20 Books to Read Aloud and Watch the Movie

Do you find it hard to read books with your kids? Do they squirm during reading time or struggle just to get through a single chapter? These books to read aloud and watch the movie will help you.

If you’ve got kids like these then these books are the perfect way to engage your stubborn reader! When I told my kids that we were going to watch the movie after we finished the book, they got even more excited to read.

Reading Books That Became Movies is a great way for everyone to get into reading. Plus it helps motivate them and make the stories more engaging. So here are Twenty Books to Read Aloud and Watch the Movie. 

Here are 20 Books to Read Aloud and Watch the Movie

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia is about Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke, two fifth-graders who become friends and create an imaginary land called Terabithia, where they can go to forget about their problems. The book deals with themes of friendship, childhood, and being an individual.

Call of the Wild

The domesticated life of a powerful St. Bernard-Shepherd mix named Buck is quickly turned on end when he has stolen away from his master and put to work as a sled dog in Alaska.

His once life of luxury turns into a life of survival and adaptation as he learns the ways of the wilderness. Set in the Klondike region of Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, The Call of the Wild showcases the transformation of a canine as he learns to adapt to what life has given him, fair or not.

Paddington

Paddington is a very polite bear. He is very well-meaning and full of good intentions but his trusting nature can often get him into trouble.

Charlotte’s Web

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

Related: Charlotte's Web Novel Study & Activities

To continue learning, check out Charlotte's Web Reading Response Activities and Projects.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside.

And the winners are Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

To continue learning, check out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Movie Study.

Related: Your Favorite Roald Dahl Movies

The Jungle Book

The fourteen fables in this landmark of children’s literature tell the story of Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the Indian jungle.

With the help of Baloo the bear, Kaa the python, and Bagheera the black panther, Mowgli learns the laws of the wild and survives countless escapades—none more thrilling than his confrontation with the menacing tiger Shere Khan, king of the jungle.

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

Tumbledown the rabbit hole with Alice for a fantastical adventure from Walt Disney Pictures and Tim Burton. Inviting and magical, Alice In Wonderland is an imaginative new twist on one of the most beloved stories of all time.

Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny.

This Wonderland is a world beyond your imagination and unlike anything you've seen before. The extraordinary characters you've loved come to life richer and more colorful than ever.

There's the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), and more. A triumphant cinematic experience — Alice In Wonderland is an incredible feast for your eyes, ears, and heart that will captivate audiences of all sizes.

Related: Tim Burton Movie Bucket List and Bingo

The Chronicles of Narnia

Fantastic creatures, heroic deeds, epic battles in the war between good and evil, and unforgettable adventures come together in this world where magic meets reality, which has been enchanting readers of all ages for over sixty years. The Chronicles of Narnia has transcended the fantasy genre to become a part of the canon of classic literature.

To continue learning, check out The Chronicles of Narnia Movie Bundle.

Where the Wild Things Are

This iconic story has inspired a movie, an opera, and the imagination of generations. When Max dresses in his wolf suit and causes havoc in the house, his mother sends him to bed.

From there, Max sets sail to an island inhabited by the Wild Things, who name him king and share a wild rumpus with him. But then from far away across the world, Max smells good things to eat.

Coraline

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous. But there's another mother there and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl.

They want to change her and never let her go. Coraline will have to fight with all her wit and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

Because of Winn-Dixie

One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends.

And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie. Featuring a new cover illustration by E. B. Lewis.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid

It's a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.

The Lorax

Dr. Seuss’s beloved story teaches kids to treat the planet with kindness and stand up and speak up for others. Experience the beauty of the Truffula Trees and the danger of taking our earth for granted in a story that is timely, playful, and hopeful. The book’s final pages teach us that just one small seed, or one small child, can make a difference. 

Related: 30 Days of Dr. Seuss

The BFG

When Sophie is snatched from her orphanage bed by the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), she fears she will be eaten. But instead, the two join forces to vanquish the nine other far less gentle giants who threaten to consume earth’s children.

This beautiful hardcover gift edition of Dahl's classic features the original illustrations by Quentin Blake, as well as a silk ribbon marker, acid-free paper, gilt stamping on a full-cloth cover, and decorative endpapers, and a sewn binding.

Related: Your Favorite Roald Dahl Movies

Ella Enchanted

At her birth, Ella of Frell receives a foolish fairy's gift—the “gift” of obedience. Ella must obey any order, whether it's to hop on one foot for a day and a half, or to chop off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not accept her fate.

Against a bold backdrop of princes, ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, and fairy godmothers, Ella goes on a quest to break the curse forever.

The Book Thief

It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier and will become busier still. Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books.

With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. 

The Giver

The Giver is a morally driven and interesting story about a young boy called Jonas who lives in a society free of crime and sadness. At the age of 12, children are assigned their jobs, which they will train for and do for the rest of their lives. Everything is chosen; from your parents to your partner.

Jumanji

Over thirty years ago, Peter and Judy first found the game—Jumanji—with the instructions that once the game is started, it must be finished or it will go on forever—and it was then, with this same wonderment, readers found Jumanji, too.

Since its original publication, Jumanji has been honored with many awards, including the Caldecott Medal, and in 1996, the surreal story was adapted to fit the big screen for the first time.

Harry Potter

Now for the first time ever, J.K. Rowling’s seven bestselling Harry Potter books are available in a stunning paperback boxed set! The Harry Potter series has been hailed as “one for the ages” by Stephen King and “a spellbinding saga’ by USA Today.

To continue learning, check out the General Book/Movie Study Guide.

Related: Best Harry Potter movies

If you enjoyed this list of movies, I have a monthly membership for parents and educators that want to teach or supplement lessons with shows and movies.

“I absolutely love sharing movies with my kids as a way to teach them valuable lessons. It's like this awesome bonding experience where we all snuggle up on the couch with some popcorn, and I get to see their little faces light up with curiosity. Whether it's a classic with timeless morals or a new animated flick with hidden gems of wisdom, it's a fantastic way to impart important life lessons in a fun and engaging way. Plus, the post-movie discussions are priceless – hearing their take on the characters and the story adds a whole new dimension to our family time.” –a Homeschooling parent

With Homeschooling with Shows and Movies membership, you will get resources every month, including:

• List of This Month’s Suggested Themes
• List of Monthly Observances
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These resources are worth it if you'd like to easily incorporate shows and movies into your homeschooling.

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If you’re looking for more movies based on books, check out these posts:

• 11 Awesome Books That Became Movies
• Roald Dahl Books That Become Movies
• 40+ Netflix Movies Based On Books (For Kids 8-10)
• Netflix Movies Based on Books (For Kids 11-12)
• 10 Movies Based on Books on Netflix
• Book vs. Movie Review
• 30 Days of Dr. Seuss
• Celebrate Dr. Seuss' Day
• Your Favorite Roald Dahl Movies
• 10 Movies Based on Books on Netflix
• Netflix Movies Based on Books (For Kids 11-12)
• 40+ Netflix Movies Based On Books (For Kids 8-10)
• 10 Gifts for Harry Potter Lovers