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[CCBC-Net] Books to Movies
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From: Brian & Jen, Meg & Ethan <brewcheese>
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 13:53:00 -0600
Time to come out of lurking mode. Someone threw down one of my personal soapboxes. Three points immediately come to mind. My foot is rising...
Back in 1999, 2000ish, as I looked through my classroom, I would see at least half of the students with a Harry Potter book. All year, beginning to end, at least half the students. Some read the series - only 3 books at that point - straight through. Many read it more than once. Some would read one and take a break, but they always returned.
This year I have 19 students. All year I have had 3 kids read a Harry Potter book. I've never gotten sucked into a book or series like I did with Harry, and I've never seen it happen to students quite like with Harry. Now that the movies are out, there are far fewer new readers to the series. The movies didn't completely kill the excitement for the books, but it's close.
Whenever a movie comes out I always try to get the book to my students before the movie's release. I've seen The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Holes, Eragon, Harry, and others with my students after having read the book. And nothing sounds better the the complaints they offer after the movie. I'll never forget one of my littlest, quietest boys turning to me after the Narnia movie and yelling, "Where was Giant Rumblebuffin?!?! They left out Giant Rumblebuffin! He picks up Lucy when she was giving him her handkerchief! I can't believe they cut him out! That's my favorite part and THEY CUT IT OUT!!!" or the junior highers who just quietly shook their heads while walking out of the theater after seeing Eragon. They couldn't even talk.
With that being said, I heard Kate DiCamillo say recently that movies bring people to the books who normally would not have gotten the book.
I trust her. She's the author. I'm just not seeing it happen with my students. Part of it's me, surely. I guess rather than try to convince students to read a movie/book, I just move on and suggest other great books.
There's lots more to say, but that's enough from me. I'm interested to see what everyone else says. (Yeah, I'm off that box now.)
Brian
Received on Fri 09 Nov 2007 01:53:00 PM CST
Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2007 13:53:00 -0600
Time to come out of lurking mode. Someone threw down one of my personal soapboxes. Three points immediately come to mind. My foot is rising...
Back in 1999, 2000ish, as I looked through my classroom, I would see at least half of the students with a Harry Potter book. All year, beginning to end, at least half the students. Some read the series - only 3 books at that point - straight through. Many read it more than once. Some would read one and take a break, but they always returned.
This year I have 19 students. All year I have had 3 kids read a Harry Potter book. I've never gotten sucked into a book or series like I did with Harry, and I've never seen it happen to students quite like with Harry. Now that the movies are out, there are far fewer new readers to the series. The movies didn't completely kill the excitement for the books, but it's close.
Whenever a movie comes out I always try to get the book to my students before the movie's release. I've seen The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Holes, Eragon, Harry, and others with my students after having read the book. And nothing sounds better the the complaints they offer after the movie. I'll never forget one of my littlest, quietest boys turning to me after the Narnia movie and yelling, "Where was Giant Rumblebuffin?!?! They left out Giant Rumblebuffin! He picks up Lucy when she was giving him her handkerchief! I can't believe they cut him out! That's my favorite part and THEY CUT IT OUT!!!" or the junior highers who just quietly shook their heads while walking out of the theater after seeing Eragon. They couldn't even talk.
With that being said, I heard Kate DiCamillo say recently that movies bring people to the books who normally would not have gotten the book.
I trust her. She's the author. I'm just not seeing it happen with my students. Part of it's me, surely. I guess rather than try to convince students to read a movie/book, I just move on and suggest other great books.
There's lots more to say, but that's enough from me. I'm interested to see what everyone else says. (Yeah, I'm off that box now.)
Brian
Received on Fri 09 Nov 2007 01:53:00 PM CST
