Book Club/Movie Night: Book & Movie Pairings for the Family

When the kids were younger, we had a tradition of reading a book together and then watching the movie as a family. One of the kiddos dubbed it, “The Booky-Booky-Book Club.” The kids would pile into my bed to hear a nightly chapter. Once the book was completed, we planned our movie night with popcorn and sometimes hot cocoa. We could talk about whether it was a good portrayal of the book, and what we liked or didn’t like. Our read-aloud time as a family is one of my favorite memories. I don’t remember the first time I ever read Charlotte’s Web, but I certainly remember when my children heard it for the first time. I experienced The Chronicles of Narnia with a beginner’s mind as they took it all in for the first time. Later, it was Lord of the Rings. We were sitting around the dining room table when we read the final chapter of The Return of the King. Bonus- Family Read-alouds are a great equalizer for dyslexic families, like ours. We could all enjoy the book together despite any reading challenges.

Nowadays, we still do some read alouds, though no one calls it the Booky-Booky-Book Club, any more. If I playfully make that reference I get eye rolls or an exasperated sigh in return. Currently as a family we’re reading Macbeth and a series of Greek Mythology stories.

I’ve compiled a list of books and film pairings in case you’d like to make your own tradition. I’ve listed them in a loose age minimum recommendation to help you get started. I know some of our children can be highly sensitive, or you may have a kid able to handle more, so feel free to adjust accordingly!

Enjoy,

Christina

Whole Family, even the youngsters

• Alice in Wonderland
  • The book by Lewis Caroll
  • The film 1951, G
  • The 2010 film is more intense. Maybe not for the sensitive youngsters!
• Anne of Green Gables
  • The book by Lucy Maud Montgomery
  • The film 1986, NR
• Babe/ Babe: The Gallant Pig
  • The book by Dick King-Smith
  • The film 1995, G
• Because of Winn Dixie
  • The book by Kate DiCamillo
  • The film 1994, G
  • The film 2005, PG
• The Boxcar Children
  • The book by Gertrude Chandler Warner
  • The film 2014, G
• Charlotte’s Web
  • The book
  • The film 1973, G
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
  • The book by Ian Fleming
  • The film 1968, G
• Cloudy chance of Meatballs
  • The book
  • The film 2009, PG
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  • The book by Dr. Seuss
  • The film 1968, NR This one’s a classic. Perfect for the youngest kiddos! Great music, too. “you’re a mean one…Mr. Grinch…”
  • The film 2000, PG A little bit scarier than the 1968 one.
  • The film 2018, PG Hey, this one is scarier and not intended for my “most sensitive youngsters” section.
• The Gruffalo
  • The book by Julia Donaldson
  • The film 2011, G
• Harold and the Purple Crayon
  • The book by Crockett Johnson
  • The film 2024, PG
• Homeward Bound/ The Incredible Journey
  • The book by Sheila Burnford
  • The film 1993, G
• Horton Hears a Who
  • The book by Dr. Seuss
  • The film 2008, G
• Indian in the Cupboard
  • The book
  • The film 1995, PG
• A Little Princess
  • The book Francess Hodgson Burnett
  • The film 1939 with Shirley Temple
  • The film 1995, G
• Little Women
  • The book by Louisa May Alcott
  • The film 1994, PG
  • The film 2019, PG
• The Lorax
  • The book by Dr. Seuss
  • The film 2012, PG
• Mary Poppins
  • The book by P.L. Travers
  • The film 1964, G
• Misty (Misty of Chincoteague)
  • The book by Margeurite Henry
  • The film 1961, NR
• National Velvet
  • The book by Enid Bagnold
  • The film 1944, G
• Mr. Popper’s Penguins
  • The book by Richard Atwater
  • The film 2011, PG
• Paddington
  • The book, A Bear Called Paddington, by Michael Bond
  • The film 2015, PG
• Polar Express
  • The book by Chris Van Allsburg
  • The film 2004, G
• Pollyanna
  • The book
  • The film 1960, NR
• Ramona Quimby
  • The books: The full series
  • The film: Ramona and Beezus. 2010, G
• Stuart Little
  • The book
  • The film 1999, PG

Whole Family, minus the highly sensitive youngsters

• Ballet Shoes
  • The book by Noel Streatfeild
  • The film 2007, PG
• The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
  • The book by Barbara Robinson
  • The film 2024, PG
• The BFG
  • The book by Roald Dahl
  • The film 2016, PG
• Black Beauty
  • The book
  • The film 2020, NR
  • The film 1994, G
• The Black Stallion
  • The book
  • The film 1979, G
• The Borrowers
  • The book by Mary Norton
  • The film 1998, PG
• Bridge to Terabithia
  • The book by Katherine Paterson
  • The film 2007, PG
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
  • The book
  • The film 1971, G
  • The film 2005, PG
• The Chronicles of Narnia books/films
  • The books by C.S. Lewis
  • The film Part 1. The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2005, PG
  • The film Part 2. Prince Caspian 2008, PG
  • The film Part 3. Voyage of the Dawn Treader, 2010 PG
• City of Ember
  • The book
  • The film 2008, PG
• Ella Enchanted
  • The book by Gail Carson Levine
  • The film 2004, PG
• Flora and Ulysses
  • The book by Kate DiCamillo
  • The film 2021, PG
• Harold and the Purple Crayon. *The book is perfect for sensitive youngsters, but the movie doesn’t make my “good for sensitive youngsters” cut.
  • The book by Crockett Johnson
  • The film 2024, PG
• James and the Giant Peach
  • The book by Roald Dahl
  • The film 1996, PG
• Jumanji
  • The book by Chris Van Allsburg
  • The film 1995, PG
• Little House in the Big Woods/ Little House on the Prairie
  • The book by Laura Ingalls Wilder * Perfect as a family read as there are some racism issues that come up. That way you can talk about them.
  • The film 1974, TV *It’s something like seven seasons long. The Commonsense reviews reflect the most intense incidents throughout the years of episodes. Much of it is less intense.
• Matilda
  • The book by Roald Dahl
  • The film 1996, PG *some scary moments!
  • The film 2022 PG *some scary moments!
• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
  • The book by Chris Grabenstein
  • The film 2017, TV
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
  • The book by Robert O’Brien
  • The film The Secret of NIMH, 1982, G
• My Side of the Mountain
  • The book by Jean Craighead George
  • The film 1969, G
• Mysterious Benedict Society
  • The book by Trenton Lee Stewart. *Note I linked to the series, but you could read the first book and then watch the TV series.
  • The film 2021, Disney+
• Old Yeller
  • The book by Fred Gipson
  • The film 1957, G
• The One and Only Ivan
  • The book by Katherine Applegate
  • The film 2020, PG
• The Secret Garden
  • The book by Frances Hodgson Burnett
  • The film 2020, PG
  • The film 1993, G
• The Spiderwick Chronicles
  • The book by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
  • The film 2008, PG
• The Tale of Despereux
  • The book by Kate DiCamillo
  • The film 2008, G
• Where the Wild Things Are
  • The book by Maurice Sendak
  • The film 2009, PG
• Where the Red Fern Grows
  • The book by Wilson Rawls
  • The film 1974, G
• The Wild Robot
  • The book by Peter Brown
  • The film 2024, PG
• The Wizard of Oz
  • The book by L. Frank Baum
  • The film 1939, G

Tweens and Up

• All Quiet on the Western Front (1930 film)
  • The book by Erich Maria Remarque
  • The film 1930
• All Thirteen
  • The book
  • The film, “Thirteen Lives,” 2022, PG-13
• The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind (Young Readers Edition)
  • The book
  • The film
• The Call of the Wild
  • The book
  • The film 2020, PG
• Ender’s Game/Ender’s Shadow *The film is influenced by both books, so I suggest reading both first. These are two of my truly all-time favorite books, so please, please, please read the books before the film. I actually was reading Ender’s Game in labor with my firstborn!
  • The book Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
  • The Book Ender’s Shadow
  • The film 2013, PG-13
• The Giver
  • The book by Lois Lowry
  • The film 2014, PG
• The Golden Compass: His Dark Materials
  • The book by Philip Pullman
  • The film The Golden Compass, 2007, PG-13
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
  • The book by J.K. Rowling
  • The film 2001, PG
• Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition)
  • The book by Margot Lee Shetterly
  • The film 2016, PG
• The Hobbit
  • The book by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • The film Part 1. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 2012, PG-13
  • The film Part 2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 2013, PG-13
  • The film Part 3. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 2014, PG-13
  • The film 1977 kid-friendly animated adaptation
• Holes
  • The book by Louis Sachar
  • The film 2003, PG
• Howl’s Moving Castle
  • The book by Diana Wynne Jones
  • The film 2005, PG
• The Invention of Hugo Cabret/ Hugo
  • The book by Brian Selznick
  • The film Hugo, 2011, PG
• Lord of the Rings Series
  • The books by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • The film Fellowship of the Ring, 2001, PG-13
  • The film The Two Towers, 2002, PG-13
  • The film The Return of the King, 2003, 2013
• The Martian (Classroom Edition)
  • The book by Andy Weir
  • The film 2015, PG-13
• Mustang Miracle/ The Long Game
  • The book by Humberto G. G. Garcia
  • The film The Long Game, 2024, PG
• My Dog Skip
  • The book by Willie Morris
  • The film 2000, PG
• Percy Jackson series
  • The books by Rick Riordan
  • The film 2010, PG *There are other options, but this was our family favorite.
• Pride and Prejudice
  • The book by Jane Austen
  • The film 2005, PG
• The Princess Bride
  • The book by William Goldman. *note, book is more intense than the film
  • The film 1987, PG
• Sense and Sensibility
  • The book
  • The film: 1995, directed by Ang Lee. PG
• A Series of Unfortunate Events
  • The book by Lemony Snicket
  • The film 2004, PG *note, creepy level is maybe high for a PG rating
• To Kill a Mockingbird
  • The book by Harper Lee
  • The film 1962, NE
• White Fang
  • The book by Jack London
  • The film 1991, PG
  • The film 2018, NR
• Wonder
  • The book
  • The film
• A Wrinkle in Time
  • The book by Madeleine L’Engle
  • The film 2018, PG

Young Teens and up

• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
  • The book by John Boyne
  • The film 2008, PG-13
• Coraline
  • The book by Neil Gaiman
  • The film 2008, PG
• The Count of Monte Cristo
  • The book by Alexandre Dumas
  • The film 2002, PG-13
• Dune
  • The book by Frank Herbert
  • The film 2021, PG-13
• The Hunger Games
  • The book by Suzanne Collins
  • The film 2013, PG-13
• Jane Eyre
  • The book by Charlotte Bronte
  • The film 1996
  • The film 2013, PG-13
• Jurassaic Park
  • The book by Michael Crichton
  • The film 1993, PG-13
• Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults)
  • The book by Bryan Stevenson
  • The film 2019, PG-13
• The Odyssey / O Brother Where Art Thou?
  • The book by Homer, this edition translated by Emily Wilson
  • The film, O Brother Where Art Thou? 2000, PG-13
• The Outsiders
  • The book by S.E. Hinton
  • The film 1983. PG-13
• Project Hail Mary
  • The book note- the book contains more sexual humor than the film. If you have a younger avid reader, I suggest reading it ahead of them.
  • The film
• The Pursuit of Happiness
  • The book by Chris Gardner
  • The film 2006, PG-13
• The Secret Life of Bees
  • The book by Sue Monk Kidd
  • The film 2008, PG-13
• The Time Machine
  • The book by H.G. Wells
  • The film 2002, PG-13
  • The film 1960
• War of the Worlds *common sense media disagrees with me and says older teens for the 2005 film adaptation.
  • The book by H.G. Wells
  • The film 2005, PG-13
  • The film 1953, NR

Older Teens

• The Color Purple
  • The book by Alice Walker
  • The film 1985, PG-13
• The Diary of Anne Frank
  • The book by Anne Frank
  • The film 2009, NR
  • The film 1959, NR
• The Great Gatsby
  • The book by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  • The film 2013, PG-13
• Les Miserables
  • The book by Victor Hugo
  • The film 2012, PG-13
  • The film 1935
• Ready Player One
  • The book by Ernest Cline
  • The film 2018, PG-13
• A Tale of Two Cities
  • The book
  • The film 1935
  • The film 1958