Whether the source is a picture book or a novel, movie adaptations provide the opportunity for audiences to see the written word brought to life on the big screen through animation, live-action, and everything in between.
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Spanning multiple genres, children’s story adaptations have the opportunity to teach valuable life lessons and themes while still painting an enjoyable experience for all with their PG or G ratings. If you read the original story as a child or discovered it first with your own, seeing these characters brought to life is a movie night worth having.
The Loraxby Dr. Seuss
Film:The Lorax(2012)
Directed by:Chris Renaud
Starring:Danny DeVitoas The Lorax andEd Helmsas The Once-ler
This animated film brought to life Dr. Seuss’s imaginative world about the power of greed and the damage it can do to the environment. Thneedville exists without flowers and trees, and a young boy (Zac Efron) learns the tale of how that came to be as he seeks out a Truffula tree. WithDanny Devito starring as The Lorax,this is a film with built-in star appeal.
Straying away from Seuss’s source material, the 2012 depiction was received better by audiences than critics. For viewers that loved the book, this adaptation may disappoint but still holds onto the important theme of respecting and protecting nature.
The Night at the Museumby Milan Trenc
Film:Night at the Museum(2006)
Directed by:Shawn Levy
Starring:Ben Stilleras Larry Daley andDick Van Dykeas Cecil
A fresh hire, Larry becomes the new security guard for the Museum of Natural History and discovers that the exhibits come to life at night. The original picture book follows the same plot, leaning more heavily on missing dinosaurs than ancient curses, and the original guard named Hector.
Two more movies followed in the franchise. Though the sequels may have fell flat, the original is solid enough to earn a repeat watch with the kids.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballsby Judi Barrett
Film:Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs(2009)
Directed by:Chris Millerand Phil Lord
Starring:Bill Haderas Flint Lockwood andAnna Farisas Sam Sparks
Things go awry when a failed inventor tries to save the town’s food problem by inventing a machine that allows it to fall from the sky. This 2009 animated adaptation of the children’s picture book won over critics and fans despite the differences from book to film.
Fans would get a second filmCloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2in 2013, the plot much different from the original book’s sequelPickles in Pittsburgh. Both audiences and critics would praise the second film, making the series one to add to the family movie night collection.
Where the Wild Things Areby Maurice Sendak
Film:Where the Wild Things Are(2009)
Directed by:Spike Jonze
Starring:Max Recordsas Max andCatherine Keeneras Mom
An escapism story, this film follows a young boy who becomes the leader of the land of Wild Things where it isn’t always easy to be in charge. Following closely to the original story of the hero escaping his home life after misbehaving, fans were not welcoming of the darker tone the film took.
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The beloved picture book still impacts young readers today with a light-hearted approach. While many audiences preferred the book,critics were receptive to the adaptation.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factoryby Roald Dahl
Film:Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory(1971)
Directed by:Mel Stuart
Starring:Gene Wilderas Willy Wonka andPeter Ostrumas Charlie Bucket
Film:Charlie and the Chocolate Factory(2005)
Directed by:Tim Burton
Starring:Johnny Deppas Willy wonka andFreddie Highmoreas Charlie Bucket
Based on the 1964 novel, both films tell the magical story of a young boy winning a ticket to visit the mysterious chocolate factory and meet the chocolatier himself, Willy Wonka.
Both films capture the whimsical and delicious nature of the story. Fans resonated more with the light-hearted nature of Wilder as Wonka than they did Depp’s dark personification.
Mrs. Frisby and the Rates of NIMHby Robert C. O’Brien
Film:The Secret of NIMH(1982)
Directed by:Don Bluth
Starring:Elizabeth Hartmanas Mrs. Brisby andDerek Jacobias Nicodemus
A widowed field mouse with an ailing son, Mrs. Brisby seeks the help of a rat colony to save her family from the farmer before he plows the field. A classic animated tale, this film draws its inspiration from 1971’s children’s novel.
Applauded by viewers and critics alike,the adaptation carries dark, heavy themesbut presents them appropriately for young viewers. This 1980s animated hit is worth the re-watch with the next generation.
James and the Giant Peachby Roald Dahl
Film:James and the Giant Peach(1996)
Directed by:Henry Selick
StarringPaul Terryas James andSusan Sarandonas Spider
Visually dynamic, this adaptation takes viewers on a journey just as magical as reading the book. A young orphan escapes the dismal life of living with his aunts by traveling to New York City inside a giant peach with the bugs that live inside it.
Half animation, half live-action this film is a whirlwind that swept critics and audiences away, with some dubbing it thebest Roald Dahl adaptation. Fans of the original 1961 novel can revisit this page to screen translation at the next family night.
Winnie-the-Poohby A. A. Milne
Film:The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh(1977)
Directed by:John LounsberyandWolfgang Reithermann
Starring:Sebastian Cabotas The Narrator andSterling Hollowayas Winnie the Pooh
This film follows the creatures of the Hundred Acre Wood and the adventures they have alongside a lumbering bear named Pooh. Throughout the decades there have been multiple spin-offs films and TV Show adaptations of Milne’s classic stories, none compare to the original.
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With Disney voice royalty like Cabot and Holloway and many more, this collection of Pooh’s adventures reminds audiences what it’s like to be a kid again and wonders imagination can bring to childhood toys.
CoralineBy Neil Gaiman
Film:Coraline(2009)
Starring:Dakota Fanningas Coraline Jones andTeri Hatcheras Mel Jones/Other Mother/Bedlam
A darker children’s tale,Coralinefollows its title character as she discovers a secret world hidden in a wall of their new home that seems much more appealing than her regular life. Nominated for Best Animated feature, this adaptation is a Halloween favorite of critics and audiences alike.
The film’s source material is a 2002 novella from British writer,Neil Gaiman. DirectorHenry Selick adopts a stop-motion animationstyle with this film, finding the same success as with previous films likeNightmare Before ChristmasandJames and the Giant Peach.
A Bear Called Paddingtonby Michael Bond
Film:Paddington(2014)
Directed by:Paul King
Starring:Ben Whishawas Paddington andHugh Bonnevilleas Henry Brown
Traveling to England after losing his home in the Peruvian rainforest, a bear finds a new home with the Brown family while he discovers the wonders of city living. Paddington appears in dozens of books by British author,Michael Bond, the first in 1958.
This film is beloved by audiences and critics alike with nothing but praise for the cuddly bear and his adventures in England. The title character would get a second film in 2017.
