5 books adapted for film and TV

These reads captured readers’ imaginations so well, they are now coming to the screen.

Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud (Penguin Random House Children’s)

In a dark, haunted London, three young psychic detectives called Lockwood, Lucy and George work together to fight ghosts. This brilliant supernatural story is now a thrilling Netflix TV series, perfect for older readers with a taste for spooky mysteries.

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen (HarperCollins Children’s)

A new live-action musical film of

The Little Mermaid is being released by Walt Disney Pictures later this year. While you’re waiting, you can enjoy Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale in this lovely book created by design studio MinaLima. It’s full of beautiful artwork and cleverly designed interactive surprises.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll (Knights Of)

Eleven-year-old Addie sets about campaigning for a memorial to the witch trials that took place in her Scottish home town, in this multi-award-winning story. If you haven’t read A Kind of Spark yet, now is the time to get started because a BBC TV series based on the book will be out later this year.

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Yoko Tanaka (Walker Books)

When a fortune teller’s tent appears in the town square, Peter decides to ask how he can find his long-lost sister. The weird answer (an elephant!) sets off a chain of events. This wonderful adventure story has inspired a new animated film that is coming to Netflix in March.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (Macmillan Children’s)

In this classic novel, first published in 1970, we meet 11-year-old Margaret. After moving to a new home, Margaret struggles with making new friends, dealing with her family and the challenges of growing up. A film based on the book will be released in April, with young actor Abby Ryder Fortson playing Margaret.