10 Books That Need Adaptations

Hi!  Uh... long time no blog!  With the world the way it is, one would think I'd have plenty of time to blog.  And they would be right, but for some reason my brain doesn't feel like putting words together to actually, you know, write a blog post.  But I figured it's about time I just post something, and since I've been watching a lot of movie/TV adaptations of books lately, I've been dreaming about what adaptations of some of my favorite books would look like.

Now, a lot of the time, adaptations can be really hit-or-miss.  I've always prided myself on my ability to separate an adaptation from its source material, but I these books could very easily be made in to fantastic movies or TV shows.  Let's jump on in to the list!

1. Three Times Lucky - Sheila Turnage

 

"never underestimate the power of stupid, dale."

This is the last audiobook I finished when I'm writing this, and it's part of what inspired me to put this post together.  It's been a long time since I've so desperately wanted a book to be made into a movie.  A middle-grade murder mystery full of humor and intrigue that kept me guessing until the last moment, I absolutely adore Mo and Dale, and it would be such a fantastic summer movie.

2. Lovely War - Julie Berry

 "the most ordinary mortal bodies are housed by spectacular souls."

This book practically begs to be a sweeping historical film, complete with gorgeous cinematography and a gorgeous score.  It's an incredible story about three love stories on the front lines of World War 1, and in my mind, Tom Holland would make an amazing James and Gal Gadot a perfect Aphrodite.

3. Heist Society - Ally Carter

 

 

"it is an occupational hazard that anyone who has spent her life learning

how to lie eventually becomes bad at telling the truth."

I need a Netflix film series please!  I don't know why a streaming service just feels like the right platform for this story to be adapted, but it does.  The world doesn't have enough heist movies, y'know?

 

 

4. Love You, Truly - Susan L. Tuttle

 

 

"your purpose helps focus you. it gives you something to concentrate on other than yourself."

"makes you feel whole?"

"no. only God can do that."

 

One of my favorite books of last year, this is a classic rom-com with a Christian twist.  This would be such a feel-good, cozy movie to watch again and again. <3

5. Peter and the Starcatchers - Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

 

"molly squeaked and clicked (the clicks were the hardest) something back,

which she hoped was "hello."

what she actually said was "my teeth are green,"

but the porpoise was too polite to point that out."

Now, this technically already has a stage adaptation, so it's probably too much to ask for a movie.  But I recently re-read this staple of my childhood and it's so wonderful and whimsical and fun that it would make such a fantasy, pirate-y, adventure-y classic and I'd love to see it.

6. When You Trap a Tiger - Tae Keller

 

 

"even if the tiger's stories upset me, i'm glad i heard them.

they made me feel like the world is huge, and i'm filled up with it.

like I could hear the stars, and listen."

Tae Keller has written two of my favorite middle-grade standalones, and this one is my favorite of the two.  This is a book of stories, the power they hold, and the comfort they can bring.  And it would be an absolutely beautiful, heart-breaking movie that would probably have me sobbing throughout it, but like, it would be worth it?

 

7. The Tradewinds Trilogy - Taylor Bennett

 

 

"it's okay to cry, sweetie.

it only means you have a heart so full it doesn't have room for tears."

 

I love this trilogy so much, okay.  I would love to see it get the movie treatment, if only to make heart eyes at the Hawaii setting and drool over the shave ice, haha!

8. Lockwood & Co. - Jonathan Stroud

 

 

"plan f, we follow plan f, right now."

"is that the one where we run away?"

"not at all. it's the one where we beat a dignified emergency retreat."

The Lockwood & Co. series would make such excellent TV I can't even.  There's action, there's mystery, there's humor, there's cake.  It's like teenage Ghostbusters and it's amazing.  Movies would also be great, but each book kind of reads like a separate season of a show, and it would be epic.

9. Romanov - Nadine Brandes

 

 

"the blood of our hearts spans miles, memory, and time."

 

A movie adaptation of this historical fantasy novel would be e p i c.  With the magic, the family bonding, the Russian setting, the plot twist, I'd probably watch the whole thing with tears in my eyes because it would be so dang beautiful.  Anyone else?

10. Navigating Early - Clare Vanderpool

 

 

"there are no coincidences.  just miracles by the boatload."

I LOVE THIS BOOK.  SO MUCH.  And seeing it as a movie, I'd literally just be sitting in the theater sobbing and it would be perfection.  The whole aesthetic of the book, the historical setting, each event that happens, Jack and Early's relationship, the story of Pi, I just really want to see this on the big screen, it deserves that.


And that's my list!  Do you agree?  Which books do you need to see adapted?  Let me know in the comments!

(And also, let me know how y'all are holding up right now! I know it's a scary time, but I hope and pray that you're all staying safe, healthy, and sane! <3)

- Abby