Books Adapted For The Screen
Read It First, Then Watch It Together
Every great film started somewhere. Read the book this week, watch the movie this weekend, and let the discussion about which was better last all summer.
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Ages 3 – 7
Short Chapters, Big Feelings: Perfect For Reading Aloud Before Movie Night
The BFG
Roald Dahl · Film · 2016 · PG
Roald Dahl’s gentle giant brought to life by Spielberg. Read the book first, and then see how close your kids imagined him.
Charlotte’s Web
E.B. White · Film · 2006 · G
The friendship between a pig and a spider. A gentle introduction to love, loss, and loyalty that stays with kids for life.
Matilda
Roald Dahl · Film · 1996 · PG
A girl with extraordinary powers, a monstrous headmistress, and a teacher worth saving. The perfect introduction to wonder and whimsy.
The Jungle Book
Rudyard Kipling · Film · 2016 · PG
Raised by wolves, taught by a bear, hunted by a tiger. The 2016 version is a visual wonder kids and parents will both get lost in.
James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl · Film · 1996 · PG
An orphan, a magic peach, and a transatlantic adventure with the most unlikely crew. Roald Dahl at his most whimsical.
A Little Princess
Frances Hodgson Burnett · Film · 1995 · G
A girl who refuses to stop being a princess no matter what life takes from her. One of the most quietly powerful children’s films ever made.
Ages 8 – 12
Read It Together This Week, Watch It Together This Weekend
Holes
Louis Sachar · Film · 2003 · PG
A summer camp nobody wants to be at, a generational curse, and a kid determined to survive both. One of the best book-to-film adaptations ever made.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Rick Riordan · Series · PG
The Disney+ series finally does the books justice. Read ahead, watch together, argue about who’s right. It’s all part of the experience.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
Judy Blume · Film · 2023 · PG-13
Judy Blume’s landmark novel finally gets the film it deserves. A mother-daughter watch, and a conversation starter for the whole family.
The Witches
Roald Dahl · Film · 2020 · PG
A boy, his grandmother, and a hotel full of disguised witches planning something terrible. Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch is exactly as terrifying as the book promised.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney · Film series · PG
Kids who resist reading will race through this. The Disney+ films are a reward, not a shortcut.
Bridge to Terabithia
Katherine Paterson · Film · 2007 · PG
A summer friendship, an imaginary kingdom, and a story kids carry with them for life. Prepare to talk about it afterward.
Ages 13 – 18
Stories With Weight: The Summers That Turned Teens Into Young Adults
The Giver
Lois Lowry · Film · 2014 · PG-13
A world without pain, without color, without choice. One of the great “what would you do?” books.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky · Film · 2012 · PG-13
A freshman navigating high school, trauma, and friendship. The author directed the film himself, giving readers and viewers a rare case where both versions are equally true.
The Princess Bride
William Goldman · Film · 1987 · PG
A story within a story about a grandfather reading to his sick grandson. Read it first, and then the film becomes a memorable viewing experience.
The Secret Life of Bees
Sue Monk Kidd · Film · 2008 · PG-13
A 14-year-old girl, a summer in South Carolina, and a family of women who change everything she thought she knew. One of the most important reads for this age group.
The Kite Runner
Khaled Hosseini · Film · 2007 · PG-13
Friendship, betrayal, and redemption across generations. A book that demands to be discussed and a film that honors it without flinching.
Speak
Laurie Halse Anderson · Film · 2004 · PG-13
Laurie Halse Anderson’s landmark YA novel given a faithful adaptation. Difficult, necessary, and one of the most important books a teenager can read.
Summer Camp
Screen time isn’t the enemy. Disconnected screen time is. Discover the films, shows, books, and games worth experiencing together this summer, sorted by age.
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