10 Children’s Books Made Into Movies

Great stories that went from paper to the big screen

Many people believe that a movie, as brilliant as it may be, will never achieve the greatness of a good book. The following list includes some of the most popular children’s stories of all time and the cinematic adaptations that, on the whole, did the original works justice.

The Adventures of Pinocchio, by Carlo Collodi with illustrations by Enrico Mazzanti (1883)

The movies:
Pinocchio (Norman Ferguson, T. Hee, et al., 1940)
Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001)

A man builds a puppet that, by magic, ends up becoming a real boy who will need to learn about values and morals. Although almost two dozens of cinema adaptations of this story exist, Disney’s classic movie is a milestone in film animation. It is based on the work of Italian writer and journalist Carlo Collodi, where Pinocchio is a more arrogant and violent character than the one depicted in the movie.

It’s ‘automated’ version was a project Stanley Kubrick worked on for almost two decades, and could not finalize due to his passing. He gave exhaustive instructions for its production to Steven Spielberg. The latter, in the end, decided to add darker elements to the movie (possibly not suitable for children) than what Kubrick had planned.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl (1964)

The movies: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Mel Stuart, 1971; Tim Burton, 2005)

A working-class child fulfills his dream of visiting the secret factory of his favorite confectioner. Roald Dahl’s novel featured different illustrators in its multiple releases and was adapted for the cinema twice.

British author Dahl was partly in charge of adapting the script of the 1971 movie version. However, he was deeply disappointed with the result, as the developments of the characters, especially the conflicting ones, were too different from the originals. Burton’s adaptation is more faithful to the book but was not well-received by the critics.

Matilda, by Roald Dahl with illustrations by Quentin Blake (1988)

The movie: Matilda (Danny DeVito, 1996)

A young girl discovers she can move objects with her mind (telekinesis) and decides to punish the grown-ups who mistreat her and find a new family. Once again, Dahl uses a child figure to analyze evil and abuse.

The film is a faithful version of the book, although, in the original story, Matilda’s brother is not the same evil character depicted in the movie. Dahl did not appreciate the cinema version, either.

Where the Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendack (1963)

The movie: Where the Wild Things Are (Spike Jonze, 2009)

A misunderstood child becomes king of the monsters until he sets out on a journey of regret in order to return home. The movie adaptation, which took five years to make, is a touch of genius accurately showing the emotions and feelings that turn a child into a rebel who loses his way.

When Sendack, who also produced the movie, was asked what he thought about parents who may be concerned that the film was ‘too dark’ for children, he replied that ‘they could go to hell.’

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, written and illustrated by Brian Selznik (2007)

The movie: Hugo (Martin Scorsese, 2011)

Inspired by the life of George Méliès, it tells the adventures of a young orphan who steals to survive while searching for the only legacy left to him by his father. This is the first film in 3D by the director. For this epic steampunk drama, Scorsese achieved 11 Academy Award nominations and won in five categories.

The Little Mermaid, by Hans Christian Andersen (1837)

The movies: The Little Mermaid (Ron Clements and John Musker, 1989); and Ponyo (Hayao Miyazaki, 2008)

The story of a sea creature who coexists with the universe on Earth seen from different angles: knowledge, friendship, and love. Even the most popular adaptations for cinema are not as heartrending as the original story by the Danish author.

Although the most famous adaptation is the movie from Disney, Miyazaki’s version is spectacular and is worth watching: it lays out a beautiful vision of the relationship between human beings and the natural world.

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Dave McKean(2002)

The movie: Coraline (Henry Selick (2009)

A girl who is obsessed with a life more exciting than her own is taken to a parallel dimension in which everything looks good… until the mother in this other universe decides to sew a pair of buttons onto her face to replace her eyes. This adaptation of a children’s horror novel is a landmark in animated cinema; however, the producers had a lot of difficulties getting this stop-motion movie financed, although it represented a milestone in the technical achievement of 3D printing.

In general, Gaiman liked the movie and was pleased that the central message of the film had been spread: being brave doesn't mean never being afraid.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum with illustrations by W. W. Denslow (1900)

The movie: The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)

Dorothy is an orphan girl who, after being swept up by a tornado over to a magical world, experiences a series of adventures with fantasy characters, while realizing there’s no place like home. An icon of Western popular culture, this movie is one of a massive collection of adaptations of the same story.

Before establishing himself as a writer, L. Frank Baum had failed in his attempts to become an actor, a newspaper editor, a farmer, and a salesman. After his books on the world of Oz were published, he produced short films about his characters.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis with illustrations by Pauline Baynes (1950-1956)

The movies: The Chronicles of Narnia (Walt Disney, Walden Media and 20th Century Fox, 2005-2010)

The battle between good and evil takes place in a magical world with talking animals, mythological beings, and some humans who end up there by accident. The story was adapted for the radio, cinema, television, and theater.

The movie adaptation of the first book in this collection is undoubtedly the most significant: not merely for its box office success, but also the quality of the production and the work that had gone into the script from the original story. The story by C.S. Lewis has been controversial and even described as ‘Christian propaganda’ as well as ‘occult paganism,’ and yet remains a favorite of children’s literature and cinema.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll with illustrations by John Tenniel(1865)

The movies: Alice in Wonderland (Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske, 1951; Tim Burton, 2010)

A bored child falls into a hole and ends up in a universe where she coexists with fantasy creatures in a story that combines logic with the absurd. This is one of the stories with the most influence on popular culture. Both adaptations have their merit in terms of reworking and narrative, although Disney’s version was the one that undoubtedly set a precedent.

Learn more about the life of Alice illustrator John Tenniel here.

What is your favorite children’s book adapted for the cinema?

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