Let’s do more children’s authors whose books were turned into movies. Who wrote these books that came alive on film?
20. How do you change a simple picture book into a full length movie? The filmmakers must have had a few nightmares trying to get this one right. Or maybe just a wild time…
21. Do made-for television movies count? If you suffer from arachnophobia you might not enjoy this movie as much as most children do.
22. This author also had more than one book made into movies. His books are best known for their animal main characters. Arachnophobia might be a problem for people watching one of these movies as well.
Please let us know your guesses, answers and/or comments.
Edit: The answers are now posted. Congratulations to Zann and Karen for figuring out the first one.
Whose books for children were made into movies? Let’s find out.
Question 17. Like her main character, the author of this book (part of a series) spent a lot of her childhood living on a small island with no electricity and no phone. The reluctant hero of her books lives in a desolate environment and has to overcome some fierce challenges. The story line has been changed substantially in the recent movie, but the title remains intact. Any ideas who the author might be?
Cressida Cowell wrote How to Train Your Dragon based on her experiences staying as a child on a small island off the west coast of Scotland.
Here is a video of her reactions to the changes that were made between the book and the movie.
If you haven’t picked up the How to Train Your Dragon books, they are fun and full of adventure, but don’t expect them to be exactly the same as the movie.
Question 18. Known for his black and white illustrations, both the movies made from this author’s books are not only full of color, but full of special effects, too. Who is he?
Chris Van Allsburg actually had three books made into movies, sorry I misled you. Have you heard of Jumanji and Zathura? I had forgotten that he also wrote The Polar Express, which was made into a movie as well. Blame it on the heat.
In his website biography, Chris admits that he fell into art at a whim. Amazing, when you consider he had never had an art class before college that he won the Caldecott Honor Medal for The Garden of Abdul Gasazi in 1980, and Caldecott Medals for Jumanji and The Polar Express.
In this video, he explains how he took up drawing when his sculpture studio was too cold.
My family’s favorite Chris Van Allsburg book is Two Bad Ants.
Question 19. In this case the main character gave his name to both the book and the movies, but the green guy’s story in the book was changed for the scripts. What author developed the unique character who then launched a series of successful animated films?
William Steig is the author of Shrek of movie fame, as well as Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (Caldecott Medal), The Amazing Bone (Caldecott Honor book), Abel’s Island (Newbery Honor book) and Doctor De Soto (Newbery Honor book).
Unlike Van Allsburg, Steig was destined to an artist given that all his family members were active in the arts. He worked for The New Yorker, as well.
Have you read any of William Steig’s books? Which is your favorite?
Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace by Jen Cullerton and illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler is about the life of Wangari Maathai, a woman whose story is both uplifting and complex.
The book begins with a scene of Wangari’s mother showing young Wangari the mugumo, the wild fig tree, and explaining its importance to both the environment and her culture.
Her brother tells her of the things he learns at school, and Wangari decides she would like to go too. Although it is unusual for a girl to receive an education, Wangari does go to school. In fact she goes all the way to study in the United States and becomes a scientist.
When Wangari returns to Kenya, she find many things have changed. She finds the trees have all been cut down and the resulting environmental damage means that people can no longer grow food for themselves. In a move that is in one hand simple, and in the other incredibly insightful, she encourages the women to re-plant the trees.
Her tree-planting movement grew and flourished as did the trees themselves, but not completely without hardship. Wangari had to overcome harsh political resistance and was even briefly imprisoned. She was released, however, and in 2004 Wangari became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
You will not believe this is Jen Cullerton Johnson’s first picture book. She has done a masterful job of incorporating multiple layers of meaning. She adds important concrete details, such as the feel of the rough bark of the tree, the sounds of the birds, and the things Wangari’s brother taught her from his school. Children can relate to these things. Mothers reading the book can relate to the mothers being able to feed their children. People interested in environmental issues will be encouraged by the message that simple things initiated by a handful of people can make a positive difference in our world. People of many ages and backgrounds will find something that resonates in this wonderful book.
Sonia Lynn Sadler’s illustrations are bright, bold and beautiful. I was not surprised to read that she is inspired by quilts, you can see the influence of warm, colorful, geometric quilt designs on almost every page.
Together the text and illustrations make a fabulous package, sure to sow some Seeds of Change of its own.
Today let’s test your knowledge of children’s books turned into movies.
Question 17. Like her main character, the author of this book (part of a series) spent a lot of her childhood living on a small island with no electricity and no phone. The reluctant hero of her books lives in a desolate environment and has to overcome some fierce challenges. The story line has been changed substantially in the recent movie, but the title remains intact. Any ideas who the author might be?
Question 18. Known for his black and white illustrations, both the movies made from this author’s books are not only full of color, but full of special effects, too. Who is he?
Question 19. In this case the main character gave his name to both the book and the movies, but the green guy’s story in the book was changed for the scripts. What author developed the unique character who then launched a series of successful animated films?
Question 15. This prolific author’s first book for children was about cockroaches. Since then she has written books that combine science and humor in a way that has captured the imaginations of millions of school children. A major character in her most popular books is known to dress appropriately for each book. Who is the author?
The words school, science and dress might have been clues to the famous author of the Magic School Bus series, Joanna Cole. Who can forget the fabulous Ms. Frizzle as she leads a field trip to the inside of the earth wearing a bright yellow dress covered with shovels and pick axes, with tiny shovels for earrings? Although she seems a bit larger than life, I think we all secretly wish we’d been in her classroom.
Here’s what Joanna Cole says about her books:
A few of her many books:
Question 16. This world famous children’s author started out writing for adults for fifteen years before he started writing for children. Despite suffering tragedies and having health problems later in life, he continued to write bestseller after bestseller. He now is celebrated on his birthday, September 13.
In an unexpected twist, it turns out that this author, Roald Dahl is in the news because his first wife, actress Patricia Neal, passed away this week. This has caused a renewed interest in Roald Dahl, as well.
Roald Dahl was a WWII flying ace, who started writing for adults about his war experiences. At the official website, it said his children’s books began to take off after about fifteen years, although I believe he may have actually started writing them much sooner. Roald Dahl and Patricia Neal experienced the death of one of their children (to measles), a devastating accident with another, and Neal’s life-threatening strokes while pregnant with their last child. Dahl became a bit of a medical expert, designing a valve for draining fluid from the brain with two of his friends.
On top of dealing with all these difficult events, Dahl managed to crank out such bestsellers as James and the Giant Peach, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The inspiring part is that the books have stood the test of time, and even given their unusual content and dark humor, are still as relevant and revered as when he wrote them.
Let’s celebrate his birthday on Septmeber 13 by reading one of Roald Dahl’s classic books.
