We‘ve all suffered through deplorable movie adaptations of books. In my opinion, books have too many details which can’t be crammed into one 2-hour movie. It’s more enjoyable to watch a series of episodes so that more details can play out on the screen.
There are many shows that people may not realize are based on books. Here are a few recommendations for children, teens, and adults. Visit www.myhlc.org for a larger list of shows and movies based on books.
Here are a few shows based on kids books:
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! is an informational show inspired by Dr. Seuss’ famous character. You can watch it on PBS or borrow DVDs from the library.
Disney Junior’s Fancy Nancy is inspired by the books written by Jane O’Connor. You can watch it on Disney Junior or borrow DVDs from the library.
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events depicts the sad tale of the Baudelaire orphans. The books share the same title. You can watch it on Netflix.
These shows are based on teen books:
The show Shadow and Bone is based on the books by Leigh Bardugo. You can watch it on Netflix.
The Vampire Diaries is inspired by L.J Smith’s book series. Find it on multiple streaming services or borrow DVDs from the library.
One of us is Lying is also the title of the book by Karen McManus. Watch the show on Peacock.
Here are some adult shows based on books:
The Last Kingdom, BBC2’s major TV series, is based on Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling novels. You can stream the show on Netflix or borrow DVDs from the library.
Longmire is based on Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire mysteries. Watch it on Netflix or borrow DVDs from the library.
The show Dexter is based on a book series by Jeff Lindsay. I hear tales of a revival miniseries in the works! You can stream the original from multiple services or borrow DVDs from the library.
Many of the options here can be found in the library. Some of them are not available on DVD since they are produced by streaming services.
Many other shows and movies are based on books. Check out the “Movies and Shows Inspired by Books” list on our catalog by visiting www.myhlc.org to see other shows the libraries have. Don’t forget to follow the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners on Facebook!