100 Best Movies Based on Books (for Kids)

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Want some easy motivation to get your kids reading more? Try movies based on books! Read the book before the movie or afterward, and use these books made into movies to inspire more reading! This has helped many reluctant readers I’ve taught –including my own two kids.

Note: I keep this list updated on a monthly basis so the newest shows and movies get added! (Last updated: November 2023.)

Movies Based on Books (for Kids)

Reading books that are movies or have been adapted into a 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 the movie will happen naturally. You might inquire further with questions like these:

  • What did the book to movie adaptation change?
  • What did the book movie leave out or add anything?
  • Which characters were true to the author’s original 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 someone picked this book to turn into a movie?
  • What makes for great movies, particularly movies based on books?
  • Which was better? The old novel vs. book debate can get kids really discussing — and learning how to back up their opinions with evidence and examples.

BOOK CLUB IDEA: Recently, my tween’s mother-daughter 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.

Movies Based on Books (for Kids)

BOOK + MOVIE: Below, you’ll find children’s picture books made into movies as well as chapter and middle grade books made into movies. So, I’ve listed both the BOOK and the MOVIE with the children’s book listed first.

Where to Watch the Movies

  1. Amazon Prime Video
  2. Netflix
  3. Disney+
  4. Hulu
  5. HBO Max
  6. Peacock TV

Where to Find the Books for Kids

  1. Amazon
  2. Local independent bookstore
  3. Barnes and Noble
  4. Local library
  5. Audible (yes, audiobooks count as reading!)

SHOP THE BOOKS ON THIS BOOKLIST

Movies Based on Books: Children’s Picture Books

What are good movies based on books that did a good job with the source material? This recommended movie and show list based on picture books is worth watching because these books turned into movies will hook you into the story!

Nothing is better than hooking kids on a good book, a book series, or a favorite character. If a movie based on books does that, then the movie is a success in my mind. If a book movie gets your child interested in reading the book, that’s wonderful, too. So no matter the order, whether you watch the movie or read the book, keep in mind the ultimate goal: to get kids reading more.

Movies Based on Books (for Kids)
Movies Based on Books (for Kids)

BOOK: The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
MOVIE: The Cat in the Hat 

picture book adapted into a movie

BOOK: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrows
MOVIE: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

picture book adapted into a movie
Movies Based on Books (for Kids)

BOOK: Curious George by Margret and H.A. Rey
MOVIE: Curious George

picture book adapted into a movie

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

Movies Based on Books (for Kids)

BOOK: The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
MOVIE: The Lorax

BOOK: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber
MOVIE: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile

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

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Movies Based on Books for Kids Ages 8 – 12

SHOP THIS BOOKLIST

More movies based on books, children’s books, have their origins with excellent chapter books and middle grade books. When these books are adapted into movies it’s interesting to compare the differences and similarities between the book vs. the movie. Plus, it’s an opportunity for kids to consider the success of the film adaptation. How well did the movie stay to the source material? Did the characters look how you imagined? There’s a lot to consider!

I’m happy to report that most of these book to movie adaptations are excellent. You’re going to love watching the movies based on books listed below!

My suggestion is to read the children’s book first. Then, decide if you want to watch the movie — and ponder how a screenwriter and filmmaker adapted the book into a movie. You can use the pairing of a book turned into a movie to motivate readers, as a reward at the end of a book unit in the classroom, or as a fun family activity.

However, if your child or student is a struggling reader, sometimes it’s better to watch the movie first. Why? Because in watching the movie, you’re providing background knowledge. This helps the struggling reader better comprehend the book. After watching the books turned into movies, they’ll know what to expect, which helps comprehension.

Movies based on books

Books made into movies often leave out beloved details from the texts– or even make big changes to the plot and characters. What will your young readers think if that happens in the book movie you choose? For me, it either annoys me or makes me sad. But that’s not always true for everyone.

Do you have a favorite book to movie adaptation? How about your kids? Do you think the book is always better?

Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: A – I

Find movies based on books with the titles from A to I.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland    Alice in Wonderland movie
BOOK: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Louis Carroll
MOVIE: Alice in Wonderland or Alice in Wonderland cartoon

Saige American Girl  American Girl movies
BOOK: American Girl of the Year books
MOVIE: America Girl movies


BOOK: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
MOVIE: Anne with an E (Netflix series)

BOOK: Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
MOVIE: Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret

The Baby Sitters Club #1   Baby Sitter's Club
BOOK: The Baby Sitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin
MOVIE: Baby Sitter’s Club

BOOK: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
MOVIE: The Bad Guys

Winn Dixie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8  Because of Winn Dixie movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8
BOOK: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Because of Winn-Dixie


BOOK: The BFG by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: The BFG

The Black Stallion   Black Stallion
BOOK: The Black Stallion by Walter Farley
MOVIE: The Black Stallion

the Book Thief bk  the Book Thief movie
BOOK: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
MOVIE: The Book Thief

The Borrowers book    The Borrowers
BOOK: The Borrowers by Mary Norton
MOVIE: The Borrowers

Bridge to Terabithia   Bridge to Terabithia movie
BOOK: Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
MOVIE: Bridge to Terabithia


BOOK: Call of the Wild by Jack London
MOVIE: Call of the Wild

BOOK: Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
MOVIE: Catherine Called Birdy

Charlotte's Web Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8  Charlotte's Web movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8
BOOK: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
MOVIE: Charlotte’s Web

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book   Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
BOOK: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Narnia  Chronicles of Narnia movie
BOOK: The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
MOVIE: The Chronicles of Narnia

Coraline  Coraline movie
BOOK: Coraline by Neil Gaiman
MOVIE: Coraline

diary  Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie
BOOK: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
MOVIE: The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Ella Enchanted Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Ella Enchanted movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
MOVIE: Ella Enchanted

BOOK: Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer
MOVIE: Enola Holmes on Netflix

Fantastic Mr. Fox   Fantastic Mr Fox
BOOK: Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Giver   GIver
BOOK: The Giver by Lois Lowry
MOVIE: The Giver

Golden Comopass book  The Golden Compass movie
BOOK: The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
MOVIE: The Golden Compass

guardians of ga'hoole Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Legends of the Guardians Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky
MOVIE: Legends of the Guardians

Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: H – P

Keep searching for good movies based on books with titles from H to P.

Books turned into movies!

Harriet the Spy Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12   Harriet the Spy movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
MOVIE: Harriet the Spy

Harry Potter and the Sorcer's Stone Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
MOVIE: Harry Potter

Holes by Louis Sachar Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12   Holes Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Holes by Louise Sachar
MOVIE: Holes

Hoot book Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Hoot movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
MOVIE: Hoot

Hotel for Dogs Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12    hotel for dogs movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Hotel for Dogs by Lois Duncan
MOVIE: Hotel for Dogs

How to Train Your Dragon Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12    How to Train Your Dragon movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
MOVIE: How to Train Your Dragon

The Incredible Journey- A Tale of Three Animals by Sheila Burnford   The Incredible Journey
BOOK: The Incredible Journey: A Tale of Three Animals by Sheila Branford
MOVIE: The Incredible Journey

The Indian in the Cupboard Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12   INdian in the Cupboard movie
BOOK: Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
MOVIE: Indian in the Cupboard

Ink heart book Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Inkheart
BOOK: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
MOVIE: Inkheart

The Invention of Hgo Cabret  HUGO movie
BOOK: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
MOVIE: Hugo

BOOK: Ivy and Bean by Annie Barrows
MOVIE: Ivy and Bean

James and the Giant Peach book Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8   James and the Giant Peach Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8
BOOK: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: James and the Giant Peach

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer bk Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12   Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer
BOOK: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer by Megan McDonald
MOVIE: Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer


BOOK: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
MOVIE: The Jungle Book

the last kids on earth
BOOK: The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
MOVIE: The Last Kids on Earth (Netflix series)

A Little Princess  A Little Princess movie
BOOK: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
MOVIE: A Little Princess

Little Women book Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12   Little Women
BOOK: Little Women by Louise May Alcott
MOVIE: Little Women

BOOK: Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud
MOVIE: Lockwood & Co. (Netflix series)

Matilda Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Matilda movie
BOOK: Matilda by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: Matilda

Mr Poppter's Penguins Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12  Mr. Popper's Penguins movie
BOOK: Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater
MOVIE: Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Mrs. Frirsby and the Rats of NIMH Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12    Secret of NIMH Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
MOVIE: The Secret of NIMH

Nancy Drew books Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12    Nancy Drew movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
MOVIE: Nancy Drew

Nim's Island book Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12    Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
MOVIE: Nim’s Island

Percy Jackson book Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12    Percy Jackson movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12
BOOK: Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
MOVIE: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

Peter Pan  peter pan
BOOK: Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
MOVIE: Peter Pan cartoon or Peter Pan live action

Pippi Longstocking Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 8 - 12   Pippi Longstocking movie
BOOK: Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
MOVIE: Pippi Longstocking

Princess Diaries book  Princess Diarieis
BOOK: The Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot
MOVIE: Princess Diaries

Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: R – Z

Rounding out the alphabet, discover good movies based on books with titles starting with the letter R and continuing to the letter Z.

Ramona    Ramona and Beezus
BOOK: Ramona by Beverly Cleary
MOVIE: Ramona and Beezus

The Secret Garden  The Secret Garden movie
BOOK: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
MOVIE: The Secret Garden

Series of Unfortunate Events   A Series of Unfortunate Events movie
BOOK: A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicker
MOVIE: A Series of Unfortunate Events

Spiderwick  Spiderwick Chronicles
BOOK: The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
MOVIE: The Spiderwick Chronicles

Stuart LIttle  Stuart LIttle movie
BOOK: Stuart Little by E. B. White
MOVIE: Stuart Little

Swiss Family Robinson   The Swiss Family Robinson bk
BOOK: The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
MOVIE: The Swiss Family Robinson

BOOK: A Tale of Dark & Grimm by Adam Gidwitz
SHOW: Tales of Dark & Grimm (Netflix)

Tale of Despereaux Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8  Despereaux movie Books Made Into Movies For Kids Ages 4 - 8
BOOK: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
MOVIE: The Tale of Despereaux


BOOK: The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
MOVIE: Peter Rabbit

Tuck Everlasting   Tuck Everlasting movie
BOOK: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
MOVIE: Tuck Everlasting

The Wizard of Oz movie  The Wonderful Wizard of OZ
BOOK: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
MOVIE: The Wizard of Oz


BOOK: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
MOVIE: A Wrinkle in Time

YA Books Adapted Into Movies For Kids, Ages 13+

SHOP THIS BOOKLIST

If your have teens, watching movies based on books might be a good way to connect — whether at home or in the classroom.

The City of Ember  City of Ember
The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
The City of Ember

Divergent  Divergent movie
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Divergent

Journey to the Center of the Earth  Journey to the Center of the Earth
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
Journey to the Center of the Earth

The Hobbit book   The Hobbit movies
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit


Everything, Everything
by Nicola Yoon
Everything, Everything

The Fault in Our Stars books   The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
The Fault in Our Stars

The Hunger Games  Hunger Games
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games

The Lord of the Rings books   The Lord of the Rings
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  Twilight movies
Twilight
by Stephanie Meyer
Twilight

The Maze Runner   The Maze Runner movie
The Maze Runner by James Dasher
The Maze Runner

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants bk   The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by Ann Brashares
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Want some easy motivation to get your kids reading more? Try movies based on books! Read the book first -- or second -- and use the books made into movies to inspire more reading!

What are movies based on novels called?

A movie based on a book is called a film adaptation.

What author has books converted to movies?

J.K. Rowlings is one of the children’s book authors with the most movies based on her books.

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