Want Your Children To Love Books - Go See A Movie!
Brent Sitton

Reading a book from which a movie is made is almost always a
richer experience than simply watching the movie. The
experience of savoring the words on the page and allowing
yourself to be taken on a journey inspired by the author is
sublime. As the author paints a picture with words, your
imagination fills in the blanks until the voices of the
characters and the images of the settings resonate in your
mind.

After reading and thoroughly enjoying a well-written book,
watching the movie adaptation can be an interesting experience.
The voices and images from your imagination are contrasted by
those created by the actors, the director, and the
cinematographer. It's not that the experience of watching a
movie adaptation is necessarily bad - it's simply different. It
presents a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to your children
the difference between words on a page and images on a screen -
and to have a great family experience in the process.

Almost without fail, your children will agree that while they
enjoyed the movie, the experience created by their own
imagination is better. Demonstrating to your child that their
imagination is more powerful than a hollywood blockbuster is a
very liberating and supportive exercise. Believe it or not,
going through this process of reading a great book and then
seeing the movie actually reinforces your child's love of
reading as well as the use of their imagination!

Between now and the end of the year, there are two
opportunities to read a great book and then to see the movie
adaptation. The movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
(PG-13), was released in theaters on November 18, while the
movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe (PG) is set for release on December 9.

As a family, take the opportunity to read Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire before watching the movie. Discuss which scenes
you think will make it into the movie and which they may have
to cut. Have family members choose favorite characters, and act
out some scenes from the book. These types of activities build
excitement and set the stage for seeing the movie together as a
family. If you want to go all out, dress in costume to see the
movie. Afterwards, discuss how the movie differed from the
book, and, more importantly, how it differed from the scenes
created in family members' imaginations.

You can follow the same process by reading The Chronicles of
Narnia prior to seeing the movie. Younger children may enjoy
hearing the classic tale of Chicken Little prior to seeing the
Disney movie of the same name. Discuss the moral of the story,
and, after watching the movie, talk about how the storyline in
the movie demonstrated the principles of the classic.


About The Author: Brent Sitton is the founder of
http://www.DiscoveryJourney.com, which features children's book
and movie reviews based on character traits. Children's Book and
Movie Reviews include character trait examples and learning
activities. http://www.discoveryjourney.com/findidealmovie.asp.