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 more than 70 books in a variety of genres that have been made into movies or streamable shows 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!
Note: Some pairings were cut for space. Find the full list on chesapeakefamily.com.
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
- “Orion and the Dark,” by Emma Yarlett
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
- “Frog and Toad Are Friends,” by Arnold Lobel
- “Snow White,” by Brothers Grimm
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
- Geek Girl series, by Holly Smale
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 (“Wonka” is the newest movie adaptation.)
- “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
- “American Born Chinese,” by Gene Luen Yang
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 Events series, by Lemony Snicket
- “Dog Man,” by Dav Pilkey
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
Book Talk
Watching movies and books together 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?
Janeen Lewis is a mom, freelance writer and teacher who holds a master’s degree in education. Her favorite book/movie duo is “Because of Winn Dixie.”
