family The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies  

Walter Graves
40.6k votes 1.6k voters 217.4k views 303 items

List Rules Upvote 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. 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!
list ordered by

1
532 109
Charlie and the Chocolate Fact... is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl

Movie Adaptations:
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

2
475 106
Mary Poppins is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Mary Poppins P. L. Travers Movie Adaptation: Mary Poppins (1964)

3
390 87
How the Grinch Stole Christmas... is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Dr. Seuss

Movie Adaptations:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

4
373 83
Charlotte's Web is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Charlotte's Web E. B. White

Movie Adaptations:
Charlotte's Web (1973)
Charlotte's Web (2006)

5
356 87
Alice in Wonderland is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Alice in Wonderland Lewis Carroll, William Glennon

Movie Adaptations:
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Alice in Wonderland (2010)

6
333 91
The Jungle Book is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Jungle Book Rudyard Kipling

Movie Adaptations:
The Jungle Book (1967)
The Jungle Book (2016)

7
322 87
The Hundred and One Dalmatians is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Hundred and One Dalmatians Dodie Smith

Movie Adaptations:
One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
101 Dalmatians (1996)

8
317 90
Winnie-the-Pooh is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Winnie-the-Pooh A. A. Milne Movie Adaptation: Winnie the Pooh (2011)

9
343 107
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz L. Frank Baum Movie Adaptation: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910)

10
338 107
Jumanji is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Jumanji Chris Van Allsburg, George Spelvin Movie Adaptation: Jumanji (1995)

11
262 69
The Night at the Museum is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Night at the Museum Milan Trenc Movie Adaptation: Night at the Museum (2006)

12
269 75
The Polar Express is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Polar Express Chris Van Allsburg Movie Adaptation: The Polar Express (2004)

The Best CGI Animated Films Ever Made

13
237 65
The Lorax is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Lorax Dr. Seuss Movie Adaptation: The Lorax (2012)

14
363 132
The Chronicles of Narnia is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Chronicles of Narnia Movie Adaptation: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

15
327 116
Harry Potter and the Order of ... is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

16
285 95
The Lion, the Witch and the Wa... is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe C. S. Lewis Movie Adaptation: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

17
298 105
Harry Potter and the Philosoph... is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter

The Greatest Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

18
250 79
Dumbo, the Flying Elephant is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Dumbo, the Flying Elephant Helen Aberson Movie Adaptation: Dumbo (1941)

19
215 60
Horton Hears a Who! is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Horton Hears a Who! Dr. Seuss Movie Adaptation: Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

20
232 73
Stuart Little is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Stuart Little E. B. White Movie Adaptation: Stuart Little (1999)

21
262 94
Matilda is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Matilda Roald Dahl Movie Adaptation: Matilda (1996)

22
202 67
The Cat in the Hat is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Cat in the Hat Dr. Seuss Movie Adaptation: The Cat in the Hat (2003)

The Greatest Animal Movies Ever Made

23
254 99
Harry Potter and the Chamber o... is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

24
254 100
Harry Potter and the Goblet of... is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

25
282 123
How to Train Your Dragon is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
How to Train Your Dragon Movie Adaptation: How To Train Your Dragon (2010)

26
207 76
Madeline is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Madeline Ludwig Bemelmans Movie Adaptation: Madeline (1998)

27
217 83
Bridge to Terabithia is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Bridge to Terabithia Donna Diamond, Katherine Paterson Movie Adaptation: Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Last Words Written By Famous People In Their Suicide Notes

28
160 47
Curious George is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Curious George H. A. Rey, Margret Rey Movie Adaptation: Curious George (2006)

29
210 80
Old Yeller is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Old Yeller Fred Gipson Movie Adaptation: Old Yeller (1957)

30
185 66
Bambi, a Life in the Woods is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Bambi, a Life in the Woods Felix Salten Movie Adaptation: Bambi(1942)

31
185 69
Around the World in Eighty Day... is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Around the World in Eighty Days Jules Verne Movie Adaptation: Around the World in 80 Days (2004)

32
172 61
Where the Wild Things Are is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Where the Wild Things Are Maurice Sendak Movie Adaptation: Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

14 Celebrities Who Are Heirs

33
161 54
Green Eggs and Ham is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss Movie Adaptation: Dr. Seuss on the Loose (1973) (TV)

34
221 98
Harry Potter and the Deathly H... is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

35
219 99
Harry Potter and the Prisoner ... is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

36
139 47
Clifford, the Big Red Dog is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Clifford, the Big Red Dog Norman Bridwell Movie Adaptation: Clifford's Really Big Movie (2004)

37
152 58
Freaky Friday is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Freaky Friday Mary Rodgers Movie Adaptation: Freaky Friday (2003)

Things You Should Know How to Do Before You Turn 30

38
171 73
The Secret Garden is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett Movie Adaptation: The Secret Garden (1993)

39
183 86
Shrek! is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Shrek! William Steig Movie Adaptation: Shrek (2001)

40
188 91
Harry Potter and the Half-Bloo... is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince J. K. Rowling Movie Adaptation: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

41
161 72
Gulliver's Travels is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Gulliver's Travels Jonathan Swift Movie Adaptation: Gulliver's Travels (2010)

42
133 51
Escape to Witch Mountain is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Escape to Witch Mountain Alexander Key Movie Adaptation: Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)

The Best Movies Based on Short Stories

43
139 58
The Incredible Journey is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
The Incredible Journey Sheila Burnford Movie Adaptation: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)

44
211 115
James and the Giant Peach is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl Movie Adaptation: James and the Giant Peach (1996)

45
203 110
Little Women is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Little Women Louisa May Alcott Movie Adaptation: Little Women (1994)

46
129 53
A Journey to the Center of the... is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
A Journey to the Center of the Earth Jules Verne

47
142 67
Heidi is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Heidi Johanna Spyri Movie Adaptation: Heidi (1937)

48
121 54
Mr. Popper's Penguins is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Mr. Popper's Penguins Richard Atwater, Florence Atwater Movie Adaptation: Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

49
95 33
Through the Looking-Glass, and... is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There

50
167 93
Black Beauty is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Greatest Children's Books That Were Made Into Movies
Black Beauty Anna Sewell Movie Adaptation: Black Beauty(1994)