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Book or Movie?

By Sally Winter

Sally Winter worked as a literacy specialist in the Philippines for 15 years and then proceeded to get her teaching credentials. She taught elementary students at the Bagabag Center School in the Philippines for eight years.

As an educator, it is my passion to see children read. There are so many excellent books available for children to read today. Reading takes children into worlds they otherwise would never experience and gives them an opportunity to use their imagination as they fill in details. Needless to say, I am disappointed when children tell me they do not want to read a suggested book because they have seen the movie. Most of us are well aware that a book and a movie of the same title usually have great differences. (Sometimes one wonders how the movie makers got away with the use of the title, since the story is so different.)

How does one challenge the child who says, “I don’t want to read the book. I saw the movie”? It may be that the child assumes the book will be dull compared to the action and color of the movie. Or it may be that the child has not developed a love for reading in general. How can parents or educators encourage children to see the book as equally enjoyable and as valid as the movie? How can parents help children to realize that what the author wrote and what the movie producers create are often not the same?

One Suggestion

One suggestion is to encourage the child to read a book first and then watch the movie. Remind the child that in nearly every case the author wrote the book first, and then the movie was created. Also, the author of the book is usually not the writer of the movie script. Therefore, reading what came first is the “fair” thing to do. If the child is a reluctant reader, the parent can read the book to the child. Children who are read to usually become strong readers themselves.

Discuss

When it comes time to see the movie, watch it at home where you can stop the movie for discussion. If the movie has undesirable content, you may also choose not to finish watching it. An example of this is the story Sounder. The book has no objectionable language and even makes reference to biblical stories and gospel songs. The movie contains none of this but includes the frequent use of words that many families find objectionable.

If the book cannot be read before the movie is viewed, try watching the movie, and then read the book together. While reading the book, discuss the content of the movie and the content of the book. A good question to ask is, “If you were the author of this book, would you approve of the way the movie producers created this scene?” Or, “How would you feel if you wrote the book and then saw this scene as the movie producers created it?”

Comparison

A more academic activity is to have the child read the book first, then watch the movie. While the movie is playing, have the child complete a Venn diagram (see below) which compares the two. A Venn diagram helps a child focus on the comparison. If the child has seen the movie first and then reads the book, have him or her complete the Venn diagram while reading the book. Many times children interpret the word “compare” to mean, “Tell me which you think is better.” A comparison tool helps them look for definite differences and similarities.

Venn diagram for comparing a book and movie on Sounder

A similar idea, but in simpler format, is to have the child write five things that were in the book but not in the movie, five things that were in the movie but not in the book, and five things that were in both.

Evaluation

After doing a comparison of the book and the movie, it is good to have the child write down which of the two he or she prefers—the movie or the book. Then the most important part —- ask for two reasons to support this decision. If you only ask for one reason, it will usually be, “It was more exciting.” A second reason requires more thought in the choice.

Illustrate and Compare

For a very simple exercise that a young child can do, read the book to the child without showing any pictures. (Paperback books are good for this exercise.) Then have the child draw a picture of something in the story -— for example, the family or the house that the people live in. Watch the movie, and have the child draw the same scene based on the movie. After that, talk about what the author might have had in mind and how we can use our own imaginations to fill in the details that the author doesn’t tell us. The movie does all this for us.

Discussion is valuable when the story in both the book and movie is similar but the underlying tone differs. In the story Sarah, Plain and Tall, the book shows the family hoping Sarah will like being with them and will not miss her home in Maine too much. The family members try to help her feel at home. In the movie, the father struggles with Sarah’s independent spirit, and the daughter is plainly threatened at the prospect of having Sarah join their family. This could lead to a meaningful discussion about change, transitions, family, and acceptance, as well as a discussion about the difference between the book and the movie.

If your child is reading chapter books as part of a school reading curriculum, there is a danger in watching the movie before reading the book. The content of the movie may affect the answers to comprehension questions that follow reading a book. Again, Sarah, Plain and Tall is an example. After reading the book, the students were asked to describe Maggie, the neighbor lady. One student wrote that she was going to have a baby. This is not in the book but is in the movie. It is not a good idea to have a child watch a movie to help understand the contents of a book.

A book or a movie is not, in and of itself, bad. But the idea that somehow a movie is always better robs the child of his or her opportunity to help create the world of the story. Creativity is always worth building in children because creativity is what makes our world a more interesting place.