Top 10 Kids' Movies Based on Books

Based on the popular children's book by Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears a Who! tells the thoughtful story of Horton, an elephant who is "faithful one hundred percent." Horton's story has delighted children for over 50 years, and now the loyal elephant stars in his own beautifully animated movie. Horton Hears a Who is a movie that the whole family can enjoy together, and the Horton Hears a Who story book can be read in one sitting. Rated G. Ages 2+.

Based on the Newbery Award-winning book by E.B. White (Compare prices), Charlotte's Web brings the inspiring and articulate story to the big screen using live actors and animals. The movie incorporates many of the profound words penned by E.B. White, and conveys the simple moral about friendship and loyalty with enough power to swell the heart and bring a tear to the eye. While the film does deal with some heavy topics, it also points out the small miracles in every day life, and the profound way in which love and commitment can make a real difference. Rated G. Ages 3+. (The original novel will be too advanced for very young children, but there are several adaptations that bring the story down to preschoolers' level.)

Based on Meet Kit (Buy direct), from the wildly popular American Girl book series, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is about a young girl pursuing her dream of becoming a journalist. But the story is more than that: it is also a story about surviving during the Great Depression. In addition to entertaining kids, this heart-warming tale will tug at their heart strings and educate them a bit about a distant time in American history. Rated G. Ages 5+.

After losing her mother at sea, Nim and her father Jack found a remote island and settled there to live together. Alone, away from all civilization, daddy and daughter live off the land and study nature, but when her father gets lost at sea, Nim relies on her friendship with author Alex Rover to help her get through. Rated PG. The movie is based on the wonderful novel (Compare prices) by Australian author Wendy Orr. The book is recommended for kids 8-12, and according to the book cover, Wendy wrote the first draft of Nim's Island when she was only nine!

The Grace family - Jared, his twin brother Simon, sister Mallory and their mom - have moved into Uncle Spiderwick's old house and are beginning a new chapter in their lives. Strange occurrences lead the children to discover Uncle Spiderwick's work and the magical, unseen creatures that surround the home. Based on the best-selling books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. Rated PG.

The books in the series are recommended for the 9-12 year-old range, but it is a fun series for parents to read to kids ages 6-8 as well. The books (Compare Prices) do contain some scary parts, so you may want to read one of them first to get an idea of the wording and imagery.

Based on the first three books in the adventurous Lemony Snicket’s book series, Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events tells the story of the misadventures of the three Baudelaire orphans – 14 year-old Violet (The Inventor), her younger brother Klaus (The Reader), and baby sister, Sunny (The Biter). After the mysterious deaths of their parents in a fire, the three kids are sent to live with their "closest relative," the scary Count Olaf. The story, narrated by Snicket, retells the adventures of the kids in trying to escape the crazy Count and find their places in the world. Rated PG. Ages 8+.

During WWII four child refugees – Lucy, Susan, Edmond, and Peter Pevensie - tearfully leave their mother to go and live in the massive old manor of an elderly professor. While playing a game of hide-and-seek, Lucy hides in an old wardrobe and stumbles through the fur coats into a snowy enchanted kingdom where they eventually rule as kings and queens. Rated PG. Ages 7+. (There are several battle scenes in the movie that may be concerning for parents of young children)

Based on the timeless Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is only the first installment. The second movie in the series,Prince Caspian, is also available on DVD (rated PG, for epic battle action and violence).

Based on the Newbery Award-winning novel by Katherine Paterson (Compare prices), Bridge to Terabithia is a coming-of-age story about a boy named Jess and his friend Leslie. Together they imagine the magical world of Terabithia, far from the troubles of their every day lives. There, Jess and Leslie are the rulers of the kingdom. The story's main focus is the school and family situations of Jess, Leslie, and other characters. Woven throughout the movie are weighty themes surrounding topics such as childhood trials, family stress, life, and death; therefore, parents may want to preview the movie before allowing young children to watch. The story is sad, but has a lot of meat for critical thinking and discussions. (Rated PG. Ages 9+)

No discussion of kids' movies based on books would be complete without the Harry Potter series. One of the most popular book series of our time, the first five books in the Harry Potter series have already been made into movies, and the last two are certain to follow. Unfortunately, as the books get darker, so do the movies, and the two most recent titles have ended up with a PG-13 rating. Older kids will love to read and watch as they follow the boy wizard through the trials and travails. The first book and movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is a bit more fun and less scary than later installments.