My library runs a Books to Movies club for our teens; each month, we choose a book to read, then at the end of the month we get together and watch the movie based on the book. The initial idea for this program had involved discussion of the book and movie, but the teens generally discuss the movie while it is playing and don’t often stick around afterwards. I never require the teens to have read the book to attend the program, but I do always make sure to have copies of the book (including audiobook and graphic novel adaptations where available) ready to be checked out.
This has been an especially good year for YA books made into movies. Here are some recently released and upcoming titles for you to consider:
Ophelia: This is Shakespeare’s Hamlet told from Ophelia’s perspective.
The Death Cure: The finale to the Maze Runner series. The teens in my library enjoyed mocking the Maze Runner movies more than actually watching them, but others may actually be interested in the story.
Every Day: Based on the book by David Levithan, this follows the story of A, a person who wakes up in a different body every day, and the girl A falls in love with.
Wrinkle in Time: This most recent adaptation of this story to film is better than its predecessors. The book is technically a tween or children’s book rather than a teen book, but most teens will have heard of it and may be interested in the movie anyway.
Love, Simon: This is one of very few teen books featuring LGBT characters that have been made into movies.
Midnight Sun: Similar to Everything, Everything, the main character has a medical condition that makes meeting other people (and falling in love) complicated.
Ready Player 1: Easily one of the most anticipated movies of the year; the book itself is a great discussion-starter.
The Darkest Minds: A recently released science fiction/dystopia with a slightly different angle from Hunger Games, Divergent, etc.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: Coming to theaters August 17th.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald: Regardless of your opinion on the Johnny Depp situation, this title will be one your teens will talk about. Technically it’s not based on a book, since this story isn’t part of the Fantastic Beasts book and takes place long before the events in the Harry Potter series, but it would still count for the purposes of my program.
Ashes in the Snow: This is based on Ruta Sepetys’s novel, Between Shades of Gray. The title was changed to avoid confusion with another popular book-to-movie that is not young adult.
Dumplin‘: This is a body-positive story of a plus-sized teen who enters a beauty contest to spite her mother. The story includes a fantastic troupe of Dolly Parton drag queens; it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the film.
The Hate U Give: Another highly anticipated adaptation. Angie Thomas’s novel was nominated for numerous awards this year, including the Printz and the Coretta Scott King Award.
The House with a Clock in Its Walls: This is a fantasy/adventure story that will be suitable for younger teens and even tweens, but if you like to add variety to your lineup, this would be a good addition.
Mowgli: This is a movie based off of The Jungle Book, but it is not an animated, child-friendly version. This version claims to focus on the darker aspects of the story.
Five Feet Apart: The book will be released in November, and the movie is slated to hit theaters in March. Two teens, each with cystic fibrosis, fall in love but must stay at least “five feet apart” as one awaits a lung transplant.
This has been a great year for books being adapted into film. Is there a movie we missed that you think teens would love? Let us know in the comments!