60+ YA/Adult Books Made Into Movies
What’s better for a movie night than a movie that’s been adapted from a beloved book? And let’s not let the kids have all the fun (although I do have a list of my favorite children’s books made into movies).
It’s so fun to read a book and then watch the movie version, even as an adult! I love seeing what the movie makers changed, how it was different from how I imagined it, and what I liked and didn’t like better about the movie versus the book. (I also think it’s sometimes better to watch the movie FIRST and then read the book since it’s likely to be less disappointing!).
Here are more than 60 YA and adult books made into movies that might be the perfect fit for your next movie night.
60+ YA and Adults Books That Are Movies
Harry Potter. (Book// Movie)
Rating: PG (later movies in the series PG-13)
I have a long history of loving Harry Potter. When my mom started reading the first one to me and my sisters, we only made it through one chapter before we were completely hooked. I also have some very happy memories of snuggling my nursing baby in the my in-laws’ basement, reading the British versions of several of the books. I have read the entire series multiple times, seen all the movies, and I still never get tired of this story. If you haven’t read it, give it a go!
Twilight. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I read Twilight before it went completely completely viral so I got to read it without the input of a million other people which made it extra fun for me. A few years later when the movie came out, I went with a bunch of friends for opening night and it was just a delight.
The Time Traveler’s Wife. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I’ve mentioned before that I LOVE a good time travel book. In this love story about Henry, living with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences.
Emma (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
This is one of those classic regency period novels written by the beloved Jane Austen about a young woman of high society who attempts to play matchmaker for her friends and acquaintances. When I asked my Instagram followers for their favorite books into movies – everyone raved about the Gwyneth Paltrow movie version which is my personal favorite.
All the Light We Cannot See. (Book // Netflix Series)
Rating: TV-MA
This book didn’t do it for me like it did for a lot of people, but if you loved it, definitely take a peek at the Netflix series! It is set in World War II and alternates between two main characters, a teenage boy named Werner Pfennig and a blind teenage girl named Marie-Laure.
The Lovely Bones. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Heaven’s in-between is for “the watchers” – the souls that aren’t ready to leave behind their connections to Earth. They are the souls who have unfinished business, or haven’t learned to accept their death. 14 year old Susie is a watcher. After being raped and murdered, she watches from her personal Heaven as her family and friends struggle to move on with their lives while she comes to terms with her own death.
Where the Crawdad Sing. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Since it came out in August 2018, it’s been a runaway bestseller, and it was one of the most suggested titles I had for the 2019 Everyday Reading Book Club. And did I see the movie when it came out (Reese Witherspoon produced it)? You BET. It was stunning, which I could have guessed because the audiobook had so much ambiance.
To Kill a Mockingbird. (Book // Movie)
Rating: 18+
This one is a classic for a reason – it is so gripping! Can you believe I’ve never seen the classic movie version of it though? I’m embarrassed for myself .
Fault in Our Stars . (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I’ve read most of John Green’s books and this one is his most famous for a reason – it is gripping and a total tearjerker (maybe a little much there at the end). The movie version is also excellent.
Little Women. (Book // Movie (1994))
Rating: PG
In 1994, when the Winona Ryder and Christian Bale version of Little Women came out, my mom told me that if I read the book, she’d take me to see the movie. I read the book in a few days and loved every second of it (I went on to read Little Men and Jo’s Boys a bunch of times too). An all-time classic, it’s just so good! The Winona Ryder version is my very favorite movie version (way better than the 2018 one) but I also like the PBS version – the guy who plays Laurie gives me major Gilbert Blythe vibes.
Hunger Games. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I read the entire trilogy, listened to the audio, and still hold firm that The Hunger Games is unbelievably good. It’s one of my favorites, and I highly, highly recommend this beloved series (I haven’t read the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes). The movie versions are fantastic too.
The Boys in the Boat. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
My mom and I both read this incredible book about a team of young college boys who competed in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany and pulled off an astounding win against all odds. A year or two later, when we went on a trip to Seattle together, we visited the University of Washington where the team was from and saw their boat hanging on display in the ASUW Shell House. I saw the movie years after I read it so I wasn’t directly comparing them and I found it very enjoyable.
Everything, Everything. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Maddy has a rare disease known as SCID, basically it means she is allergic to everything and has been sealed inside of her house or she will die. She has her own personal nurse, state of the art air filters, and decontamination chambers. Maddy is 18 and doesn’t know the real world (she has been sealed up since she was 4), until….Olly moves in next door. He’s attractive, he’s sweet, and he is really good with Maddy. I have read the book but haven’t seen the movie yet.
Lord of the Rings. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Does this even need a summary? I think not. Whether you read the whole series, or watch the lengthy movies – the Lord of the Rings is the gold standard in fantasy. Bart and I are also watching the new Amazon Prime series and it was very well done.
Pride & Prejudice. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
This beloved story by Jane Austen is pure magic. I remember many afternoons of my mom ironing or folding laundry while watching the Colin Firth Pride and Prejudice. I would estimate that I’ve seen it at least twenty times. And I love the Kiera Knightley version too!
The Princess Bride. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
If you grew up in the 80s or early 90s, it’s pretty likely you’ve seen (and loved) The Princess Bride. Frankly, I think the book isn’t nearly as good as the movie. And if you are a fan, you need to add, As You Wish (about the making of The Princess Bride), written by Cary Elwes who plays Wesley, to your list – and then watch the movie again!
The Martian. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I just want to talk about this book non-stop, even years after I read it, and I loved the movie too (enough to see it twice!). It’s just SO fun and funny and interesting (and packed with swearing). It was a bestseller for a reason and a perfect book to read if you’re getting back into reading – I included it on my list of books for couples to read/listen to together! (Full review here).
Discovery of Witches. (Book // TV Series)
Rating: TV-MA
I haven’t seen the TV series but people rave about it!
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. (Book // Movie)
Rating: TV-PG
This epistolary novel (all written in letters) is a delightful WWII novel about a group of book lovers thrown together by the war and their letters to each other that often end up being about their favorite books – my mom gave me a copy years ago when it first came out and I’ve read it multiple times. The audiobook version has a full cast that really brings it to life because the characters are SUCH big parts of the story! (Full review here)
The Notebook. (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I will be completely honest here and confess I have never read a Nicholas Sparks book. And I don’t think this one needs much introduction as it is a cult classic love story. But I loved the movie!
Julie and Julia (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I read this one more than a decade ago when I was a huge cooking junkie. Julie Powell, dissatisfied with her job, decides to cook all 524 recipes from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year. Through her blog documenting this ambitious endeavor, she has personal growth, support from readers, and ultimately a renewed sense of purpose and direction. I actually think the movie is better than the book in this case!
Death Comes to Pemberley. (Book // TV Series)
Rating: TV-14
If you are a Pride and Prejudice fan, this book takes Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy six years into their marriage and throws them into a murder mystery. As they are preparing for a ball to take place at their home, an unexpected corpse is found – let the mayhem ensue. The TV series is done by PBS Masterpiece, so you know it is going to be good.
The Hate U Give (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Starr, is a 16-year old Black girl who is constantly pulled between two worlds. The world of her private, predominantly white school and and the inner-city home and neighborhood she lives in with her family. Everything comes to a head when her childhood best friend Khalil, who was defenseless, gets shot right in front of her by a police officer. What she does after and how it impacts her and her family’s life is powerful. I couldn’t put it down and feel like everyone should read this book.
Just Mercy (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Just Mercy is a non-fiction account by lawyer Bryan Stevenson of one of his early cases trying to exonerate a man on Death Row, plus a look at the current state of the U.S. justice and prison systems. It’s no exaggeration to say that this book changed my life. I think it should be required reading for every person.
Crazy Rich Asians (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Down to earth Rachel discovers she’s accidentally fallen in love with one of the richest most eligible bachelors from Singapore, who’s been living a rather ordinary life in NYC. She deals with her shell shock by attempting to fit in with his family and social circle. (I’ve heard the book has a TON of swearing in it).
Fried Green Tomatoes (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Mrs. Threadgoode is at the same nursing home as Evelyn’s spiteful mother-in-law. During one such visit, Evelyn stops by Mrs. Threadgoode’s room to listen to stories about a not-so-distant past, when racism was rampant and certain home values were taken utterly seriously. She tells stories of a whole cast of truly unforgettable characters and soon an everlasting friendship is born.
Hidden Figures (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
You may have already seen the movie, but you know the book is always better! This amazing true story of the women behind some of the US’ greatest space feats is definitely a read that you will not want to miss!
It Ends With Us (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Of course I went to the movie with some girlfriends when it came out this year. It’d been years since I read the book (this is the only Colleen Hoover book I have read) but I really enjoyed the movie!
Murder on the Orient Express (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
No one does a suspenseful mystery like Agatha Christie and this one, where the famous Orient Express is stopped by a snowdrift and a millionaire riding aboard turns up dead, it becomes clear that the murderer is another one of the passengers.
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
Mrs. Harris is one of London’s favorite and humblest house cleaner of the wealthy. One day while cleaning a closet, Mrs. Harris comes across a Dior gown and is determined…one day she will earn one too. After scrimping and scraping, she has enough money to take a trip to Paris. Not surprisingly, her trip to Paris does not go as she expected.
Divergent (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Sometimes I think the movie versions are BETTER than the book itself. I listened to Divergent years ago and . . . didn’t really get the hype, but then Bart and I watched the movie together in a tiny hotel lobby outside of Bath, England and I really enjoyed the movie a lot.
Daisy Jones and the Six (Book // TV Series)
Rating: 16+
Within 10 minutes of starting this book, I was ALL IN and basically started running at night just so I could listen to another 30 minutes. It’s the story of a rock music band in the seventies, and it’s hard to remember that it’s a novel, not non-fiction. It feels THAT real. It’s told through interviews with Daisy and Billy and other members of the band, family members and friends. It could be wildly confusing, but somehow it just WORKS. And the audio version is incredible!
Sense and Sensibility (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
Two sisters, Marianne and Elinor, navigate love and heartbreak in a society where social status and money play a significant role. Marianne is impulsive while Elinor is practical, and they both learn that they must have both sense and sensibility if they want to find true happiness.
The Summer I Turned Pretty (Book // TV Series)
Rating: 16+
I read this book more than a decade ago and just one look at the title takes me back to that hot Texas summer. It’s not QUITE as good as her To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series, but it’s darn good. A perfect summer read, you’ll probably have to read the whole trilogy. I haven’t watched the TV series of this but I’ve heard it is more adult than the books. (Full review here)
A Man Called Ove (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
This book is wildly popular, especially after becoming a major motion picture. Ove is a grumpy old man, but behind his cranky exterior there is a story of sadness. When a chatty young family moves in next door he begins to open up and an unexpected friendship is formed. (The movie version is called A Man Called Otto – I actually liked the movie better than the book!)
The Giver (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
This Newbery Winner is a classic (which makes me feel old because I remember when it came out), and it’s included on many school reading lists. I didn’t read this one until I was in college and then loved it so much I read it aloud to Bart a few years later. If you haven’t read the dystopian middle grade novel, it’s definitely worth a listen.
Nine Perfect Strangers (Book // TV Series)
Rating: 18+
I haven’t watched the series for this one.
My Sister’s Keeper (Book // Movie)
Be ready with tissues for this one! It is told from the perspectives of all the members in a family of five: Little Anna (who at the age of 13 is sick of hospitals – she was conceived as a bone marrow match for her sister Kate going through leukemia), Kate (who wants to stop fighting as she has already spent all of her life in the hospital), Sara (a loving mother, but she keeps forgetting she also has a son because her only focus is on keeping her daughter alive), Jesse (the son living like wallflower in his own house), and Brian (who loves his wife and family and will stand with Kate and the choices she makes).
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I have read the entire series and the first book is still the best! I love this book about four best friends whose lives intertwine through their shared ownership of a magical pair of jeans. And these jeans truly are magical because they seem to fit each of them perfectly, no matter their size or shape.
My Life with the Walter Boys (Book // Netflix Series)
Rating: TV-14
Jackie has lost her whole family in an devastating car accident, and while she is still dealing with her grief, she has to move from her sophisticated life in New York to live with her mom’s friend in Colorado. She moves into absolute chaos because Jackie’s mom’s friend has 12 children, and all 12 of them are BOYS!
Happiness for Beginners (Book // Movie)
Rating: TV-14
Katherine Center writes delight romance books that both crackle with witty banter and have a depth to them that goes beyond many romance novels. But this is one of hers that I have not yet read! A year after her divorce, Helen decides to take a risk and go on a three-week life-changing wilderness survival course. What she didn’t count on was that her younger brother’s best friend, Jake, was also going on the same trip. What she REALLY didn’t count on was falling for Jake.
Lessons in Chemistry (Book // TV Series)
Rating: TV-14
Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant scientist, but it’s the early 1960s and she’s a woman, so it’s going to be hard for her to be taken seriously in her field. After several detours, she finds herself a single mother and the unexpected star of America’s most popular cooking show called Supper at Six. She is going to do this cooking thing her own way. She’s not only going to teach people how to cook using scientific principles, but she’s also teaching them to follow their dreams. The audio version is excellent! (Warning: There is a fairly graphic assault scene early on in the book.)
Me Before You (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I checked it out from the library and accidentally read it in one day. It’s about a young British woman in a small town who takes a job as a caretaker for a very wealthy quadriplegic, who was extremely successful before a freak car accident a couple of years earlier. It’s a romance, but that’s selling the whole book really short – there are some significant moral dilemmas in this book that I thought about for weeks and months afterward.
Count of Monte Cristo (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I read a very abridged children’s version of this as a kid – I was delighted to enjoy the full version even more a few years later. An unbeatable story and a classic I would recommend to anyone, and everyone.
Never Let Me Go (Book // Movie)
Rating: R
When a group of young people raised at a boarding school slowly realize they are destined to become organ donors, you get an inside look along their emotional journey as they grapple with this fate.
Extremely Loud Incredibly Close (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
I had so many friends highly recommend I read this one about a young boy who is searching for answers about a key of his father’s that he found following his father’s death in the World Trade Center attacks. Frankly, it wasn’t my favorite book but don’t let me stop you!
The Book Thief (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
This book is absolutely stunning – it’s a young adult book about an orphan girl who teaches herself how to read from stolen books and the story is brilliantly narrated by Death (I know it sounds weird but it works incredibly well). One of the best books I’ve read. (Full review here)
All Creatures Great and Small (Book // TV Series)
Rating: PG
You cannot go wrong with a James Herriot book, a country vet in England who spends his days caring for farm animals and house pets after WWI. These books are sweet and funny and just right for snuggling up with. Definitely watch the very excellent PBS Masterpiece series after you’re done – our whole family has LOVED this series.
Big Little Lies (Book // TV Series)
Rating: TV-MA
I love Liane Moriarty’s books because they’re super engaging without being TOO fluffy, and they’re long enough that you don’t finish it too quickly. It’s one of those books where you don’t want to know too much about it going in – the main thing you need to know is that a parent died at trivia night at the local elementary school. Was it a murder? An accident? And, through 95% of the book, the biggest question is WHO DIED? (Full review here)
The Great Gatsby (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
The Great Gatsby is a classic and if you didn’t read it as part of reading assignment in school, it’s definitely worth reading now, especially with Jake Gyllenhaal reading it to you! It would especially be great to read before watching the movie.
Storied Life of AJ Fikry (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
Unbroken (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
This book is non-fiction but it’s so amazing, it’s hard to believe someone didn’t make it up. Olympic runner Louis Zamperini’s plane is shot down in the Pacific during WWII and after surviving on a tiny inflatable raft for 47 days, he’s taken prisoner by the Japanese. And compared to being a POW, the raft time looks like vacation. Probably the best WWII book I’ve read. (Full review here)
Flipped (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG
In alternating chapters, two teenagers (Juli and Bryce) describe how their feelings about themselves, each other, have changed over the years. Let’s just say their feelings have “flipped” over time. This is another one where I’ve read the book but haven’t seen the movie.
Les Misérables (Book // Movie // TV Series)
Rating: PG-13
You have probably heard of this classic, or even seen the motion picture or Broadway play. But it is a classic for a reason, and purely French. It’s about a former convict struggling for redemption during the social and political upheaval in 19th century France. Keep in mind, if you want to tackle this one, be ready for some hefty reading (it is just shy of 1500 pages)!
The Scarlet Pimpernel (Book // Movie // BBC TV Series)
Rating: PG-13
This is one of those classics that has everything a good adventure novel should have – a smart and witty hero, a clever and bold heroine, daring rescues, disguises, and even a love story with a twist. What more could you need from a novel set during the French Revolution all about a hero saving innocent people from the guillotine?
Austenland (Book // Movie)
Rating: PG-13
This is one of those books that people either love or loathe. I still haven’t read it so this feels like the perfect time to pick it up and make my own decision! Plus, I could watch the movie afterward.
A Good Girls Guide to Murder (Book // TV Series)
Rating: TV-MA
I’ve read the book but haven’t watched the series.
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I thought the Nine Perfect Strangers adaptation was awful. I couldn’t finish it. But I am excited to see some books here I didn’t know had movie or show adaptations! Thanks Janssen!
The movie of To Kill a Mockingbird is the best movie version of a book that I have ever seen. It is absolutely true to the book and so well acted. You MUST see it!!