Booking a Deal in Hollywood

Hello again, movie lovers! Ok, think of the last movie you saw. Would you be surprised if you found out it was a book first? Well, there is a good chance it was! Filmmakers love to draw inspiration from their favorite books when making movies. I think it rocks, because then you get to experience the same story in two different ways. Pick one of my favorite books-turned-movies—all starring fun, fearless girls—and then read it, watch it, and love it!

Nancy Drew
The Book: written by Carolyn Keene (1930)
The Movie: directed by Andrew Fleming (2007)

What’s it all about?
Nancy Drew is a long-running book series about a teenage girl who solves mysteries all on her own. In the movie, Nancy’s father really wants her to stop her detective work, but when a new mystery is revealed, she has to decide between following her father’s rules and following her heart. Nancy has an independent mind and never changes who she is to fit in. Forget peer pressure! Nancy gets to do amazing things by being smart and polite. Work it, girl!

Maeve-alicious Fact: The first Nancy Drew mystery was The Secret of the Old Clock. Nancy has solved more than 175 mysteries since then!

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Matilda
The Book: written by Roald Dahl (1988)
The Movie: directed by Danny DeVito (1996)

What’s it all about?
Matilda is a book by one of my fave authors, Roald Dahl (author of another book-turned-movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!). The story is about a girl named Matilda who is totally brilliant, but her parents ignore her. Not only that, but she has to deal with nasty headmistress Miss Trunchbull at school! Eventually, Matilda realizes she has secret magical powers, and she uses them to help out her classmates when Miss Trunchbull bullies them. But, Matilda finds her REAL strength when she stands up for herself and uses her intelligence to change her world, because girls don’t need secret powers—they just need to believe in themselves!

Maeve-alicious Fact: Matilda’s parents in the movie, played by Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman, are married in real life!

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Harriet the Spy
The Book: written by Louise Fitzhugh (1964)
The Movie: directed by Bronwen Hughes (1996)

What’s it all about?
Harriet is—can you guess?—a spy! She’s not, like, REALLY a spy, but she has a special spy route that she follows everyday and she writes down EVERYTHING she sees in a notebook. Harriet is using her spying as practice for her future career as a journalist (just like Charlotte!). She is a girl who knows what she wants to be and works for it! Harriet isn’t waiting to grow up to live her dreams, but when Harriet’s friends read her notebook, she learns some valuable lessons about friendship and reporting the truth.

Maeve-alicious Fact: Harriet the Spy was the first movie released by Nickelodeon Movies, which has also released other books-turned-movies, like Charlotte’s Web and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

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A Little Princess
The Book: written by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1905)
The Movie: directed by Alfonso Cuarón (1995)

What’s it all about?
Sara is a friendly, down-to-earth girl, even though her family has a lot of money AND she gets special privileges from her headmistress at school—she’s kind of like a princess! But when Sara receives horrible news about her father, her privileges are taken away. Even though she is forced to live in an attic and is treated badly, Sara never gives up hope. She continues to be kind to everyone and help them anyway she can because, as Sara says, all girls are princesses, no matter what!

Maeve-alicious Fact: The famous curly-haired child star Shirley Temple played Sara in the 1939 movie version!

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The Princess Diaries
The Book: written by Meg Cabot (2000)
The Movie: directed by Garry Marshall (2001)

What’s it all about?
Mia is an awkward high schooler who suddenly finds out that she is actually a princess of a tiny country called Genovia. Cool, huh?! Mia doesn’t even really fit in at her high school, so just imagine what happens when she has to take the throne! Mia is played by the absolutely fabulous Anne Hathaway in the movie. It’s funny to see Anne in the beginning, when she plays the not-so-fashionable Mia, but it’s a thrilling moment when she appears after her royal makeover. She really shines, proving that the girl INSIDE is what counts!

Maeve-alicious Fact: Mia slipping and falling in the scene where she's on the bleachers was not in the script. Anne Hathaway actually fell!

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The Wizard of Oz
The Book: Written by L. Frank Baum (1900)
The Movie: Directed by Victor Fleming (1939)

What’s it all about?
I love, love, love The Wizard of Oz. The story is about a girl from Kansas named Dorothy who dreams of leaving her farm. After a tornado transports her to the fantastical Land of Oz, Dorothy sets out on the adventure of a lifetime, meeting lots of friends along the way! Dorothy is courageous and isn’t afraid to speak her mind, even when she is faced with witches or all-powerful wizards. Totally brave, right?

Maeve-alicious Fact: In the Russian version of the book, Dorothy’s dog Toto can talk! Hahaha—I wish Marty could talk!

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you tell us ...

What are your favorite books-turned-movies?

XOXO,

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