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The return of fall has brought back one of my absolutely favorite traditions – Friday Family Night. Every Friday, we settle in for some intentional time together as a family. We share a meal we all love, and enjoy some type of special treat. Often, we’ll do some type of activity together – taking a walk, playing a board game, frisbee in the backyard – anything goes. Almost every Friday Family Night ends with a family movie. All 6 of us snuggle up on the couch and watch a family-friendly movie together.
I am a HUGE fan of anything that gets kids excited about reading. I long to make every child an enthusiastic reader. Towards that end, I started thinking about all of the incredible films that are based on children’s literature. I wanted to share my list with you. (And, I’ll bet you didn’t even realize that some of these movies were based on a book!)
I encourage you to use this list in the most effective way. Either:
1. Select one of the titles below, and find the chapter book. Spend a week or two reading the book to your children, reading one chapter each night. Let your kids know that when you get through the book together, you will watch the movie.
2. Give the chapter book to your child, and have them read it independently. Tell them that when they finish the book, they will get to watch the movie with the family.
3. Begin watching some of these movies together as a family. If your child shows a particular interest in one of the movies, surprise them with the chapter book! Even a reluctant reader may be more willing to pick up and finish a chapter book that is based on something they are familiar with or have enjoyed. The context they will have from watching the movie will actually help them read the book more fluently.
These are all movies based on books from my 100 Chapter Books You MUST Read to Your Kids list. You can check out that list HERE.(It’s my most popular post- and a must-read for every parent and/or lover of books!)
Enjoy the movies. Spend some quality time together, and let the movies inspire you to READ!!! (And then go ahead and read some more!)
Movies Based on Books from Chasing Supermom’s 100 Chapter Books You Must Read To Your Kids List
Matilda
Holes
James and the Giant Peach
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Secret Garden
Charlotte’s Web
The Mouse and the Motorcycle (I can’t find the live-action version online for purchase.) =(
The Indian in the Cupboard
5 Children and It
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh -based on The Secrets of Nimh
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Bridge to Terabithia
The Borrowers (It should be noted that “ The Secret World of Arietty” is also based on The Borrowers.)
Harriet the Spy
Little House in the Big Woods (*Season 1 of Little House on the Prairie covers some of the book.)
Shiloh
Because of Winn-Dixie
Stuart Little
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Winnie the Pooh
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events – based on The Bad Beginning
Hugo – based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Caddie Woodlawn
Ballet Shoes
Nanny McPhee – based on Nurse Matilda
How to Eat Fried Worms
The Spiderwick Chronicles
How to Train Your Dragon
The Tale of Desperaux
Pictures of Hollis Woods
My Side of the Mountain
Ella Enchanted
The BFG
The Cricket in Times Square
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Percy Jackson and the Olympians – based on The Lightning Thief
Runaway Ralph
The Trumpet of the Swan
The Watsons go to Birmingham
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Where the Red Fern Grows
Sounder
The Littles
Freaky Friday
The Phantom Tollbooth
Miracle on 34th St.
The Sign of the Beaver
Babe– based on Babe the Gallant Pig
Again, if you’d like to check out the books that these movies are based on, check out THIS POST! Have fun together as a family, and I hope some of these movies get you and your kids reading together!
*Several of these books-turned-movies have multiple versions. I linked to the version I personally prefer.
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