List RulesUpvote the best film versions of classic children's books and memorable childhood stories.
The book might usually be better than the movie, but that hasn't stopped these classic kid's books from being turned into films. This list of children's book to movie adaptations ranks the best of these kid's books that have been adapted into feature films. Children's books made into movies are always fun because children already know the characters. Children's literature is in many ways timeless. Then The books we were read as a child, we now read to our own kids. This makes children's books a safe bet for film adaptations, and the film adaptations on this list are some of the best. If multiple adaptations of a children's book have been made, we've tried to list the most popular kids books made into movies. Since only the best, famous, and most popular children's books tend to be made into movies, one could also consider this to be a list of some of the greatest children's books of all time.
So what top books were made into movies? This list seeks to answer that question with a thorough look of all books that made it onto the big screen. Cast your votes for the best on this list of books made into movies, or rerank the list and add any great kid's book movie adaptations that are missing! Then check out the best children's books of the decade and see how many have been turned into feature films.
1
606153Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Roald DahlFirst Published: 1964
Subjects: Chocolate, Classics, Adventure, Family, Folklore
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Fantasy
Original Language: Welsh Language, English Language
Movie Adaptations:
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)2
508138Mary Poppins
P. L. TraversFirst Published: 1934
Subjects: Musical theatre, Women, Theatre, London, Performing arts
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature
Movie Adaptation: Mary Poppins (1964)3
422105Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll, William GlennonFirst Published: 1865
Movie Adaptations:
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Alice in Wonderland (2010)4
446124How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Dr. SeussFirst Published: 1957-11-24
Genres (Book): Children's literature
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptations:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)5
424121Charlotte's Web
E. B. WhiteFirst Published: 1952
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptations:
Charlotte's Web (1973)
Charlotte's Web (2006)6
360101Winnie-the-Pooh
A. A. MilneFirst Published: 1926-10-14
Subjects: Literature, Classics, Friendship, Animal, Performing arts
Genres (Book): Children's literature, Fiction
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Winnie the Pooh (2011)Winnie-the-Pooh is the first volume of stories about Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne. It is... more7
362103The Jungle Book
Rudyard KiplingFirst Published: 1894
Subjects: Music, India, Folklore, Animal
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptations:
The Jungle Book (1967)
The Jungle Book (2016)8
368108The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank BaumFirst Published: 1900-05-17
Subjects: Music, Wizards, United States of America, 20th century, History
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fantasy
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910)The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by... more9
32689Treasure Island
Robert Louis StevensonFirst Published: 1883
Subjects: Monarch, Literary, Piracy, 18th century, Places
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Adventure fiction
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Treasure Island (1950)Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a... more10
334101The Hundred and One Dalmatians
Dodie SmithFirst Published: 1956
Subjects: Literature, Classics, Dalmatian, English Literature
Genres (Book): Children's literature, Fiction
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptations:
One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
101 Dalmatians (1996)11
29281The Night at the Museum
Milan TrencGenres (Book): Children's literature, Young adult literature
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Night at the Museum (2006)The Night at the Museum, published in 1993, is a children's picture book written and... more12
31398The Polar Express
Chris Van AllsburgSubjects: Education, Classics, Christmas
Genres (Book): Picture book, Children's literature, Fiction
Movie Adaptation: The Polar Express (2004)The Polar Express is a 1985 children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a... more13
28587The Lorax
Dr. SeussFirst Published: 1971-08-12
Subjects: Consumerism, Ecology, Knitting, Environmentalism
Genres (Book): Children's literature, Fiction
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: The Lorax (2012)The Lorax is a children's book written by Dr. Seuss and first published in 1971. It chronicles... more14
374132Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J. K. RowlingFirst Published: 2003-06-21
Subjects: Wizards, Coming of age, Schools, England
Genres (Book): Fiction, Young adult literature, Fantasy
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is the fifth novel in the Harry Potter series,... more15
345119Jumanji
Chris Van Allsburg, George SpelvinFirst Published: 1981
Subjects: Games, Adventure, Board Games, Animal
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Fantasy
Movie Adaptation: Jumanji (1995)Jumanji is a 1981 fantasy children's picture book, written and illustrated by the American... more16
382138Movie Adaptation: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)17
308106Matilda
Roald DahlFirst Published: 1988
Subjects: Education, Humour, Classics, Adventure, Schools
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Humour, Children's literature, Fiction, Fantasy
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Matilda (1996)Matilda is a children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It was published in 1988 by... more18
342124Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
J. K. RowlingFirst Published: 1997-06-26
Subjects: Wizards, Education, Adventure, Friendship, Schools
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Fantasy
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Harry PotterHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the first novel in the Harry Potter series and J.... more19
303104The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C. S. LewisFirst Published: 1950
Subjects: Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fantasy
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a high fantasy novel for children by C. S. Lewis,... more20
25387Dumbo, the Flying Elephant
Helen AbersonMovie Adaptation: Dumbo (1941)Dumbo, the Flying Elephant is a book written by Helen Aberson.... more21
290112Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J. K. RowlingFirst Published: 1998-07-02
Subjects: Wizards, Magic, Schools, England
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second novel in the Harry Potter series,... more22
22676Madeline
Ludwig BemelmansSubjects: Boarding school
Genres (Book): Picture book, Children's literature
Movie Adaptation: Madeline (1998)Madeline is a media franchise that originated as a series of children's books written and... more23
290113Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J. K. RowlingFirst Published: 2000-07-08
Subjects: Wizards, Schools, England
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction
Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series, written by... more24
21872Where the Wild Things Are
Maurice SendakFirst Published: 1963
Subjects: Education, Games, Classics, Adventure, Children's film
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Picture book, Children's literature, Fiction, Fantasy
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Where the Wild Things Are (2009)Where the Wild Things Are is a 1963 children's picture book by American writer and illustrator... more25
23481Stuart Little
E. B. WhiteFirst Published: 1945
Subjects: Literature, Classics, Adventure, Friendship, Animal
Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction
Original Language: English Language
Movie Adaptation: Stuart Little (1999)Stuart Little is a 1945 children's novel by E. B. White, his first book for children, and is... more