When I talk about new materials at the library, I usually talk about books, of course. But we also have a portion of our budget dedicated to movies. I recently ordered some new DVDs for McClintic Library, and after reviewing my selections, I realized that quite a few of the new movies coming in are based on popular books for children and young adults.
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events is based on the popular series by the same name. Three young siblings are suddenly the focus of a great deal of attention when they are orphaned and in possession of a substantial inheritance. The movie depicts the events of the first three books in the series, and stars Jim Carrey as the delightfully wicked Count Olaf.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief follows the adventures of Percy, who discovers that he is only part human. His father, Poseidon, is responsible for some of Percy’s unique talents. But how do you deal with a family tree like the Greek Gods and get through school at the same time?
Another popular series for children, the Spiderwick Chronicles, also has been made into a movie. Mallory and her brothers, the twins Simon and Jared, move into the Spiderwick Estate and quickly discover a secret room, a locked chest and a book marked Do NOT Read. Well, really. What are you going to do? The children take off on a quest to find the author of the book, Arthur Spiderwick, in spite of ogres, hobgoblins and brownies – not the dessert.
One of my favorite books for young readers is War Horse, a beautiful story that didn’t get as much attention as I thought it deserved. The story is set in Devon, England, where a farmer and his son struggle with Joey, a horse who doesn’t seem suited to the plow. When they must sell Joey, he is purchased by an army captain and taken into the battlefields of World War I. We follow Joey through the war in a movie directed by Steven Spielberg. I haven’t seen the film yet, but I’m eager to compare it to the book I loved.
I’m not sure how many times The Great Gatsby has been made into a film, but the most recent movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio will soon be on our shelves. The glitz and glamour of the time period seem to permeate the movie, and the casting is wonderful: Leo as Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway—both excellent actors.
Check out McClintic Library’s Facebook page for more new movie titles, and “Like” our page while you’re there!
