100+ Kids Books Made into Movies

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Looking for the best kids’ books that have been turned into movies? Whether you’re planning a family movie night or looking for a great book to read together before watching its adaptation, this list has you covered!

We LOVE books over here. You would probably be shocked at the amount of books in our house. But we read them. Another thing we really enjoy is watching a great movie. There are so many classic kid books that have been made into movies and today I have a big list of them for you.

Here are a few ways to make books and movies into a lesson for your school or homeschool:

• Read the book and make it into a unit study.
• Learn the history surrounding the story.
• Learn about the author and/or producer.
• Use books/movies to learn vocabulary or spelling.
• Use favorite passages or quotes from the books for copywork.
• Write a book and movie comparison (or have a discussion for younger kids).
• Have a story themed family movie night party.

Check out my Book vs. Movie post!

Classic Children’s Books Turned into Movies

These timeless stories have delighted generations and inspired memorable films.

• The Adventures of Curious George by H.A. Rey (1941) – Curious George (2006)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (1876) – Tom Sawyer (1938, 1973)
• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865) – Alice in Wonderland (1951, 2010)
• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (1908) – Anne of Green Gables (1985, 2016)
• Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (1872) – Around the World in 80 Days (1956, 2004)
• Bambi by Felix Salten (1923) – Bambi (1942)
• The BFG (1982) – The BFG (2016)
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (1877) – Black Beauty (1946, 1994, 2020)
• The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander (1965) – The Black Cauldron (1985)
• The Black Stallion by Walter Farley (1941) – The Black Stallion (1979)
• The Borrowers by Mary Norton (1952) – The Borrowers (1997)
• The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss (1957) – The Cat in the Hat (2003)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (1962) –Wonka (2023)
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (1952) – Charlotte’s Web (1973, 2006)
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming (1964) – Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843) – A Christmas Carol (multiple adaptations)
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (1950) – The Chronicles of Narnia (2005-2010)
• Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting (1920)  – Dr. Dolittle (1998, 2020)
• Clifford the Big Red Dog by (1963) – Clifford The Big Red Dog (1994)
• Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726) – Gulliver’s Travels (1939, 2010)
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (1955) – Harold and the Purple Crayon (Upcoming 2024)
• Heidi by Johanna Spyri (1880) – Heidi (1937, 1993)\
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (1957) – How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966, 2000, 2018)
• The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (1956) – 101 Dalmatians (1961, 1996, 2021)
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1935) – Little House on the Prairie (TV Series 1974)
• A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905) – A Little Princess (1939, 1995)
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868) – Little Women (1994, 2019)
• Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Waber (1965) – Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) by Bernard Waber (1965) – Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022)
• Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers (1934) – Mary Poppins (1964, 2018)
• Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater (1938) – Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011)
• Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (1838) – Oliver Twist (1948, 2005)
• Old Yeller by Fred Gipson (1956) – Old Yeller (1957)
• Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi (1883) – Pinocchio (1940, 2022)
• Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (1945) – Pippi Longstocking (1988)
• Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter (1913) – Pollyanna (1960)
• Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719) – Robinson Crusoe (1997)
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911) – The Secret Garden (1993, 2020)
• Stuart Little by E.B. White (1945) – Stuart Little (1999)
• Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (1812) – Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
• The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White (1938) – The Sword in the Stone (1963)
• The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (1902) – Peter Rabbit (2018, 2021) by Beatrix Potter (1902) – Peter Rabbit (2018, 2021)
• The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas (1844) – The Three Musketeers (1993, 2011)
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (1883) – Treasure Island (1950, 1990)
• Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (1975) – Tuck Everlasting (2002)
• Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (1870) – 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
• Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (1961) – Where the Red Fern Grows (1974, 2003)
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908) – The Wind in the Willows (1996, 2006)
• Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne (1926) – Winnie the Pooh (2011)
• The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (1900) – The Wizard of Oz (1939)
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962) – A Wrinkle in Time (2003, 2018)

Modern and Contemporary Kids’ Books Made into Movies

These newer books have been adapted into successful films.

• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (1972) – Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014)
• The Apple Dumpling Gang by Jack M. Bickham (1971) The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975)
• Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (2000) – Because of Winn-Dixie (2005)
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (2006)
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (1977) – Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
• Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary (1955) – Ramona and Beezus (2010)
• City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau (2003) – City of Ember (2008)
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett (1978) – Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009, 2013)
• Coraline by Neil Gaiman (2002) – Coraline (2009)
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney (2007) – Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)
• Dumbo by Helen Aberson (1939) – Dumbo (1941, 2019)
• Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (1997) – Ella Enchanted (2004)
• Eragon by Christopher Paolini (2002) – Eragon (2006)
• Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key (1968) – Escape to Witch Mountain (1975, 2009)
• Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl (1970) – Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
• Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo (2013) – Flora & Ulysses (2021)
• Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers (1972) – Freaky Friday (1976, 2003)
• The Giver by Lois Lowry (1993) – The Giver (2014)
• Goosebumps by R.L. Stine (1992) – Goosebumps (2015, 2018)
• Guardians of Ga’Hoole by Kathryn Lasky (2003) – Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010)
• Harriet The Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (1964) – Harriet The Spy (1996)
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (1997) – Harry Potter series (2001-2011)
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (1986) – A Cry in the Wild (1990)
• Holes by Louis Sachar (1998) – Holes (2003)
• Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss (1954) – Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
• The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs (1973) – The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)
• How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell (1973) – How to Eat Fried Worms (2006)
• How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell (2003) – How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
• The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (1961) – Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
• The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (1980) – The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
• Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (2003) – Inkheart (2008)
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007) – Hugo (2011)
• The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes (1968) – The Iron Giant (1999)
• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (1960) – Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964)
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (1961) – James and the Giant Peach (1996)
• Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (1981) – Jumanji (1995, 2017)
• The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (1894) – The Jungle Book (1967, 2016)
• Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (1999) – A Series of Unfortunate Events(2004, 2017 Netflix)
• The Littles by John Peterson (1967) – The Littles (TV series, 1983-1985)
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss (1971) – The Lorax (2012)
• Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine (1987) – Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
• Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans (1939) – Madeline (1998)
• Matilda by Roald Dahl (1988) – Matilda (1996, 2022)
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien (1971) – The Secret of NIMH (1982)
• My Friend Flicka by Mary O’Hara (1941) – My Friend Flicka (1943, 2006)
• The Neverending Story by Michael Ende (1979) – The NeverEnding Story (1984)
• The Night at the Museum by Milan Trenc (1993) – Night at the Museum (2006)
• Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr (2001) – Nim’s Island (2008)
• The One and Only Ivan by K.A. Applegate (2012) – The One and Only Ivan (2020) by K.A. Applegate (2012) – The One and Only Ivan (2020)
• Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan (2005) – Percy Jackson & The Olympians (2010, 2023 series)
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (1961) – The Phantom Tollbooth (1970)
• The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg (1985) – The Polar Express  (2004)
• The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot (2000) – The Princess Diaries (2001)
• The Rescuers by Margery Sharp (1959) – The Rescuers (1977)
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares (2001) – The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
• The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black (2003) – The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (2003) – The Tale of Despereaux (2008)
• The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith (1990) – The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007)
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (1963) – Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
• White Bird: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio (2019) – White Bird: A Wonder Story (2023)
• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (2016) – The Wild Robot (2025)
• Wish Dragon (inspired by The Tale of the Fisherman and the Genie) – Wish Dragon (2021)

What did you think about this list?  Which one is your favorite?

See also: Book Activities for Kids

Guided Book Report for Kids- Printable Template

Elementary Level Book Report Template