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

    
BOOK: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Louis Carroll
MOVIE: Alice in Wonderland live-action or Alice in Wonderland cartoon

  
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: The Baby Sitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin
MOVIE: Baby Sitter’s Club

  
BOOK: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Because of Winn-Dixie

BOOK: The BFG by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: The BFG

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

  
BOOK: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
MOVIE: The Book Thief

    
BOOK: The Borrowers by Mary Norton
MOVIE: The Borrowers

   
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

  
BOOK: Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
MOVIE: Charlotte’s Web

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

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

  
BOOK: Coraline by Neil Gaiman
MOVIE: Coraline

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

  
BOOK: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
MOVIE: Ella Enchanted

BOOK: Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer
MOVIE: Enola Holmes

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

   
BOOK: The Giver by Lois Lowry
MOVIE: The Giver

  
BOOK: The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman
MOVIE: The Golden Compass

 
BOOK: Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky
MOVIE: Legends of the Guardians

Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: H – P

   
BOOK: Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
MOVIE: Harriet the Spy

  
BOOK: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
MOVIE: Harry Potter

   
BOOK: Holes by Louise Sachar
MOVIE: Holes

  
BOOK: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
MOVIE: Hoot

    
BOOK: Hotel for Dogs by Lois Duncan
MOVIE: Hotel for Dogs

    
BOOK: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
MOVIE: How to Train Your Dragon

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

   
BOOK: Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
MOVIE: Indian in the Cupboard

  
BOOK: Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
MOVIE: Inkheart

  
BOOK: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
MOVIE: Hugo

   
BOOK: James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: James and the Giant Peach

   
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

BOOK: The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
MOVIE: The Last Kids on Earth (Netflix series)

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

   
BOOK: Little Women by Louise May Alcott
MOVIE: Little Women

  
BOOK: Matilda by Roald Dahl
MOVIE: Matilda

  
BOOK: Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater
MOVIE: Mr. Popper’s Penguins

    
BOOK: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
MOVIE: The Secret of NIMH

    
BOOK: Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene
MOVIE: Nancy Drew

    
BOOK: Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr
MOVIE: Nim’s Island

    
BOOK: Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
MOVIE: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief

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

   
BOOK: Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
MOVIE: Pippi Longstocking

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

Children’s Books Adapted Into Movies: R – Z

    
BOOK: Ramona by Beverly Cleary
MOVIE: Ramona and Beezus

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

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

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

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

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

  
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

   
BOOK: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
MOVIE: Tuck Everlasting

  
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+

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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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published: 2019
updated: 11/2022