Huge List of Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies

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.

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Children’s Picture Books Made Into Movies

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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

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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 BFG by Roald Dahl
The BFG

   
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

   
Holes by Louise Sachar
Holes

  
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Hoot

    
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

  
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Matilda

  
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+

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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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