mom31257 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I am helping to start a book club for this age group. The kids will read the book at home on their own. We'll get them together to discuss the book, watch the movie, and then discuss the differences. The groups wants to do 6 books for the year. What are your top 6 choices for that age range? The families are all fairly conservative in what they will watch, so language and scary images are probably not a good idea. Thanks for any ideas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veggiegal Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 I did a bit of this with my boys last year. We read and compared Charlotte's Web (E.B. White's other children's novels, Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan are also available as movies), various Ramona books (to the movie Ramona and Beezus), The Water Horse, and How To Train Your Dragon (with both of these there were a LOT of differences between book and movie). I look forward to hearing other titles as my boys really enjoyed doing this, so I'd like to continue. I know Mr Popper's Penguins has just been made into a movie, but I have no idea of 'appropriate' it is (and starring Jim Carrey, who knows?) :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WiseOwlKnits Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 How about Matilda? It's a great book for that age group and they made a movie out of it years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenjenn Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 My off-the-cuff recommendations of children's classics in that age range - The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Indian in the Cupboard - James and the Giant Peach - Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh (movie = The Secret of Nimh) - The Secret Garden - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momling Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Some that my daughter has both read and seen and liked: Tale of Desperaux My side of the mountain Freaky Friday Anne of Green Gables James and the Giant Peach The Witches Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Holes Coraline Ballet Shoes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (and other Narnia) Harry Potter Lord of the Rings Little princess Oliver (we like the musical version...) How to eat fried worms Little women Treasure Island (we like the muppet version ;-) Escape to witch mountain Secret Garden Here are a few we either haven't read or haven't seen, but have been made into movies The Secret of Nimh Princess Bride Stuart Little Spiderwick Mulan Babe Eragon The Black Cauldron Harriet the Spy Hotel for dogs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 What a great idea! A few others that haven't been mentioned yet: Nimm's Island, Bridge to Terabithia (though I found that one to be horribly sad, and don't know that I'd recommend it for that age group), Because of Winn Dixie, Dr Dolittle, Mary Poppins, Nanny McPhee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted June 14, 2011 Author Share Posted June 14, 2011 What a great idea! A few others that haven't been mentioned yet: Nimm's Island, Bridge to Terabithia (though I found that one to be horribly sad, and don't know that I'd recommend it for that age group), Because of Winn Dixie, Dr Dolittle, Mary Poppins, Nanny McPhee. A homeschool group we are in has this kind of group for the teens, so I figured why not do one for the younger group since there are a lot of good book/movies out there. I'm reading Deconstructing Penguins and going through Teaching the Classics to help me get ready to lead it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieM Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 A homeschool group we are in has this kind of group for the teens, so I figured why not do one for the younger group since there are a lot of good book/movies out there. I'm reading Deconstructing Penguins and going through Teaching the Classics to help me get ready to lead it. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts about this after you've done your planning and/or first session. I bet my kids would love to do this, even if we just did it as a relaxed family discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Is Mr. Popper's Penguins a 3rd grade book? There is going to be a movie based on this book coming out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Off the top of my head, here are my top 6 recommendations for 3rd-5th grade level books that also have movie tie-ins. My kids read and enjoyed the books and also the movies for each of these: The Sign of the Beaver Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (If you watch the movie, the Gene Wilder version is much better, IMO, although the Johnny Depp version does follow the book more closely.) The BFG Shiloh Charlotte's Web Because of Winn Dixie The Chronicles of Narnia are wonderful, but if you do one, you should do them ALL, and that's more than 6 books with that one series alone. :) My Side of the Mountain and A Wrinkle in Time are also quite good, but they are 6th grade level, I think. We also read The Indian in the Cupboard (also 6th grade level?), and started to watch the movie, but stopped it a few minutes in because we felt that the language was inappropriate for youngsters. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (6th grade level) was a WONDERFUL book, but the movie (animated) was AWFUL. It added elements of magic/sorcery which were not found--or even hinted at--in the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Here's a list we use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_children%27s_books_made_into_feature_films Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanna1949 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 You've received lots of excellent recommendations. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with a few for your study. We went to see Judy Moody this afternoon, and it turned out to be better than I expected. It was a cute, lightweight show that my 9- and 5-year-old girls enjoyed, and I think boys would like it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Ramona and Beezus (although you would have to read the whole series since they put it all into one movie!) Charlotte's Web Anne of Green Gables Little House on the Prairie (My favorite is the Disney mini series, but the pilot of the series would be ok too. ) Kit Kitteridge, an American Girl (you would need to read the whole series) Samantha, an American Girl Holiday movie (need to read the whole series!) And thanks to those that gave a list. I had no idea there were movies to some of those that my dd has read. I will have to look for some of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Here's a list we use: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_children%27s_books_made_into_feature_films :w00t: Awesome!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 Ahh. We did that last year and had fun with that. Shiloh was a good one, Where the Red Fern Grows ( the disney version was excellent) , Treasure Island , 20,000 Leagues under the Sea ( get the Classic Starts books version to read it) There is a 1964 movie made of the Island of the Blue Dolphins. I haven't seen it yet but plan on getting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyofPA Posted June 15, 2011 Share Posted June 15, 2011 There are some great titles listed here already. One that came to my mind and wasn't mentioned yet was Misty of Chincoteague. We have that on DVD and my kids really enjoy it. The book itself might be a little hard to read because of the wording, but it can also stretch them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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