BOOK CLUB IDEA: Which Was Better....The Book or the Movie?

Here is a fun way to dive into children’s literature as a family or as a book club for older children—comparing a great book to its film version! This is a rich opportunity for some careful observation, deep thinking and discussion. Here is a suggested process:

READ

Read a children’s book that has been remade into a film.

For an extensive list, go to this Wikipedia page: Children’s Books that Have Been Made into Films

Start by reading the book independently or together, listening to the audio book, or viewing a YouTube reading of the book.

VIEW

View the film version of the book.

View the film. Older children and adults may choose to take notes on what they notice, wonder, and feel during the film.

DISCUSS AND DO

Choose one or more of the following discussion prompts or activities:

What were your favorite parts about the story? Why?

What were your favorite parts about the film? Why?

Were your favorites the same for both versions?

After reading the book, what surprised you about the film version of the story?

What details (related to characters, events, setting, etc.) from the book were missing in the film? Why do you think the filmmakers made that choice?

What details (related to characters, events, setting, etc.) were added to the film that were not in the original book? Why do you think the filmmakers made those choices?

Did the filmmakers change anything or anyone from the book version? Why do you think the filmmakers made those choices? Do you think the change had a positive influence or a negative influence on the telling of the story?

Did the characters in the film look as you imagined them when you read the book? Explain.

Do you think reading the book first help you understand the film better?

Did viewing the film help you better understand anything from the book?

Think about tools that a filmmaker uses that the book author does not. (For example: music, sound, lighting, camera angles, color.) Which of these techniques did the filmmaker use in the film you viewed? Describe how one or more of these techniques helped you enjoy the film, feel emotions, or better understand what was happening in the story. Did this make the film a better experience for you or not?

Who do you think told the story better, the original author or the filmmakers?

Which did you prefer, the book or the film? Why?

Create a Venn Diagram that compares and contrasts the book and the film.

If something in the film was different than you imagined it, draw what you visualized in your head.