Some Of My Favourite Things: Book-To-Screen Adaptations

I recently (finally) finished watching the first season of The Wheel Of Time. As I eagerly wait for season 2, I began to think about adaptations and how they are received by fans of the original source material.

It is safe to say no adaptation is above criticism. There is always someone who will find some flaw, some thing to nitpick and complain about. I know I have done the same. Even then, fans always want to see their favourite books translated onto the screen.

There have been so many adaptations over the years. As long as movies and shows have been made, there has been someone interested in taking a story in a book and translating that to screen. I can’t say I’ve watched every on-screen adaptations of a book ever made. I definitely cannot say I’ve read every book that has ever been adapted.

But from the books I have read which have been adapted for the screen? Here are some of my favourites:

• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

They only made three of these movies, and no wonder. The first, in my opinion, was the most faithful to the books. But more than anything, I feel it truly capture the magic of Lucy entering Narnia through the wardrobe. That, more than anything else, puts it firmly on my list.

• The Babysitters Club (2020-2021)

It’s been many years since I’ve read any of the books in this series, but the two seasons of the show on Netflix translate the story very well and show that this coming of age of young teenagers can fit any generation. They really captured the essence of the characters while putting them firmly in the era of social media and technology where that was not a huge thing in the time frame the books were originally written in.

• The Lord Of The Rings (2001, 2002, 2003)

I read the trilogy after watching the first movie, I’ll admit, but even with all the changes made to the story, you can tell Peter Jackson actually knew the source material. It is still one of my favourite trilogies to watch, and the extended editions capture even more details from the books so well.

• The Princess Bride (1987)

Again, another movie I watched before reading the book, but adapted so well! Considering the fact that the screenwriter of the movie and the author of the novel are the same person, it is no wonder. The humour and emotion is all captured so well, and I rewatch this movie at least twice a year.

There are countless other adaptations that are well-done, even if they are not on the list. And then adaptations that play around with the source material to tell us a new story – many fairytales are told and retold over and over and reimagined, and they are all wonderful – but these? These capture the essence of the written word, in my opinion, and I only hope some of my current favourite reads get the same love and care if they are ever adapted for the screen.

• What are some of your favourite book-to-screen adaptations?
• Do you have any books you want to see adapted?
• Are there any adaptations coming out you are excited about?

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