers
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Bridge to Terabithia
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Call of the Wild
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Charlotte’s Web
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
The Chronicles of Narnia
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Coraline
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ella Enchanted
Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer
Enola Holmes
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver
The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
The Golden Compass
Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky
Legends of the Guardians
Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: H – P
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Harriet the Spy
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter
Hotel for Dogs by Lois Duncan
Hotel for Dogs
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
How to Train Your Dragon
The Incredible Journey: A Tale of Three Animals by Sheila Branford
The Incredible Journey
Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
Indian in the Cupboard
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Inkheart
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
Hugo
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
James and the Giant Peach
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer by Megan McDonald
Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
The Jungle Book
The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
The Last Kids on Earth (Netflix series)
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Little Princess
Little Women by Louise May Alcott
Little Women
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
The Secret of NIMH
Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
Nancy Drew
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
Nim’s Island
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Peter Pan cartoon or Peter Pan live action
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi Longstocking
The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
Princess Diaries
Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: R – Z
Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Ramona and Beezus
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicker
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Stuart Little by E. B. White
Stuart Little
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
The Swiss Family Robinson
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
The Tale of Despereaux
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Peter Rabbit
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Tuck Everlasting
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Wizard of Oz
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
A Wrinkle in Time
YA Books Adapted Into Movies For Kids Ages 13+
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The City of Ember
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Divergent
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Everything, Everything
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Fault in Our Stars
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Twilight
The Maze Runner by James Dasher
The Maze Runner
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
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Best Audiobooks for Families (That Both Boys and Girls Will Enjoy)
Best Coloring Books Based on Children’s Books
EPIC! Children’s EBook Subscription for Kids Ages 12 and Under
