Children's Books discussion
The Newbery Club
>
Movie and TV Adaptations of Newbery Books
date
newest »
newest »
Here Come the Honor Books! Those made into movies, that is. If anyone knows of any which are missing, please advise. Thank you.Looking for WATCHABLE copies of Civil War Diary, Jennifer and Me, and My Brother Sam is Dead. Don't particularly care if I ever see Beyond the Prairie again or its sequel.
1930s:
Pecos Bill: The Greatest Cowboy of All Time was not exactly adapted into at least two films but the character was used.
Pecos Bill (1948) Walt Disney short, part of a longer film titled Melody Time. This may actually include incidents from the book. Source: Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt0040580/Melod...
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill (1995) This is not from the book but an original story using the character. Source: Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt0111359/Tall-...
Little House on the Prairie* (1974). TV series adapted from five Newbery Honor books starting with On the Banks of Plum Creek. Source: I believe the only place you can watch on demand is with a subscription from Peacock. No free watching since it was removed from Freevee. https://moviechat.org/tt0071007/Littl...
Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls Wilder (2000) Source: Very expensive DVD available, no other sources apparently. https://moviechat.org/tt0171099/Beyon...
Little House on the Prairie (2005) Source: Watched on DVD. https://moviechat.org/tt0406032/Littl...
Mr. Popper's Penguins* (2011) This qualifies as a Newbery adaptation...barely. The book is credited and there are some similarities. Source: Listed on Amazon Prime Video but you have to do a free trial of Paramount Plus, and ten other platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt1396218/Mr-Po...
1940s:
Mountain Born (1972), Disney series episode. Source: YouTube. (No individual MovieChat listing and no review.)
Justin Morgan Had a Horse* (1972) Source: Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt0068789/Justi...
Misty (1961), based on Misty of Chincoteague*. Source: Amazon Prime and 6 other platforms, free. https://moviechat.org/tt0055186/Misty...
1950s
Charlotte's Web* (1973). Source: Amazon Prime and four other platforms, pay only, no free viewing. https://moviechat.org/tt0070016/Charl..., posts 4-8.
Charlotte's Web (2006). Source: Amazon Prime and three other platforms, pay, and Pluto TV, free. I compared both versions in the review for the 1973 version, so no review here.
Banner in the Sky (1959), titled or retitled Third Man on the Mountain. Source: Disney Plus. (No review.)
Old Yeller* (1957) Source: Disney Plus. (No review.)
1960s
My Side of the Mountain* (1969). Source: Amazon Prime and 4 other platforms, pay only. https://moviechat.org/tt0064708/My-Si...
The Gammage Cup, CBS Storybreak, October 24, 1987. Source: YouTube. (No review.)
The Cricket in Times Square*, titled A Cricket in Times Square (1973). Source: Internet Archive. https://moviechat.org/tt1000758/Crick...
Rascal* (1969). Source: Disney Plus. (No review.)
Araiguma Rasukaru (1977), a 52-episode Japanese anime based on Rascal. Source: Someplace outside America. Due to Disney's rules, not available in the United States. The series proved a disaster in introducing the North American raccoon into Japan where it may still be wreaking havoc and destruction.
The Loner* titled The Young Loner (1968). Two-part episode on the Disney series. Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt0063826/The-Y...
Across Five Aprils, titled Civil War Diary (1990). Source: Doesn't seem to be streaming anywhere and the YouTube copy is too terrible in quality to watch.
The Black Cauldron* (1985). Source: Disney Plus. (No real review. Posted that it was mostly a disappointment.)
Jennifer, Hecate, MacBeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth*, titled Jennifer and Me, NBC Children's Theater, aired in March of 1973. Source: Unavailable anywhere, even the author didn't have a copy. https://moviechat.org/tt1289479/NBC-C...
1970s
Incident at Hawk's Hill*, titled The Boy Who Talked to Badgers (1975). Source: Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt0072728/The-B...
The Planet of Junior Brown (1997). Source: Free on Tubi and Fandango at Home and for rent cheap on Amazon Prime. The only Newbery-based film I have seen which is totally unsuitable for children under 16 and maybe under 18. Just sayin'. https://moviechat.org/tt0125460/The-P...
The Dark is Rising*, titled The Seeker: The Dark is Rising (2007). Source: Amazon Prime and 4 other platforms, pay only. https://moviechat.org/tt0484562/The-S... Fifth post on the page.
My Brother Sam is Dead*, aired on the Disney Channel in 2005. Source: Unavailable anywhere in any form.
Ramona* (1988), TV miniseries based in part on two Newbery Honor books. Source: YouTube. (Liked it but no review.)
Ramona and Beezus (2010), movie based in part on two Newbery Honor books. Source: Amazon Prime Video and 7 other platforms. (Posted positive comments in response to others but no separate review.)
The Great Gilly Hopkins* (2015). Source: Amazon Prime Video and 9 other platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt1226766/The-G...
1980s
A Ring of Endless Light (2002). Source: Disney Plus. No review; waiting to read the book.
The Sign of the Beaver*, also titled Keeping the Promise (1997). Source: Amazon Prime Video and 4 other platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt0119454/Keepi...
The Wish Giver* is listed as in development as a TV series.
Hatchet*, titled A Cry in the Wild (1990). Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt0099327/A-Cry...
1990s
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle* is listed as in development.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963, titled The Watsons Go to Birmingham (2013). Source: Available for an exorbitant amount on Amazon Prime Video, nearly $6.00 while all other movies are under $4.00. Luckily it is also available on Xumo Play for free with ads. Unfortunately there is no way to search in Xumo Play! You have to download it and then use your TV's search function to find it. Worth it, though. (No review, but comments on others' posts. Great movie well made and well acted.)
Ella Enchanted (2004). Source: Amazon Prime Video and 6 other platforms, pay only. https://moviechat.org/tt0327679/Ella-...
2000s
Because of Winn-Dixie* (2005). Source: Amazon Prime Video and 7 other platforms, pay only. https://moviechat.org/tt0317132/Becau...
*Indicates I read the book.
And now a few words about Newbery book and movie connections.In the 1991 Newbery winner, Maniac Magee, a key scene involves the main character with a group of classmates singing "Talk to the Animals" at a school program. "Talk to the Animals" is a song from the 1967 film Doctor Dolittle, which was largely based on the 1923 Newbery winner, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle.
A song in the 1967 film Doctor Dolittle, which was largely based on the 1923 Newbery winner, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, briefly references Attila the Hun, whose life is the subject of the 1938 winner, The White Stag.
In the 1973 film The Hideaways, based on the 1968 winner, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the two main characters pause in front of the portrait of Juan de Pareja by Diego Velázquez, the main character in the 1966 winner, I, Juan de Pareja. I don't know whether this was intentional or just a happy accident, but it was a particularly nice touch which was not repeated in the 1995 remake.
Of course, the closest relationship is between the 1963 winner, A Wrinkle in Time, and the 2010 winner, When You Reach Me, in which the main character is obsessed with A Wrinkle in Time. (When You Reach Me is mercifully set before either of the movies of A Wrinkle in Time came out.) A Wrinkle in Time and When You Reach Me are among only about three science fiction books to win the Newbery.
The film of Shiloh contains no Newbery connections, but Saving Shiloh does. The book Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, to which Saving Shiloh is a sequel, won the Newbery Medal in 1992. In this movie, Marty reads to his sisters from Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, who won the Newbery Medal in 1995 for Walk Two Moons. The first three books in the Shiloh quartet were movies. The fourth, A Shiloh Christmas, is not, but mentions the most Newbery connections. Marty is reading a book by Gary Paulsen, whose books Dogsong, Hatchet, and The Winter Room were all Newbery Honor books. Hatchet was also a movie. Marty also mentions loving Jerry Spinelli, whose book Maniac Magee won the Newbery Medal in 1991. Marty particularly likes Wringer, which was a Newbery Honor book.
In the film of My Side of the Mountain, in the library scene, a man is reading Misty of Chincoteague, like My Side of the Mountain a Newbery Honor book, and Newbery gold medalist Island of the Blue Dolphins is on the table nearby.
For fun I will try listing actors involved in more than one Newbery film. I'm probably missing a few, particularly people who did voices for animated features.Glenn Close: Sarah Plain and Tall, Newbery gold, and The Great Gilly Hopkins, Honor Book.
Robert Donner: The Boy Who Talked to Badgers, based on Incident at Hawk's Hill, Honor Book. Guest starred on Little House on the Prairie, five Honor Books. Also guest starred on Daniel Boone.
Dabbs Greer: Johnny Tremain, Newbery gold, and the Little House on the Prairie series, five Honor Books.
Burl Ives: The only person I can find to have appeared in at least three Newbery winners. His first film was Smoky (1946), Newbery Gold. He narrated Little Georgie of Rabbit Hill (1967), Newbery Gold. He also guest starred on Little House on the Prairie, based on five honor books.
Fess Parker: Smoky, Newbery gold, and Old Yeller, Honor Book. Also played both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, who were the subjects of an Honor Book and a Newbery gold medalist.
Sarah Polley: The Planet of Junior Brown, Honor Book, and the Ramona series, two Honor Books.
AnnaSophia Robb: Bridge to Terabithia, Newbery gold, and Because of Winn-Dixie, Honor Book and her first film.
Cicely Tyson: Sounder, Newbery gold, and Because of Winn-Dixie, Honor Book.
Paul Winfield was in both films of Sounder, Newbery gold.
Cornelia wrote: "FAnnaSophia Robb: Bridge to Terabithia, Newbery gold, and Because of Winn-Dixie, Honor Book and her first film.."First feature film. Her first movie was Samantha: An American Girl Holiday. That aired on TV and DVD.
I wanted to be Laura Ingalls when I was younger mostly because of the TV show. It airs on TV still but I can't watch it. It's grossly inaccurate and way too saccharine for me.
The Secret of NIMH was a childhood favorite. We watched that on TV a lot before I read the book. The movie was better.
Another childhood favorite on TV/home video was Charlotte's Web, the animated musical version. I won't watch the live action version. I heard it was good though.
Ramona was a great TV series. We loved it, even my sister who doesn't read, has fond memories if watching it. She said the movie was so good and she cried.
Dr. Doolittle will probably pop up on TCM at some point. I have seen it but I liked the book so much when I was a kid, I haven't been interested in the movies. My dad and nephews really liked the most recent movie version "Doolittle". I wouldn't watch it.
The nieces made me watch Mr. Popper's Penguins which is barely the same story as I remember from the book. Niece #1 loved it.
I remember watching Sarah , Plain and Tall on TV but I've read the book so many times and loved it so much, I'm reluctant to watch this Hallmark version again.
I don't have ANY memories of watching Caddie Woodlawn but it was a favorite book and I was exactly the right age in 1989 so surely I must have seen it.
Old Yeller was available on Home movie and sure was traumatic to watch.
I have vague memories of watching some of these in school
Bridge to Terabithia (haven't seen AnnaSophia Robb version)
Sounder - loved the book, have an image of the movie in my mind but no memories of the film itself.
I had no idea some of these were movies. A Misty movie? How did we not know about that? It must not have been on home movie to rent or TV. A new movie is much needed to show horse obsessed niece!
Strange to say, Marguerite Henry predicted a Misty movie years before it happened. Much of Sea Star: Orphan of Chincoteague is about sending Misty off to be a movie star. Of course in the book, they are approached by a young upstart outfit and not a major studio as ended up making the actual movie. The part in Stormy, Misty's Foal about the studio rereleasing the movie and Misty and Stormy touring with it to raise money after the hurricane which devastated Chincoteague absolutely happened. The only difference is, there was a scene in the book which should have been in the movie and was not in the actual movie, but in the movie described in the book, that scene was included. I want to see THAT movie! (Which exists only in the book.)
Mod
This is so very cool of you to post about. I just joined the group but remember seeing some of these movies as a child growing up. I'm curious to see how faithful some of these movies are to the books once i've re-read them first. Thanks for this.
Munchie wrote: "This is so very cool of you to post about. I just joined the group but remember seeing some of these movies as a child growing up. I'm curious to see how faithful some of these movies are to the bo..."Thank you for your reply.
Mod
If anyone knows of any WATCHABLE copies of Smoky (1933), Island of the Blue Dolphins, or Maniac Magee, please advise. Sarah Plain and Tall is available on DVD if a person wants to buy the 3-movie set.
The Story of Mankind (1957) Source: Internet Archive. If you have a smart phone and a smart TV, enter this URL into your phone. https://archive.org/details/THESTORYO... Then use screen mirroring to cast the picture from your phone to your TV. It works fine with sound too. Or use same URL to watch on a computer. The movie doesn't have much to do with the book but is kind of interesting. https://moviechat.org/tt0051016/The-S...
Doctor Dolittle (1967) Source: Amazon Prime Video and other sources, pay to rent or buy only. No free platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt0061584/Docto...
Dolittle (2020) Source: Amazon Prime Video, free. https://moviechat.org/tt6673612/Dolit...
Smoky (1933) Source: Not available on any platform or for sale on any reputable source, anywhere. It does seem to still exist as it's mentioned as having been on TCM and it has Internet Movie Database ratings so people have seen it. Too bad it's not available as it's narrated by author Will James. This is my holy grail of unobtainable Newberys.
Smoky (1946) Source: There are two copies on YouTube but their quality is too horrible to watch. Internet Archive only good source. Same instructions as for The Story of Mankind. URL: https://archive.org/details/smoky_202201 https://moviechat.org/tt0038955/Smoky...
Smoky (1966) Source: Amazon Prime Video and other sources, pay to rent or buy only. No free platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt0060994/Smoky...
Caddie Woodlawn (1989) Source: Amazon Prime Video and two other sources, free. https://moviechat.org/tt0185211/Caddi...
Daniel Boone: There is no movie based on the Newbery book but I did watch the entire TV series on YouTube. It may be hard to get the entire first season in order but the rest should be there.
Call It Courage (Disney Show Episode, 1973) Source: YouTube. Since I didn't know where to leave my review on MovieChat (there were a bunch of titles of the Disney series), here it is: "Last night thanks to YouTube I got to see Call It Courage almost certainly for the first time since it ran on TV in 1973. I have read every Newbery gold medalist except this year's and a good many honor books and it would be nice to see all the movies. Unfortunately some of them are so awful I seriously can't even. This is one of the good ones. The Disney company actually went to the right part of the world and had natives act out the story in their own language with Don Ho narrating. I don't know why more isn't made of some of these excellent features and why they don't run on Disney Plus."
Johnny Tremain (1957) Source: Amazon Prime Video and other sources, pay to rent or buy only. No free platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt0050567/Johnn...
Little Georgie of Rabbit Hill (NBC Children's Theater, 1967) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt1289479/NBC-C...
King of the Wind (1990) Source: Amazon Prime Video only, pay to rent or buy only. No free platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt0097668/King-...
...and Now Miguel (documentary, 1953) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt10995602/And-...
...and Now Miguel (theatrical film, 1966) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt10995602/And-...
Rifles for Watie: listed as a TV series in production.
Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964) Source: Not available to stream anywhere. Available on Blu-Ray only. No DVD available from any reputable source, and I'm not buying a Blu-Ray and a player. This movie isn't that good. (No review.)
A Wrinkle in Time (2003) Source: Saw this when it premiered on TV, didn't feel like seeing it again. It may be on YouTube, otherwise you'd have to buy an old DVD. (No review.)
A Wrinkle in Time (2018) Source: Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt1620680/A-Wri...
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler aka The Hideaways (1973) Source: Amazon Prime, free. This is delightful, watch it and read the book. (No review.)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1995) Source: Amazon Prime and three other sources, free. https://moviechat.org/tt0113126/From-...
The High King is not a movie but the companion book in the series The Black Cauldron (1985) is, which I have watched on Disney Plus. It will be listed with the honor books.
Sounder (1972) I'd seen this so many times I didn't watch it again this time. It is available free on Amazon Prime and six other sources. Excellent! Read the book and then watch this to see how a movie can actually improve on a book. It's at the top of my list of "Movies Better Than the Book."
Sounder (Disney TV Movie 2003) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt0069303/Sound...
The Summer of the Swans aka Sara's Summer of the Swans (1974) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt0194415/Saras...
The Secret of NIMH (1982) Source: Amazon Prime Premium Subscription and three other sources free. (Bizarrely, this film gives no credit to the book or its author. The only time I think I've seen that in a Newbery based film.) https://moviechat.org/tt0084649/The-S...
Julie of the Wolves is listed as in development.
The Grey King is not a movie but the companion book in the series The Dark is Rising (2007) is. This will be listed with the honor books.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (1978) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt0078173/Roll-...
Bridge to Terabithia (1985) Source: YouTube. https://moviechat.org/tt0088853/Bridg...
Bridge to Terabithia (2007) Doubtless on Disney Plus but I saw it in the theater and didn't feel like watching it again. The 1985 is superior in several respects. Incidentally author Katherine Paterson recently posted on Facebook for the 50th anniversary of the death of the little girl who inspired it. https://moviechat.org/tt0398808/Bridg...
The Westing Game aka Get a Clue (1997) Source: a free trial subscription to the Dove Channel through Amazon is absolutely the only way to view this movie. The trial was for a week and it was easy to subscribe and unsubscribe. https://moviechat.org/tt0120495/The-W...
Jacob Have I Loved (1989) Source: Amazon Prime Video and other sources. https://moviechat.org/tt0097608/Jacob...
Dicey's Song is not a movie but the companion book in the series Homecoming (1996) is. Source: Amazon Prime and several others.
Sarah, Plain and Tall (1991) was a TV movie with two sequels. There are two copies on YouTube but the quality is too terrible to try to watch. A DVD set of all three movies is available and I suggested that the library buy it. Maybe if several people suggest this they will. https://moviechat.org/tt0102842/Sarah...
The Whipping Boy aka Prince Brat and the Whipping Boy (1994) Source: Amazon Prime and four others. https://moviechat.org/tt0111698/The-W...
Maniac Magee (2003) Source: Absolutely the only copy anywhere is on YouTube. The quality is so bad it is absolutely unwatchable. Saw it when it first ran on TV. It is recognizable from the book but the film takes a lot of liberties. (No review.)
Shiloh (1996) Source: Amazon Prime and six other sources. https://moviechat.org/tt0120118/Shilo... Also sequels Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season (1999) https://moviechat.org/tt0175159/Shilo... and Saving Shiloh (2006) https://moviechat.org/tt0472175/Savin...
The Giver (2014) Source: Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt0435651/The-G...
Holes (2003) Saw this when it came out in the theater and didn't feel like watching it again. (No review.)
The Tale of Despereaux (2008) Saw this when it came out in the theater and didn't feel like watching it again. (No review.)
The Higher Power of Lucky is listed as in development.
The Graveyard Book is listed as in development, or should I say was.
When You Reach Me is listed as in development.
Dead End in Norvelt is listed as in development.
The One and Only Ivan (2020) Source: Amazon Prime Video and others, pay to rent or buy only. No free platforms. A great Disney movie which is bizarrely not on Disney Plus. https://moviechat.org/tt3661394/The-O...
Flora and Ulysses (2021) Source: Amazon Prime Video and others, pay to rent or buy only. No free platforms. https://moviechat.org/tt8521736/Flora...
The Crossover (2023) Source: 8-episode TV series on Disney Plus. So far the only Newbery gold medalist to be adapted into a series. The Little House and Ramona books were Honor Books and both became series. https://moviechat.org/tt14296996/The-...
The Girl Who Drank the Moon is listed as in development.