Guest Author - Jeanne Rutgers

Books into Movies

Holes by Louis Sachar

Young Stanley Yelnats has been wrongfully convicted of stealing. He is sentenced to Camp Green Lake in the middle of a dessert. Here boys dig holes to build character. Even though the boys know they are looking for something in the ground, no one has told them exactly what they are searching for.


While at camp Stanley meets Zero, a young boy who is taunted by everyone including the counselors. Frustrated Zero runs away, and Stanley follows him.

Both the book and the movie skillfully flashback to the history of Camp Green Lake and slowly reveal the camp’s mysterious past, that includes the famous bandit, Kissing Kate Barlow.

Holes is steeped in strong themes of friendship, family, and loyalty. The reading level is 4th to 5th grade. I highly recommend both the book and the movie. The book has short chapters that keep the reader engaged, and the movie features a great performances by Henry Winkler and a fun upbeat sound track.




Mean Girls the Movie
Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman




15 year Cady is trying to find her way in the harsh world of high school. She learns first hand how cruel all kids, including herself can be. Cady attempts to fit in with The Mathletes, The Plastics, and a couple of true friends, whose intentions aren’t completely altruistic.

Director Mark Waters makes this complex world of high school friendships into a great comedy, perfect for tweens.




The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares


This is one of my favorite coming of age movies/books. Before spending their first summer apart four very different friends discover a pair of magic jeans that not only fit their unique body types, but give them courage. They promise to write to each other and send the jeans to their various locations.

Both the book and the movie are told from the perspective of each of the four girls. Tough topics such as death, absentee parents, and emerging self confidence are tackled in this story.

America Ferraera does an amazing acting job as she confronts a father who seems to have forgotten his daughter and replaced her with his new family.
The reading level of the book is young adult. It is well loved and has produced two sequels.






Ten Things I Hate About You
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

West Side Story isn’t the only Shakespeare rewrite to take place in high school. Ten Things tells the story of two sisters, the lovely Bianca and the tough as nails Kate. The girls are raised by their freakishly overprotective father who won’t let Bianca date until Kate does. Because Kate is so disagreeable, no boy will dare ask her out. As a result Dad feels safe that Bianca will spend her school days in a lust free environment.

A young suitor is desperate to take out Bianca so he pays the dark and mysterious new kid to take Kate out. The plot follows along Shakespeare ingenious path.

Heith Ledger and Julia Stiles have great chemistry. This is an enjoyable movie for young teens or anyone who has recently read the original play.