14 Books Kids Should Read Before The Movie Comes Out

To celebrate World Book Day, Movies4Kids brings you a 2018 movie preview with a difference – all the movies listed below due for release this year are adaptations of books aimed at children and young adults.

See if you can get your kids to read a few before they catch the movie…

  • A Wrinkle In Time (PG)

    In cinemas March 9 (US), March 23 (UK)

    Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 science fantasy novel is adapted for the screen by director Ava DuVernay starring Storm Reid as young Meg, who goes in search of her astrophysicist father (Chris Pine), who is being held captive on a distant planet. Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Zach Galifinakis also star.

    Book reading age: 9+

  • Ready Player One (12A)

    In cinemas March 28

    While the book, written by Ernest Cline, is aimed at teens and adults, we’re expecting the movie to be more family-friendly as it’s directed by Steven Spielberg. Both focus on teen Wade Watts, who in the year 2045 is one of the people who jacks into the OASIS (a vast virtual world) to escape from reality. When the creator of OASIS dies, he leaves behind a series of puzzles and the one who solves them will inherit his fortune. Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg, Ben Mendelsohn and Tye Sheridan star.

    Book reading age: 14+

  • I Kill Giants (12A)

    In cinemas March 23 (US), April 6 (UK)

    I Kill Giants is a series of graphic novels by Joe Kelly that tell the story of young Barbara Thorson, a girl who struggles with life and copes by escaping into a fantasy world of magic and monsters. The movie stars Madison Wolfe as Barbara, alongside Imogen Poots, Zoe Saldana and Noel Clarke.

    Book reading age: 10+

  • Love, Simon (12A)

    In cinemas March 16 (US), April 6 (UK)

    Nick Robinson stars in this romantic comedy drama based on the novel Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. He’s a closeted gay teenager dealing with family and friends – and the blackmailer threatening to out him to all of them. 13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford also stars, alongside Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Garner as Simon’s parents.

    Book reading age: 14+

  • Wonderstruck (PG)

    In cinemas April 6 (UK), currently on Amazon Prime in the US

    Brian Selznick, who also wrote The Invention Of Hugo Cabret (made into the movie Hugo), is the author and illustrator of mystery drama Wonderstruck. Directed by Todd Haynes, it is actually two stories set 50 years apart and woven together, both concerning children running away from home to search for a parent. Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams and Oakes Fegley star.

    Book reading age: 8+

  • Lean On Pete (15)

    In cinemas March 30 (US), May 4 (UK)

    Charlie Plummer won an award for Best Young Actor at the Venice International Film Festival for his performance in this adaptation of Willy Vlautin’s novel. It’s the story of a 15-year-old boy’s connection to a failing racehorse as he dreams of finding a proper home. Steve Buscemi and Chloe Sevigny also star.

    Book reading age: 12+

  • The Darkest Minds (TBC)

    In cinemas August 3 (US), August 10 (UK)

    Alexandra Bracken’s series of science fiction novels for young adults are translated to the screen to tell the story of young Ruby, who was sent to a government rehabilitation camp by her parents when she was 10. Now 16, she has survived a disease that killed most of America’s children but has abilities she cannot control and is determined to escape and head to a safe haven for others like her. Amandla Stenberg, Mandy Moore, Harris Dickinson and Gwendoline Christie star.

    Book reading age: 12+

  • The House With A Clock In Its Walls (TBC)

    In cinemas September 21 (US), September 28 (UK)

    First published in 1973, The House… is a gothic horror aimed at children. Orphan Lewis goes to live with his mysterious uncle, warlock Jonathan, while their neighbour is a good witch named Florence. Unfortunately, Jonathan’s house was owned by a couple who practised black magic and inside the house is hidden a clock that could bring about the end of the world. The movie version stars Jack Black, Cate Blanchett, and Kyle Maclachlan.

    Book reading age: 8+

  • Goosebumps: Horrorland (TBC)

    In cinemas October 12 (US), October 19 (UK)

    A sequel to the hit movie Goosebumps, this movie will be set in Horrorland which is also the setting for a few of author RL Stine’s spookily fun kids books. Set in a theme park, the movie will carry on the adventures of Zach, his friend Hannah and her father, and will once again star Jack Black as Stine.

    Book reading age: 8+

  • Mowgli (TBC)

    In cinemas October 19

    Andy Serkis – best known for his superb performances as Gollum in the Lord Of The Rings movies and Caesar in the Planet Of The Apes ones – steps behind the camera to direct a live action movie based on Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Rohan Chand stars as the human child raised by wolves in the Indian jungles, while Serkis is bear Baloo, Christian Bale is panther Bagheera and Benedict Cumberbatch is tiger Shere Khan.

    Book reading age: there are various versions, including a board book for age 3+

  • The Nutcracker And The Four Realms (TBC)

    In cinemas October 26 (UK), November 2 (US)

    German writer ETA Hoffman’s 1816 story The Nutcracker And The Mouse King has been adapted numerous times – including, of course, Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker – and this version from director Lasse Hallestrom is a fantasy about a little girl who is charged with taking care of a special Nutcracker doll. Keira Knightley stars as the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the cast also includes Mackenzie Foy, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Richard E Grant.

    Book reading age: there are numerous versions of the story for all ages, and Disney will be publishing more, including a read-along story book for ages 6+ in September to tie in with the movie.

  • The Grinch (TBC)

    In cinemas November 9

    There has already been a live action version of Dr Seuss’s famous story (starring Jim Carrey), but now Illumination Entertainment (the team behind Minions and Despicable Me) have made a computer animated adventure featuring the grumpy green monster who hatches a scheme to ruin Christmas for the residents of Whoville. Benedict Cumberbatch voices the Grinch.

    Book reading age: 4+

  • Mortal Engines (TBC)

    In cinemas December 14

    Another dystopian teen novel gets a movie adaptation and this time it is the turn of Philip Reeve’s post-apocalyptic adventure. In the future, giant moving cities roam the earth, devouring smaller towns for resources. Tom, a citizen of London, has to fight for survival after he meets fugitive Hester in this steampunk story. Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Lang and Hera Hilmar star.

    Book reading age: 10+

  • Mary Poppins Returns (TBC)

    In cinemas December 21 (UK), December 25 (US)

    Emily Blunt stars as the world’s most beloved nanny in this new adventure, set 25 years after the original Mary Poppins movie. Her former charges, Jane and Michael Banks, have grown up but when Michael suffers a personal loss, Mary returns with street lamplighter Jack and her cousin Topsy to help out. Based on the characters created by PL Travers, the new movie also stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Meryl Streep, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters and Colin Firth.

    Book reading age: 10+