The transition from book to movie isn’t always easy, but sometimes the perfect story comes along at just the right time. In recent years, there have been many young adult novels that were made into movies that became instant hits with teen and adult audiences alike. Here are eight of the best YA novels that became movies.
1) The Princess Diaries
The first book of Meg Cabot’s best-selling novel series was originally published in 2000 and has since been made into a movie starring Anne Hathaway. However, you don’t have to see The Princess Diaries movie to enjoy reading about Mia Thermopolis and her teen trials and tribulations. In fact, it is often more fun to read something before watching it because you aren’t distracted by what others do or say.
2) Twilight
Bella Swan moves to Forks, Washington, to live with her father. On her first day at her new school, she is surprised to see how different everyone looks from each other; it is then that she meets Edward Cullen. At first their relationship seems purely physical, but as they spend more time together Bella discovers that Edward holds many secrets and isn’t willing to give up his love for her easily.
3) Harry Potter
The novels about a young wizard schooled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were turned into movies. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone was released in 2001, followed by The Chamber of Secrets in 2002, The Prisoner of Azkaban in 2004, The Goblet of Fire in 2005, Order of Phoenix in 2007, Half-Blood Prince (2008), and Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010). They earned a total $7.7 billion worldwide at box offices so far.
4) The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games has become a phenomenon. Just to recap, in a dystopian future, an evil autocrat rules over Panem, which is separated into 12 districts ruled by each of Panem’s Capitol citizens. Each year on reaping day, two young representatives from each district are selected to fight for their survival in a deadly televised event—the Hunger Games.
5) Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Based on a series of books by author Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid is an animated movie that follows Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) as he navigates middle school in suburban America. The books are filled with drawings and cartoons of what goes on in Greg’s life, but many people are surprised to find out that the characters don’t have any lines in the film version.
6) The Fault in Our Stars
It has been a popular trend for book-to-movie adaptations, especially of young adult novels. The Fault in Our Stars is one of these books that made a successful transition from novel to movie and it was both critical and commercial success. Based on John Green’s book by same name, it follows Hazel Grace Lancaster and Augustus Waters. They meet at cancer support group at Hazel’s cancer survivor group and subsequently begin a life-changing friendship.
7) Divergent
Though it’s still too early to say whether Veronica Roth’s Divergent series will be a box office success, there’s no denying that Lionsgate has high hopes for what could become a massive hit. Based on Veronica Roth’s bestselling novels, Divergent tells the story of Tris Prior, who lives in a futuristic Chicago where all citizens are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities and values.
8) Paper Towns
In 2008, The Fault in Our Stars director Josh Boone adapted John Green’s young adult novel Paper Towns into a feature film. In it, Nat Wolff plays Quentin Q Jacobsen, a high school senior who has spent his life searching for Margo Roth Spiegelman (Cara Delevingne), his enigmatic next-door neighbor and longtime crush. When Q realizes Margo is missing one night, he sets out to track her down.