Book vs. Movie: Ella Enchanted

I truly loved reading the book Ella Enchanted, and have heard from several young readers that they also love the book. A local librarian told me that the book is very rarely left on the shelf. Even though it was published in 1997, it has the timeless appeal of a fairy tale without being simplistic in its content or writing. Levine did a fabulous job in writing the story, an opinion I share with the committee that distributes Newbery Honor awards. Not only is the lead character intelligent and kind, she reveals her own inner strength as she is challenged through a variety of trials and must save herself from her own misfortune. Of course, I also love that it has a "happily-ever-after" type of ending. My favorite! I would definitely recommend that this book be part of a school library collection.

Although the movie is enjoyable, it is only very loosely based on the movie. In both the movie and the book, Ella is "gifted" with obedience from a fairy, but the gift turns out to be more of a curse. She must obey everyone who gives her an order. Aside from a few major characters, that premise is really the only thing shared by the movie and book (except for a "happily-ever-after" ending!). The path that Ella takes to become free of the curse and the relationships she has with the other characters are very different in the movie than in the book. I enjoyed watching the movie, but it definitely strayed from the storyline provided by Levine.

In summary, I enjoyed both the movie and the book, but definitely give the book a higher rating than the movie.

Levine, G. C. (1997). Ella enchanted. New York: HarperCollins.

O'Haver, T. (Director). Ella enchanted [Motion picture]. United States: Miramax.

Jumanji: Book vs. Movie

I like Jumanji, both in book and movie form. But I must say that I prefer the book version to the movie version. The book seems to be intended for children as an audience, while the movie attempts to insert some scary scenes and grown-up issues to appeal to the adult audience. (What does it say about me that I prefer the children's version? Who knows.)

In the book by Chris Van Allsburg, a brother and sister are bored and alone one afternoon when they find the Jumanji game board. They begin playing the game at home, only to discover that the jungle adventure in the game comes to life in their house. Although there are plenty of scary things that happen (lion attack, python in the living room, sleeping sickness, etc.), the images in the book actually help keep the action from seeming too intense. The statements are somewhat "matter-of-fact", and the illustrations actually seem calm. For example, on one page the sister is sitting calmly under an umbrella as a monsoon pours down around her. Children will enjoy the action and suspense of the story, but will not feel overwhelmed or frightened by the content. They will likely enjoy the twist at the end of the story, when the children of the visiting parents are seen running home with the game they found under a tree. Teachers could use this twist to encourage children to make predictions about future events based upon what they've read. The book is definitely worth sharing with children!

The movie version of Jumanji that was released in 1995 is much more intense than the book. Some scenes made me jump and cover my eyes (yes, I'm a wimp), while others made me want to cry. I am a fan of Robin Williams, and enjoyed his portrayal of a man who had been trapped in the game as a young boy. In the movie, hundreds of years pass as groups of children find and hide again the dangerous game. As the movie unfolds, a boy and girl are playing Jumanji together. The girl stops playing, and the boy is left in the game for more than 20 years. He escapes from the game as a new pair of players begin a game, and he helps them to finish their game. Stressful family issues are discussed in the move, but it does have a happy ending. I would not feel comfortable showing this movie to young children. It might be interesting to have high school students watch the movie and do a comparison with the book, but I would not want my younger children watching this movie.

In summary, I would definitely recommend the book be added to children's library collections, but I would save the movie for family movie night with older children.

Cort, R. W., Field, T., Franco, L. J., Kroopf, S., & Teitler, W. (Producers), & Johnston, J. (Director). (1995). Jumanji [Motion picture]. United States: TriStar Pictures.

Van Allsburg, C. (1981). Jumanji. New York: Houghton Mifflin.

Book vs. Movie Comparison: The Tale of Despereaux

First, I need to confess one of my faults. I am the person who reads the end of the book first, just to make sure it ends happily. I can handle a few bumps along the road, but the story MUST end mostly happily, with good feelings at the end, else I'm not interested in reading it. Now you can probably understand why The Tale of Despereaux was not my favorite story. The movie ranks slightly higher in my estimation, but only slightly.

The novel by Kate DiCamillo tells of a very small mouse named Despereaux who is not at all like the other mice. As a matter of fact, he is able to read, and is inspired by a fairy tale to be brave, noble, and honest. He falls in love with the princess of the castle, and eventually saves her from doom. There are a few sad antagonists: Roscuro, the dungeon rat who secretly loves the light, and Miggory Sow, a slave/servant girl who has been abused and neglected her entire life.

One of the things that I truly did not like in this book is the way the author basically halts the story to address the audience. She begins with phrases such as "Reader, you did not forget that..." and "Again, reader, we must...". I believe that she uses this technique so often that it is distracting from the story. She also attempts to point out in the story that as long as hope is alive, all is not lost. However, the general overall tone of the story is one of sadness.

The director of the movie worked to put a happier spin on the story. In the book, Roscuro the rat slinks from the dungeon when he wants to see light; in the end, he is not truly part of either the light or the dark, but somewhere in between. In the movie, Roscuro comes from a friendly ship on the ocean, and returns there at the end. In the book, Despereaux's parents are mostly indifferent to him; his father is more worried about what others think, and his mother is worried about her appearance. In the movie, they genuinely seem to care about Despereaux, but are limited in their abilities to love by their perspectives as mice. So it seems that the director recognized the book's potential to be a "downer", and made adjustments to keep it lighter and more entertaining.

I know that this book has received great reviews from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist. It does have many good qualities: an emphasis on forgiveness, appreciation of courage, and a demonstration of rising above low expectations. I would have it in my library to share with others. Personally, however, it is not one that I would read over and over.

DiCamillo, K. (2003). The tale of Despereaux. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.