MRQE Ranks: Cinema's Best Kid's Books Adaptations

1

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Cast: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Margaret Hamilton

Director: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Richard Thorpe, King Vidor

Writer: L. Frank Baum

Synopsis: The third and definitive film adaptation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 children's fantasy, this musical adventure is a genuine family classic that made J... [MORE]

2

Bambi (1942)

Director: David Hand

Synopsis: The classic Felix Salter story Bambi provides the basis for this near-perfect Disney animated feature. We follow the male deer Bambi from birth, th... [MORE]

3

Mary Poppins (1964)

Cast: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Glynis Johns, David Tomlinson, Ed Wynn

Director: Robert Stevenson

Synopsis: Long resistant to film adaptations of her Mary Poppins books, P.L. Travers finally succumbed to the entreaties of Walt Disney, and the result is of... [MORE]

4

The Iron Giant (1999)

Director: Brad Bird

Synopsis: A boy's best friend is his robot in this animated adventure from Brad Bird, best known for his TV work on such series as The Simpsons, King of the ... [MORE]

5

Coraline (2009)

Director: Henry Selick

Synopsis: A young girl walks through a secret door and discovers a parallel reality that is eerily similar to the life she already knows, yet deeply unsettli... [MORE]

6

Dumbo (1941)

Cast: Edward Brophy, Herman Bing, Verna Felton, Sterling Holloway, Cliff Edwards

Director: Sam Armstrong, Jack Kinney, Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Bill Roberts, Ben Sharpsteen

Writer: Joe Grant, Dick Huemer

Synopsis: The shortest of Disney's major animated features Dumbo involves a baby elephant with unusually large ears. Ostracized from the rest of the circus a... [MORE]

7

How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Director: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois

Synopsis: The son of a Viking chief must capture a dragon in order to mark his passage into manhood and prove his worthiness to the tribe in directors Chris ... [MORE]

8

Shrek (2001)

Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel

Director: Vicky Jenson, Andrew Adamson

Synopsis: In this fully computer-animated fantasy from the creators of Antz, we follow the travails of Shrek (Mike Myers), a green ogre who enjoys a life of ... [MORE]

9

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Cast: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, Michael Bollner, Denise Nickerson

Director: Mel Stuart

Synopsis: Promoted as a family musical by Paramount Pictures, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is more of a black comedy, perversely faithful to the spi... [MORE]

10

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, David Thewlis, Gary Oldman

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Synopsis: After directing the first two movies in the Harry Potter franchise, Chris Columbus opted to serve as producer for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of ... [MORE]

11

The Secret Garden (1993)

Cast: Kate Maberly, Maggie Smith, Heydon Prowse, Andrew Knott, Laura Crossley

Director: Agnieszka Holland

Synopsis: The 1993 remake of The Secret Garden is a rendition of the classic Frances Hodgon Burnett novel about a young girl (Kate Maberly) who discovers an ... [MORE]

13

Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Cast: Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick, Bailee Madison

Director: Gabor Csupo

Synopsis: From the producers of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and the mind of author Katherine Paterson comes a rousing fantasy adventure about famil... [MORE]

14

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Director: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske

Synopsis: This Disney feature-length cartoon combines the most entertaining elements of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Ch... [MORE]

15

Holes (2003)

Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, Khleo Thomas

Director: Andrew Davis

Synopsis: A boy being punished for a crime he didn't commit learns there's more going on at a juvenile correctional facility than meets the eye in this comed... [MORE]

16

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Cast: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: Director Tim Burton brings his unique vision and sensibility to Roald Dahl's classic children's story in this lavish screen interpretation. Willy W... [MORE]

17

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

Director: Christopher Miller, Phil Lord

Synopsis: Inspired by Ron and Judi Barrett's beloved children's book of the same name, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs follows inventor Flint Lockwood (voi... [MORE]

18

Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Cast: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Steve Mouzakis, Pepita Emmerichs

Director: Spike Jonze

Synopsis: Visionary director Spike Jonze brings Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book to the big screen with the help of hipster icon Dave Eggers, who tea... [MORE]

19

Matilda (1996)

Cast: Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Mara Wilson, Embeth Davidtz, Pam Ferris

Director: Danny DeVito

Synopsis: Based on the book Matilda, by British children's author Roald Dahl, this film moves the setting from the U.K. to the U.S.; otherwise it follows the... [MORE]

20

Freaky Friday (2003)

Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Mark Harmon, Harold Gould, Chad Michael Murray

Director: Mark S. Waters

Synopsis: A high-strung mom and her punky daughter learn what it's like to walk in each other's shoes -- literally -- in Disney's second update of their 1977... [MORE]

21

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

Cast: Noah Hathaway, Barret Oliver, Tami Stronach, Gerald McRaney, Moses Gunn

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Synopsis: Wolfgang Petersen adapted Michael Ende's children's story for this charming fantasy film that spawned several sequels. Bastian (Barret Oliver) is d... [MORE]

22

The Polar Express (2004)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Synopsis: Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on children's author Chris Van Allsburg's modern holiday classic of the same name, The Polar Express revolves... [MORE]

23

Charlotte's Web (2006)

Director: Gary Winick

Synopsis: E.B. White's classic children's story comes to the screen in this live-action adaptation with an all-star voice cast. Fern Arable (Dakota Fanning) ... [MORE]

24

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton

Director: Andrew Adamson

Synopsis: Four siblings -- Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Lucy (Georgie Henley), Peter (William Moseley), and Susan (Anna Popplewell) -- are sent from their London... [MORE]

25

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

Cast: Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Sarah Bolger

Director: Mark S. Waters

Synopsis: Mark S. Waters's adaptation of the popular fantasy novels The Spiderwick Chronicles tells the tale of the Graces, a family who must adapt to their ... [MORE]

26

James and the Giant Peach (1996)

Cast: Joanna Lumley, Miriam Margolyes, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Terry

Director: Henry Selick

Synopsis: A young boy's discovery of a gigantic peach triggers an eventful journey across the sea in this strikingly designed and surprisingly twisted animat... [MORE]

27

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)

Cast: Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Emily Browning, Liam Aiken, Jude Law

Director: Brad Silberling

Writer: Daniel Handler

Synopsis: The best-selling series of subversive children's books from author Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) come to the screen in this black comedy for ... [MORE]

28

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

Cast: Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Jenna Boyd

Director: Ken Kwapis

Synopsis: Ann Brashares' best-selling novel for young adults comes to the big screen in this engaging comedy drama. Carmen (America Ferrera), Bridget (Blake ... [MORE]

29

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Director: Stephen J. Anderson

Synopsis: An orphan who dreams of someday finding a family to call his own finds his fate taking an unexpected turn when a mysterious stranger named Wilbur R... [MORE]

30

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)

Cast: Abigail Breslin, Chris O'Donnell, Julia Ormond, Stanley Tucci, Glenne Headly

Director: Patricia Rozema

Synopsis: Producer Julia Roberts brings the American Girl brand to the big screen for the very first time with this inspirational tale concerning a nine-year... [MORE]

31

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

Cast: William Moseley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell, Georgie Henley, Ben Barnes

Director: Andrew Adamson

Synopsis: The adventure continues as producer/director Andrew Adamson teams with screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely to tell the tale of the... [MORE]

32

Curious George (2006)

Director: Matthew O'Callaghan

Writer: Ken Kaufman

33

The Tale of Despereaux (2008)

Director: Rob Stevenhagen, Sam Fell

Synopsis: A diminutive mouse strives to make a mammoth change in his troubled kingdom in this adaptation of author Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal-winning chi... [MORE]

34

City of Ember (2008)

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Murray, Martin Landau

Director: Gil Kenan

Synopsis: Monster House director Gil Kenan takes the helm for this children's fantasy about two young heroes who attempt to solve an ancient mystery in time ... [MORE]

35

The Golden Compass (2007)

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Dakota Blue Richards, Sam Elliott, Ben Walker

Director: Chris Weitz

Synopsis: A young girl embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her best friend and fight the forces of darkness in director Chris Weitz's adaptation of the f... [MORE]

36

Stuart Little (1999)

Cast: Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Jonathan Lipnicki, Estelle Getty

Director: Rob Minkoff

Synopsis: E.B. White's classic children's story is brought to the screen in this fantasy, which combines computer-animated characters with a cast of live act... [MORE]

37

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Cast: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor, Bill Irwin, Jeremy Howard

Director: Ron Howard

Synopsis: He's mean, he's green, and he's doesn't like the Yuletide season one bit -- Jim Carrey stars in this live-action adaptation of the classic children... [MORE]

38

Ella Enchanted (2004)

Cast: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes, Vivica A. Fox, Joanna Lumley

Director: Tommy O'Haver

Writer: Gail Carson Levine

Synopsis: Adapted from author Gail Carson Levine's award-winning children's book of the same name, the Miramax-financed modern fantasy Ella Enchanted is dire... [MORE]

39

Jumanji (1995)

Cast: Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth

Director: Joe Johnston, J. Johnston

Synopsis: Jumanji is a visually elaborate fantasy about an enchanted board game that opens a magical portal to a jungle universe. Two young children, Judy (K... [MORE]

40

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter

Director: Michael Apted

Synopsis: Upon returning to Narnia to join Prince Caspian for a voyage on the majestic royal vessel known as The Dawn Treader, Lucy, Edmund, and their... [MORE]

41

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Cast: Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Matt Lucas

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: Director Tim Burton and screenwriter Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King) team up to deliver this visually dazzling take on the c... [MORE]

42

How to Eat Fried Worms (2006)

Cast: Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Adam Hicks, Austin Rogers, Alexander Gould

Director: Bob Dolman

Synopsis: The new kid at school faces up to the school bully by taking on a challenge no one has the guts to try in this family-oriented comedy. Billy (Luke ... [MORE]

43

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2010)

Cast: Zachary Gordon, Robert Capron, Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn, Connor Fielding

Director: Thor Freudenthal

Synopsis: Hapless preteen Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) endures bullies, swirlies, morons, and wedgies while navigating the treacherous world of middle schoo... [MORE]

44

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011)

Cast: Devon Bostick, Rachael Harris, Robert Capron, Steve Zahn

Director: David Bowers

Synopsis: Astro Boy director David Bowers helms the follow-up film to 2010's big-screen adaptation of Jeff Kinney's acclaimed Diary of a Wimpy Kid comic nove... [MORE]

45

The Princess Diaries (2001)

Cast: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo, Mandy Moore, Caroline Goodall

Director: Garry Marshall

Synopsis: This teen comedy from Disney is based on a popular novel by Meg Cabot and directed by Garry Marshall. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a teenage ... [MORE]

46

Twilight (2008/I)

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Synopsis: When Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) reluctantly moved to the perpetually overcast town of Forks, WA, and set out to carve a niche for herself, she as... [MORE]

47

101 Dalmatians (1996)

Cast: Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Joan Plowright, Hugh Laurie

Director: Stephen Herek

Synopsis: There are more puppies than you can shake a rolled up newspaper at in this live-action remake of the Disney animated favorite 101 Dalmatians. Roger... [MORE]

48

Aquamarine (2006)

Cast: Emma Roberts, Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque, Sara Paxton, Jake McDorman, Arielle Kebbel

Director: Elizabeth Allen

Synopsis: Two teenagers think they have problems until they come to the rescue of a girl with a fishy story to tell in this teen-oriented comedy. Thirteen-ye... [MORE]

49

Eclipse (2010/I)

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Bryce Dallas Howard

Director: David Slade

Synopsis: The third film in the Twilight series explores a love triangle between Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson), and Jacob (Taylor Lautne... [MORE]

50

The Jungle Book (1967)

Director: Wolfgang Reitherman

Synopsis: The final animated feature produced under the supervision of Walt Disney is a lively neo-swing musical, loosely based upon the tales of Rudyard Kip... [MORE]