from BOOK to MOVIE

Looking for a stimulating, wholesome, and free way to spend a morning with your family? Join us for our 'from BOOK to MOVIE' program which runs the second Saturday of each month from October through May at 10:30 AM, in the Children's Department.

After all, a good story can be enjoyable in many forms: written word, moving picture, stage production, music, etc. Perhaps the two we're most familiar experiencing are the written word and moving picture, i.e. books and movies. So why not enjoy them both?

In celebration of our love of stories on the page and screen, we offer the 'from BOOK to MOVIE' program for children. Now in its fifth year, this program introduces kids (and adults alike) to the great literature which inspires many films.

Many of us know Dr. Seuss' The Lorax and Tolkien's The Hobbit, as they were classics of literature long before coming to the screen. Take, however, the epically popular quadrilogy of Shrek animations: this adventurous, if cranky, ogre began his life on the pages of a children's picture book of the same name by author/illustrator William Steig. Recall J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, animated early-on by the Walt Disney Company.

In the past, we have enjoyed this story from a fantastically creative slant in Steven Spielberg's Hook. Other entertaining and quality stories we've featured are The Iron Giant, based on a poem by Ted Hughes; The Polar Express, from the modern, picture book classic by author/illustrator Chris van Allsburg; and The Neverending Story, from the novel by German author Michael Ende.

Depending on the ages in the audience, we may talk about characters, themes such as good versus evil, or get into a discussion about the differences between the book and the film production. No matter what, we always hear a dramatic reading from the original story and watch the film, munching on popcorn and "thematic snacks" (example: Turkish Delight for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe).

Please call the children's department at (304) 267-8288 for more information!