By Anna Chabada
Fraser Valley Regional Library
Ever wonder how someone came up with the great idea for a movie you just saw? Sometimes it’s not just one person’s idea but a collaboration of ideas that inspire a great movie, including an author of a book. Here is a collection a few great children’s books that have just recently made it in Hollywood.
Owls come to life on the page just as they do on the big screen in the fantastic series, Guardians of Ga’hoole. The Capture, the first of a 12 book series by Kathryn Lasky, stars Soren, as barn owl that is snatched from his home even before he learns how to fly. Thus begins his adventure as he meets new friends and tries to protect the owl world from danger. Children will delight, not only in the story, but also in the facts they will learn about owls as they read. Lasky is fascinated with owls and has done extensive research about them and their habitat. She tries to include as much true information about owls into her writing as she can. I have just finished this first book and can’t wait to pick up the next in the series.
Creepy is the first word that comes to mind when I think of how to describe the book, Coraline. Author Neil Gaiman has mastered the art of suspense and eeriness as he describes the world that Coraline has entered into. She is a young girl who has just moved into a new house with her family. One by one, her parents disappear into a parallel world, accessible through a door in her new house. She must go in to find them while trying to outsmart her parallel world parents, who want to turn her into one of them. This is the perfect book for a child who loves to read stories with mystery, suspense and a little bit of horror. The hair on the back of my neck stands up just thinking about this book!
A classic by Roald Dahl, Fantastic Mr. Fox is not to missed, either on film or in ink. It is a fun, witty adventure in which a fox family is caught stealing chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys from three terrible farmers. These farmers, albeit not too clever, try to cook up a scheme to capture the fox family so that they will not steal from them anymore. What the farmers don’t know is that it is not only the fox family they must outfox but the badger family as well. This is a great read for both boys and girls and is suitable for children in the early grades or for those who are struggling with their reading.
As I was reading the first page of Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary, I understood why Cleary has won so many awards. I had never read any of her books as a young girl but as an adult I can’t put them down. Her writing style and description of everyday events is so true to form, it’s hard not to relate. Beezus and Ramona is about an 8-year-old girl and her 4-year-old sister who likes doing things her own way, as most 4 year olds do. She embarrasses Beezus constantly and you can’t help but love her. This book has quickly become one of my favourites and I will be recommending it to children over and over again.
Famous among school-aged kids, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lighting Thief by Rick Riordan is a delight for both children and adults. A modern day fantasy set in New York City, the book follows the life of a young boy named Percy Jackson who finds out that his biological father is actually a Greek god living on Mount Olympus. The book is fast paced, as Percy and his friends partake in adventures trying to save the earth from the war brewing on Mount Olympus. This is a great book for children to read, not only for its fun storyline, but also for the way in which Percy becomes a hero, as he gains independence and is able to overcome adversity.
