Books get to be known as classics when they stand the test of time with generation after generation of readers. Many of these classics end up becoming movies, which take the place of the written story in popular culture—think Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz. Your book club can have a lot of fun choosing one of these classics to read and watching a movie adaptation at your meeting. When you talk about the book and the movie you can make some comparisons:

Were you surprised to find out the movie was based on a book written long ago?

What were major differences between the book and the movie?

Which one did you prefer?

Why do you think the movie’s director would want to change the story the way he did?

If the book was written a long time ago, did you find it difficult to understand some of the references or words used?

Here are some classic titles to look for:

• Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Peter Pan by James E. Barrie
• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
• The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
• The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting
• Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling