The Benefits of Book & Film Pairings

These days, many classic and contemporary written works have been adapted into film. These films provide an excellent opportunity for deepening their learning and having family bonding time with a fun movie night and conversations about the story.

There are numerous benefits to pairing books with their film counterparts. Because movies provide  concrete visuals and usually have a more streamlined version of the text, struggling readers can solidify their comprehension of story elements such as plot and character development. After watching together, have your learner practice giving a concise summary, discussing cause and effect, or describing character traits and motivations.

For exceptionally perceptive readers, watching a film adaptation can activate their critical thinking skills and start a conversation comparing and contrasting details from the two versions. You can ask questions like: “Did (character) look like what you pictured while reading?” and “Which parts were changed or missing – why do you think the production team made that decision?”

Selecting the Right Books for Your Learner

We’ve compiled a list of 15 popular book-to-movie pairings arranged by grade level. If your child is an advanced reader, you can look at the lower end of each range, whereas we’d advise looking toward the higher end of the range for a struggling reader. For example, a book labeled “Grades 3-5” may be an appropriate level for a 3rd grader with strong reading skills, but would likely provide a challenge for a struggling reader in 3rd grade.