Over 300 books made into movies to enjoy with your family

by admin January 11, 2023

As a kid, I always loved being assigned a book to read in school that had a movie. I knew that meant we’d spend at least a day or two of that class watching the movie. Sometimes the movies were good, more often they were bad, but they always lead to great discussions afterward. I have patterned our homeschool reading lessons after the same model, a book and a movie (you’ll see that hashtag all over my Instagram feed). I assign my kids books, we discuss them, and then watch the movie. It has become a cherished family tradition. After getting frustrated trying to figure out appropriate grade levels, I put together these books made into movies by grade level list to help figure out just when I should assign something.

Before we go any further, you get a coupon code to get the printable books made into a movie by grade level bookmarks FREE (they’re normally $2.99) when you sign up for my email newsletter. Mine are in my purse, and I use them ALL the time to plan out our reading, to figure out what we’ve already read, to keep an eye out for books on sale at used bookstores. I mark them up, cross things out, lose them and reprint them.

JOIN THAT NEWSLETTER!

Next, I’ve updated this post many many times. Currently this is Future Ticia 2022 going through and fixing all of the images and links from when I changed my URL and realizing I have another 50 books to add into this list, so it may change substantially once I get that done.

Future Ticia 2023, it did change a bunch, and then I was updating this post and found another list I’d saved. So excuse me while I go update a bunch more.

Final note, this list grew so massive, I started breaking these out into invidivual grade level posts. It can be a bit intimidating to scroll through 300 books, and that’s with me sometimes saying, Shakespeare plays.

All right, let’s get this massive journey started: Books made into movies by grade level, AAAAND ACTION!

Also, all these Amazon links are going to be affiliate links, so I don’t have to keep marking it.

Picture books made into movies

What a great way to get your kids excited about this tradition. There is an instant payoff as you can read them the book and watch the movie the same day.

Jumangi book movie
Zathura (Jumanji’s lesser-known sequel) movie
Polar Express movie
Shrek (though the book is even less like the movie than usual)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie [Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs book club]
Pickles to Pittsburgh (the sequel to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) movie
Where the Wild Things Are movie
Madeline movie cartoon series
Babar (wow the hardback $163, paperback $16) movie cartoon series
Eloise (I always was amused as a kid by how naughty she was) movie
Cat in the Hat movie
How Grinch Who Stole Christmas cartoon and live action
The Lorax movie
Horton Hatches the Egg movie
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day movie
Ferdinand movie
A Day with Wilbur Robinson movie (I think this movie got a bum rap, and I love it a lot)
Curious George movie
Night at the Museum movie
Clifford movie

I started our book and a movie nights after the kids were mostly done with picture books, we’ve started doing some with their cousins, but I haven’t written about it yet. I really need to get some of those written.

That’s my first 20 books made into movie by grade level down. Though, picture books aren’t quite as limited by grade level…

3rd Grade Chapter books made into movies

I was quite surprised to learn a number of books I read in 3rd grade were actually 4th-grade books. So, I’ve monkeyed around with this list a bit to reflect changed opinions. This also goes to show grade level is not always the best indicator of when something should be read. Think of these books made into movies by grade level as guidelines, not rules.

Judy Moody movie– we listened to some of the books for this series (Judy Moody book club and movie night)
Stuart Little movie– a classic (Stuart Little book club and movie night)
Ramona books– This was one of our favorite movie adaptations it kept the feel of the books quite well (Ramona movie night)
Doctor Dolittle movie with Rex Harrison movie with Eddie Murphy (~~my kids are reading this one right now, yes it’s too easy~~, finished, and here is the Doctor Dolittle book club and movie night )
Paddington movie (I read this book a lot as a kid, Paddington Book Club and movie night)
Nim’s Island movie
Mr. Popper’s Penguins I loved this book, the movie had some of the same heart (Mr Popper’s Penguins book club and movie night)
Fantastic Mr. Fox movie (Fantastic Mr. Fox book club and movie night)
Winnie the Pooh movie
The Bad Guys movie

That’s 29 30 book and a movie combos.

4th Grade books made into movies

James and the Giant Peach– I loved the surrealness of this book as a kid, my kids did not love the James and the Giant Peach movie (James and the Giant Peach book club and movie night)
Adventures of Tin Tin I almost didn’t include this because it’s a graphic novel, but broke my rules because it’s a fun one to discuss movie (Adventures of Tin Tin book club)- huh I thought I’d already written this
The Witches– I remember reading this book in 4th grade, and it was awesome, we had many discussions about The Witches movie night (The Witches book club and movie night)
Matilda movie (Matilda book club)
Harriet the Spy movie (Harriet the Spy book club)
101 Dalmations movie (101 Dalmatians book club)
Best Christmas Pageant Ever– Every year now we have a Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie (Best Christmas Pageant Ever book club and movie night, SERIOUSLY THIS IS AWESOME!)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh I almost moved this higher because I remember this super disturbing me as a kid, but that’s not a good reason to move it up, because I heard from friends who loved it movie
Nancy Drew I read these books so much in 5th grade, and Jeff recently showed them the movie he found on Netflix (Nancy Drew book club)
Because of Winn-Dixie– I love this book so much and our Because of Winn Dixie movie night was awesome (Because of Winn-Dixie book club and movie night)
Charlotte’s Web live-action movie cartoon (Charlotte’s Web book club and movie night)
Holes– we just finished reading/watching this in February of 2017 and it was a huge hit, our Holes Movie night was popular. (Holes book club and movie night)
Tale of Despereaux– I could just sit and read Kate DiCamillo all day long, so I loved The Tale of Despereaux book club and movie night
How to Eat Fried Worms– a book my kids will probably never read because I find the idea gross movie
Sarah, Plain and Tall movie
Spiderwick Chronicles movie (I particularly love this because it’s twin boys and a girl)
Babe the Gallant Pig How did I miss putting this on originally, it was huge when I was in college HUGE movie
Invention of Hugo Cabret I’ve heard great things about both the book and movie
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe– One of my absolute favorite movie nights was our movie night (The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe book club)
Bunnicula (I remember reading it in 3rd grade)- Our Bunnicula movie night is the standard for horrible book adaptations, I just found out there’s a TV series
Inkheart– Cornelia Funke is another of the authors who I love her world-building movie (Inkheart book club)
Pippi Longstocking movie Swedish movie (Pippi Longstocking Book Club)
How to Train Your Dragon movie (How to Train Your Dragon book club)
Trumpet of the Swan movie
Diary of a Wimpy Kid I linked to the box set, because I’ve found with series like this, they tend to be inspired by the series and you’ll find moments from several books movie (huh, I didn’t know there was a trilogy of movies)
Nurse Matilda (Nanny McPhee) I’ve been trying to get the kids to read this for a randomly chosen book, they won’t do it movie
Goosebumps My son was crazy for the movie when it came out, so we did this as a Halloween book made into a movie [Goosebumps book club]
Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris movie
Twilight*- I’m not even going to link to it, and it’s obviously not for 4th grade ** 2020 Ticia has completely taken it off the bookmarks (to find my reasoning go read the 9th Grade books made into movies)- and because one of my high school girls likes the books and movies, I read it and we watched it together, so eventually I’ll put that up there. You would not believe how excited she was to do this. Also, this movie goes to show how you can’t just rely on reading level because the content of the book is clearly aimed to teenagers.

~~That’s 50 book and a movie combos. I’m getting up there~~. That’s 58 books made into movies.

5th Grade books made into movies

Misty of Chincoteague– my childhood copy of the book is well-worn movie (Misty of Chincoteague book club)
Pollyanna movie (Pollyanna book club)
Black Cauldron– I happen to dislike the Black Cauldron movie because it so messed up the book (Black Cauldron book club)
Indian in the Cupboard– This was our very first book and a movie night (Indian in the Cupboard book club)
The Giver– I was a few years too old for this to be on my required reading, but my friends three years younger than me rave about it movie (The Giver book club)
Alice in Wonderland I read this book so much and watched the movie so much I quoted it when we watched it recently (Alice in Wonderland book club)
Tuck Everlasting– I read this in 6th grade, but it can work in 5th movie (Tuck Everlasting book club)
Ella Enchanted– This movie is second to Bunnicula in being brought up as a terrible movie night (Ella Enchanted book club)
Hotel for Dogs movie
The House with a Clock in its Walls movie– I read this when the movie was coming out, and I’ll say preview it because it can be somewhat creepy, reading level it is closer to 4th, but the creepiness factor is pretty high
Water Horse movie
Sign of the Beaver movie (Sign of the Beaver book club)
BFG– Confession, I don’t really like the book, and I didn’t like the movie (BFG book club)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie other movie (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book club)
Lassie movie
Justin Morgan Had a Horse– I read this book so many times as a kid movie (Justin Morgan had a Horse book club)
Johnny Tremain– great movie for an American Revolution unit (and our Johnny Tremain movie night was a huge hit)
Howl’s Moving Castle– I wish more of her books were adapted, but it made for a great movie night (Howl’s Moving Castle book Club)
Heidi movie (Heidi book club)- huh, I thought I’d written about that one
Sounder movie
Litlle Broomstick movie (Mary and the Witch’s Flower)
Escape to Witch Mountain movie
Incredible Journey movie (Homeward Bound)
Rescuers movie
Bedknobs and Broomsticks movie– 2 things: 1. this book is much darker than the Disney movie from my memory of reading it as a kid, and 2. the 30th anniversary edition has a VHS version!
Honey I Shrunk the Kids movie
My Father’s Dragon Netflix original
Tiger Rising movie
Flora and Ulysses Disney+ movie
My Friend Flicka movie

That gets us up to 88 book and a movie combos.

Future Ticia 2023 is taking a break for a little bit, I’ve spent over an hour just updating it this far, and I need to go move around. The big problem with updating these posts is I’m left thinking, “Oh, I want to read that, and I want to read that, and I want to watch that.” Currently we don’t have Disney+ so I won’t get a chance to watch Flora and Ulysses, which is a shame because I love Kate DiCamillo.

Hitting update and walking away from the computer.

6th Grade books made into movies

Okay, I’m back from my break a couple of days later. If I want to get this finished to republish tomorrow, I need to get busy.

Old Yeller movie [Old Yeller book club]
Treasure Island movie Muppet movie [Treasure Island book club]
Bridge to Terabithia movie [Bridge to Terabithia book club]
Percy Jackson– the movie made me so mad I’m not even going to link to it [Percy Jackson book club]
Redwall movie [Redwall book club]
Wind in the Willows claymation movie (my kids did not like this version) Disney movie (Wind in the Willows book club and movie night)
Secret Garden movie (or get the double feature with Little Princess) BBC version (Secret Garden book club and movie night)
To Kill a Mockingbird movie (To Kill a Mockingbird book club)
The Borrowers I love this book and read it to my kids before we started doing book and a movie, sadly they do not love it movie
Coraline movie – at some point I should read this, but when the movie came out the ads for it creeped me out, the button eyes, [shudder] creepy
Jungle Book– I love both the animated movie and the live action that just came out [Jungle Book Book Club]
Peter Pan– I personally own about 5 copies of this book and the cartoon, and live action movie, oh and the musical [Peter Pan book club]
Where the Red Fern Grows movie
Black Stallion– I read the entire series as a kid, and it made for a decent movie [Black Stallion book club]
The Dark is Rising movie [The Dark is Rising book club] -technically this movie is from the second book in the series, also I moved this down from 7th grade to 6th grade
Pictures of Hollis Woods movie [Picture of Hollis Woods book club]
Wonder movie
Harry Potter– I love this book series, and we also had a Harry Potter movie marathon one year (Harry Potter book club)
Wizard of Oz Wizard of Oz (Wizard of Oz book club)
My Side of the Mountain– my kids love this book, but the movie…… [My Side of the Mountain book club]
School for Good and Evil Netflix movie
Freaky Friday movie “Modern” remake
Wingfeather Saga Angel Studios movie – We read this as a book quest on Lorehaven Discord.
White Bird: a Wonder Story movie- looks like this got moved back to May 2023
Chaos Walking movie – my sister in law was so excited for this movie, and then so disappointed with how it came out
Watsons go to Birmingham movie
Cheaper by the Dozen movie “modern” remake
Artemis Fowl the abomination of a movie is over on Disney+ [Artemis Fowl book club]

That’s 116 book and a movie combos.

7th grade books made into movies

It’s a post now! Yep, because this post is insanely long, and I’ve changed this list a little. So here is the 7th-grade books made into movies.

That was 20 more books.

That’s 136 books made into a movie combos. ~~I’m almost to 100 books made into movies, and I haven’t reached high school…..~~

8th Grade books made into movies

I have updated this into its own post: 8th grade books made into movies

Again haven’t really read and watched these book and movie combos….. 2020 Ticia here, we’ve read a bunch of these, but I haven’t gotten them all written yet. So many books, so litle time.

Future Ticia 2020 is adding 8 more books to that list.

And that gets us up to 164 book and a movie combos.

High School Books Made Into Movies

~~I’m in the process of making posts for each grade in high school. With my updated list, I have 40 books for each grade in high school, and this post is already insanely long.~~

The posts are all done, and now some of the lists have 50 books…

I’m going to fully confess the high school books can be moved around, and some of these are more pop culture, but have fun conversations to have. I also left out vast scores of John Grisham movies and other popular authors, though I could have padded my numbers with those……

(Some of these may have lower reading levels, but are traditionally assigned during high school)

9th-grade books made into movies

~~And now I’m up to 116 movies. Each high school grade is going to add 10 because I kept it just to 10, though I could probably add more.~~ Yeah, any count that I have at this point is so incredibly off with these updated lists.

With the update list, that is now 214 books made into movies.

10th-grade books made into movies

~~That is 126 book and a movie combos.~~ And this is as far as I’ve gotten with my updated lists written, if you want the full 80 more books that are on the list, you’ll have to get the bookmarks.

264 books made into movies.

11th-grade books made into movies

At my high school, junior year was American literature, so it was a very different reading list from what I’m recommending, I opted to spread American literature throughout the grade levels.

And ~~136~~ 304 book and a movie combos.

(These may have lower reading levels but are traditionally assigned as reading for high school, so I didn’t check the reading level, just being honest)

12th-grade books made into movies

Ha ha ha ha, man when I first wrote this list, I only had 10 or so books on the 12th-grade books made into movies. Now there are 40. FORTY books you could pick to read as a senior.

Make that 50 books, some of these newer books the reading level is easier, but many parents will prefer to address these tougher issues with older kids.

I may have gotten better at finding books made into movies, AND there may be a lot more made than I realized when I first started this project.

We’re up to ~~146~~ 354 book and a movie combos. Now I’ve got some bonus books.

More high school books made into movies

I’m pretty sure most of these books listed here have been moved onto specific grade levels now, but I’ll leave them here for now. My other books list now is just made up of authors who have many many many adaptations made.

I double-checked, and all of them except for The Pelican Brief are now assigned to specific grade levels. Oh and James Bond books.

Though from my understanding reading Forest Gump, James Bond, or the Godfather will have to come with a discussion on changing opinions of what is okay to say, and how to treat people. Having looked at a few reviews of Forest Gump before I assigned it for my kids to read, I decided not to have them read it.

Frankenstein movie (Frankenstein book club)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde movie
The Green Mile movie
Hunt for Red October movie
The Godfather movie
The Outsiders movie
Gump and Co. movie
Roots movie
Sherlock Holmes (it could easily be read in junior high) movie
The Pelican Brief movie
Silence movie
Unbroken movie
War Horse movie
Seabiscuit movie
The Help movie
James Bond books movie
Schindler’s List movie
Ten Little Indians (now renamed And Then There Were None) movie
Memoirs of a Geisha movie

I am now up to over 500 movies (when you get into the author suggestions). It’s almost midnight and my brain doesn’t want to process math.

Do you love this information and wish you could take it with you to the bookstore? Then I’ve got you covered because you can sign up for my newsletter and get this all as a cute PDF that can easily be made into a bookmark for stowing in your books or your purse. Each grade or interest level is broken down into its own bookmark, and as I find new books I’m updating the bookmarks (I just doubled the book and a movie combos). You can buy it for $2.99 OR you can subscribe and get these bookmarks for free.

Check out more great reading lists over at iHomeschool Network Must Read books and 100 Things Link Up (there are so many great ideas on there), and now also over at Kid Minds.

Originally published many years ago, last updated and republished 2017

The post Over 300 books made into movies to enjoy with your family appeared first on Adventures in a Messy Life.