Even though it was only the later books in the series that were classified as Y.A., Harry Potter really exploded the teen book-to-movie phase in Hollywood. Soon after the Harry Potter movies became ubiquitous, we got Twilight, Hunger Games, Divergent, Maze Runner, Fault in Our Stars, Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Giver......I could go on and on. However, with the downfall of BOTH the Divergent and Maze Runner movie franchises (especially in such quick succession), movie executives seemed to get cold feet about teen books becoming films. The ones that did come out were low-budget and tended to lack any real marketing support (Darkest Minds, much?). Things seem to be turning around this year though! Here are some of the Y.A. book-to-movie adaptations that I'm looking forward to... 1.) Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer -- technically this book is borderline juvenile/Y.A. instead of straight-up. The book (and now movie) follows a 12-year-old genius who comes from a long line of criminal masterminds. Things begin with an investigation into an underground world of fairies who Artemis believes can assist in the case of his father's disappearance. It is definitely a fantastical adventure with a charming and fun-to-watch anti-hero. As long as Ferdia Shaw (the boy actor playing Artemis) can crank up the cool intellect and energy of the character. This movie will be a hit. TO BE RELEASED AUGUST 9TH 2.) All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven -- a deep, dark, yet somehow bright Y.A. book. Two teens meet up on the ledge of their school's bell tower -- Violet Markey and Theodore Finch. Yet, the meeting seems to be designed by fate as they end up rescuing each other. Finch is constantly thinking about ways to commit suicide but is pulled back from the breaking point by something good, no matter how small. Violet is trying her hardest to get to graduation when she can leave her small town and the memory of her dead sister behind. It turns out they need each other more than they could ever understand. TO BE RELEASED FALL/WINTER 2019 3.) The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon -- Natasha's family is hours away from being deported back to Jamaica. Daniel has always been the good boy who sticks to the path. When the two meet, a bright spark flares to life between them. So many futures are possible for the two, but the magic of instant true love can make some things simple and some things complicated. Seriously...this is such a good book. Fingers crossed they can bring it to life properly on the silver screen. TO BE RELEASED MAY 17TH 4.) The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness -- the first book in the Chaos Walking series will be called Chaos Walking when it hits the big screens. It follows Todd Hewitt who lives in a settlement that is composed only of men. They all have been infected by the Noise Germ, allowing them all to hear each other's thoughts. Despite this ability, Todd knows the settlement is hiding something big from him and decides to make a run for it. This story will certainly keep you on the edge of your seat (like most Ness books) and is an excellent choice for transformation into a movie. Tom Holland (the new Spider-Man) will be playing Todd. ORIGINALLY SLATED FOR FEBRUARY 2019 BUT PUSHED TO THE END OF THE YEAR **BONUS** P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han -- the sequel to To All the Boys I've Loved Before. We don't know if this will be released on Netflix at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, but I am on pins and needles! The book is just as amazing as the first and I certainly hope the movie follows suit! WHAT DOES THIS MATTER TO YOU? There are several reasons why you should care about these adaptations. 1.) Knowing about teen culture (what's happening, what's popular) will help you keep in touch with what your patrons are reading and watching. Understanding what excites them and being able to talk about it makes you more relatable and helps them to open up to you more. It is also really good for reader's advisory and bringing up something new/popular as a comparison gives you more credibility. 2.) Book Displays! Showing off readalikes before a movie comes out is a way to capitalize on the movie's buzz and marketing while promoting other items in the collection. Also, it is good to have items ready to grab when people come in to check out the book before the movie release -- and it's all checked out! 3.) Warning call for collections! Knowing release dates of books turning into movies allows you to prepare your collection by buying your first copy of the book or buying an extra. If you happen to have a little extra book money (LOL!), it is always good to have a second copy of a book about to come out on the big screen. It is even better if your vendor has a Buy-Back program so that you can purchase an extra copy just before the movie comes out then return it for a bit of money after the popularity goes back down.
1 Comment
8/6/2019 05:40:08 am
Movie adaptations are never really as good as the books. I mean, just look at the entire Harry Potter series, while it is very popular, it is still not as good as the books. Well, I am not really against this, because as you can tell, I am a huge fan of anything that involves books and movies. I want to see something that can change my view on this though. I hope that a movie gives justice to one of my favorite books.
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AuthorOriginally wanting to be the love-child of Kathy Reichs and Indiana Jones, Brooke was pulled into the magical world of library service over 12 years ago. Finding that her ultimate passion was in teen services, she did what she normally does in a heart-fueled endeavor -- ran in head-first and never looked back! Cosplayer, movie fanatic, binge watcher, Disney Worlder. Proud cat mom of Evelyn (named after the librarian character in The Mummy [1999]). Archives
April 2024
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