By Janeen Lewis | Contributor
Pairing books with movies is an easy way to keep kids reading during summer when learning losses can occur. While parents usually want their children to limit screen time, the silver screen may be the exception that encourages kids to read. This summer, make movies, and the books that inspire them, the double feature that hooks kids on books.
Here is a list of 65 books in a variety of genres that have been made into movies for kids of all ages. Many of the movies that go with these books can be checked out at the library for free. Fill your bookshelves, pop some corn, and make it a double feature!
Picture books
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
The Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc
Eloise at the Plaza by Kay Thompson
Classics
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
The Wizard of OZ by L. Frank Baum
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
Pipi Longstocking series by Astrid Lindgren
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Realistic Fiction
Call of the Wild by Jack London
Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
Judy Moody Series by Megan McDonald
Holes by Louis Sachar
Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Historical Fiction
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp (the movie is titled The Sound of Music)
American Girl Series by various authors
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Fantasy
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Doctor Dolittle series by Hugh Lofting (the movie is titled Dolittle)
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg
The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Adventure
Paddington Bear Series by Michael Bond
Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
Nancy Drew Series by Carolyn Keene
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
A Series of Unfortunate Eventsseries by Lemony Snicket
Science Fiction
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key
Especially for Teens
Emma by Jane Austen
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
If I Stay by Gayle Forman
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
Janeen Lewis is a mom, freelance writer and teacher who holds a Master’s Degree in Education. Her favorite book/movie pair is Anne of Green Gables.
Book Talk
Watching movies and books hand-in-hand gives parents the opportunity to discuss books with kids. For example, you can ask questions like these:
Which was better, the book or the movie?
What were some differences between the book and the movie?
Did you like the changes?
Did the cast capture the personalities of the characters in the books?
How would you make the book different? How would you make the movie different?
If you could pick any book that wasn’t already a movie, which book would it be and why?
Which actors and actresses would you cast in the movie?
Would you change the beginning, middle, or ending?
