My wife and I started reading the Harry Potter books to the kids. After we finished each book, we then watched the movie. It was fun for all us, as it was all new for the kids and was a nice revisit for us. We just read “Because of Winn-Dixie” and we are planning on watching the movie tonight. I’m sure it will be enjoyable. Both the kids really enjoyed it and, somehow, reading the book first gets my daughter to focus more on the movie, so she enjoys it more, and the rest of us get to enjoy the movie as well, since she isn’t all fidgety and such during the movie.
Anyone else enjoy this? Any book/movie combos you especially like? We also have “Polar Express” in book form (movie was lame, IMO), “Bridge to Terebithia” in book form (we’re waiting a bit on this one), and “Hoot” (book was better).
I don’t read “kid things” that much, though there is a special place in my heart for children’s literature. I read Bridge to Terabithia ages ago. I DO enjoy reading things and subsequently seeing what they’re like in movie form much more than a lot of people do. And as a voracious reader, whatever the movie is I’ve almost always read the book.
One thing I’m dying to see now even though it got mixed reviews is “Blindness.” This may be my all-time-favorite book. I was dumbfounded by it. I understand that the differences in media might make me think the book is better, but I’m still curious to see what they did with it and will still enjoy watching it.
I’ve also read the book that the “Benjamin Buttons” movie is based on, and that looks pretty good.
Just in case anyone was wondering, the film version of “Because of Winn-Dixie” was lame. The humor and the sweetness of the book were lost. The humor was rather forced and the dad’s character was altered to make him less likable, IMO. I’d stay away.
“Inkheart” is another biggie, I’ve really enjoyed the books (yes, it’s more childrens’ lit) and the movie looks pretty good. We haven’t read it to the kids yet, and I don’t think my daughter is ready for it yet.
Hey, you know what made a great translation from book to movie for kids? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And if you can get your kids into Roald Dahl, they’d probably love it.
If you haven’t yet, definitely do The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (book) and then The Wizard of Oz (movie). And if they liked that go on to derivatives like The Wiz and others.
*** Ponder
We’ve reached the point where our daughter, milliCal, is disappointed in the movie after she reads the book. That’s the way she felt with The Golden Compass.
I don’t see this as a bad thing. 
*** Ponder
I was hoping for such a reaction to “Winn-Dixie”, cause the movie was so, um, unsatisfying for me. But the ending was tweaked a bit to make it more tear-jerky and my daughter, at 7, is totally into crying and just fell for it big-time. She’s not quite to that level of sophistication.
“The Golden Compass” is a bit too much for us now too. Plus, I can’t even keep up with my own reading list, much one for the whole family!
I love reading the book, then watching the movie, possibly because my visual imagination is crap and I can use the help. In fact there are many books I have read solely because I knew they were based on a movie, and I wanted to watch the movie, but not without reading the book first.
For kids I think the Stardust (Neil Gaiman) book and movie is a good combo, though the whole story is set in motion by an off-screen one night stand resulting in our hero. I think the scene might not be quite so off-screen in the book, so you might want to scan ahead for appropriateness.
My favorite movie from a book is “The Jane Austen Book Club”. I actually enjoyed the movie much more than the book, maybe because you get books about groups of women friends all the time, but ensemble movies with age 40+ women are rare (plus Hugh Dancy is a treat).
And since we’re on the topic of Jane Austen, all of her books have been adapted, with the best adaptation, as everyone knows, being the “Pride and Prejudice” miniseries with Colin Firth. Next, IMHO, is the Gwyneth Paltrow version of “Emma” which is not as faithful but absolutely delightful.
I’m not sure I’d call Golden Compass a movie. It’s more a deliberate attempt to metaphorically, but publicly, fuck Phillip Pullman in the ass.
I’m in the middle of reading the Silver Chair to my daughter. I thought that The Lion the Witch and the Warddrobe translated very well, Prince Caspian was OK too, but not as good as the first movie.
I really don’t like seeing the movie after reading the book as a general rule.
I’m usually sorely disappointed at what had to be changed or left out for the screen adaptation.
I don’t mind seeing the movie first, though. When I read the book, I’m not disappointed and I visualize scenery and characters from the movie.
I’ve found some children’s stories are exceptions. They seem to be easier to adapt to the screen without changing or having to cut too much of the storyline out. Perhaps just slightly simpler plots.