Classic reads and their modern adaptations

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Bookish advice

Hi everyone, this week I’m sharing a bookish advice post on the various adaptations we find these days based on classic reads. We get many different forms of media that provide our youngsters these days with not just graphic novels of classic reads but with adapted versions into musicals, movies, and all sorts of other streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney plus. If you’re curious and want to find out more why don’t you press the button below…

I know I’ve been going on a bit about classic books over the last few months, I do apologise but it brought up a lot of memories and by some chance a few parents were asking about classic titles for their kids in the library which got me thinking about the many adaptations we have now. I actually stumbled on the Netflix series Anne with an E while I was recovering from covid and it gripped me from the first episode and I decided to buy the original series. While delving back into Anne Shirley’s world in Avonlea, and back into my memories, I couldn’t help comparing the books from both the 1985 movie and the 2019 series. Despite the vast differences in cinematography, I couldn’t help but fall in love with that red-haired girl and Prince Edward Island all over again!! It’s amazing how this works for us librarians!! Mind you, watching the series and reading the Anne of Green Gable books kept me sane while recovering for those few weeks!! 

image of girl in red hair with white dress holding book and straw hat. behind her old house with trees beside and man and woman in front of house. cloudy sky and green letters across reading Anne of Green Gables.
Collector’s Edition cover
photo of girl with red hair and blue coat. behind her green of trees and white letters above her reads Anne with an E.
Re-created Netflix series

This got me thinking about what advice I could give to parents who are trying to get their kids to read classics that they enjoyed in their youth. 

Firstly, I would say, please don’t force them!! It’s best to find what your tween or teen is into and go from there. If they DO enjoy classics but don’t have patience and time to read the originals, then there are abridged versions, graphic novels, and audiobooks that they can try. 

Secondly, I would recommend that you find the movie adaptation and watch it together. The modern adaptations are bound to have PG ratings.

Thirdly, when you read or watch the story, discuss the language, descriptions, and setting with your tween or teen. The language in the original books are a bit wordy and lengthy with references to themes and subjects that aren’t relevant today. It’s also best to sit with them when you watch the adapted screen version as it could have violence or content that is disturbing for younger readers. 

I thought I’d give you a few examples I’ve enjoyed reading over the years and their modern adapted counterparts to get you started.

Traditional classics: 

four-grid box. top left book cover of girl in garden green band above with white letters reading The Secret Garden. top right movie poster of girl in green coat in middle with older woman and man. garden and house above and to her right. golden letters The Secret Garden on left corner of image. bottom left image of flowers and leaves with faces of four girls and yellow letters Little Women in middle. bottom right movie poster of four girls in coats and hats smiling. white background with red letters Little Women above them.
Classic titles and their modern adaptations
four-grid box. top left image of cartoon style girl in blue dress standing on top of pile of books with dark pink background. yellow and blue letters on side reads Roald Dahl Matilda. top right photo of girl in school uniform standing on small table and people standing beside her. paper flying around them. yellow letters below her reads Matilda. bottom left image of strange horns and fingers under brown sand with biscuits and shells in front. brown box with light lettering reading Five children and it at top. bottom right image of strange green creature in middle and group of children behind it. green trees in background. letters underneath reads 5 children & it.
A few more classic reads and their adaptations

Modern classics: 

four-grid box. top left image of big tree and small shack under it. large yellow letters across tree branches reads Bridge to Terabithia. top right image of kids, boy and girl at top with magical characters below. sky in between pink and blue. orange letters in middle blue shape reads Bridge to Terabithia. bottom left image of face of boy with black hair and small blue eye and word Wonder in black as eyebrow. bottom right image of small boy in astronaut helmet with woman and man looking at him. blue background. white letters above reads Wonder.
Modern Classics and their movies
four-grid box. top left image of young girl with brown hair with outline of house around her. roof has The Babysitters Club Mary Anne saves the day written on it. top right image of group of girls looking up from ground. collection of bags and trinkets in middle with letters on blocks reads The Babysitters club. bottom left image of old-fashioned city lit up inside large dome with shadows of girl and boy looking at it from sides. white letters City of Ember at top. bottom right photo of boy and girl at top and with bright light from points at top and bottom. large yellow letters in middle reads City of Ember.
Another set of classic reads and their movies

So, there you have some suggestions to get you started. Go on, have a go and see if you enjoy these and let me know if you and your tween have a preference; the book or the screen version, or maybe the stage version!! I’m one of those people that tend to enjoy both but when the movie version changes the plot a bit then it sure does give me an itch to say something!! Well, there you have it. I hope this post has given you something to think about. I promise this is the last you’ll hear me go on about classic reads.

Stay safe and keep reading

Miss Mahee

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Published by missmaheeslibraryofreads

I am a librarian, a collector of words in all shapes and sizes, and love all things magnificent and awe-inspiring in this world!!

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