A lot has changed in the world, but kids still love going to the movies. I live in a city with a wide socioeconomic range, and a lot of family activities are cost-prohibitive. There are cinemas where taking a family of six to see a film can equate to a car payment, but with a little hunting and creative timing (many theaters do a super cheap ticket mid-week or early morning), there are options that won’t break the bank. It’s a genuine relief to me that my city still has a reasonable theater where many of my students visit regularly.
There is something about going to see a movie in the theater that is at once a great afternoon, a connection to a cultural touchstone, and a bonding time for a family. When I’m searching for books to start the school year, I’m often scheming eye-catching displays. What better way to build excitement than to tap into the year’s greatest hit kids’ movies? Picture the movie poster with some similar books displayed below- the students will be scrambling to check them out! I’m not above using the screen to entice young readers. You shouldn’t be, either. Check out these book and movie pairings below.
GOAT
“GOAT, [is] an original action-comedy set in an all-animal world. The story follows Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball — a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that ‘smalls can ball!’” —Goat (2026 film), Sony Pictures Animation
Jalen Plays It All by Jalen Brunson and Neely Daggett
Jalen Brunson is having a much-deserved moment in the sun after leading the Knicks to a championship earlier this year, but basketball fans know his quiet consistency had been shining long before this big win. This picture book introduces us to young Jalen, a sports enthusiast who isn’t sure which game he loves the best, but knows for sure that he loves to play.
I Have a Superpower by Stephen Curry and Geneva Bowers
Steph Curry is one of the most highly regarded basketball players in the NBA. Known for his work ethic, chill demeanor, community involvement, and his impressive stats, he is exactly the kind of role model you’d like your young people looking up to. Young people are getting more opportunities to know about Curry, thanks to his picture books (as well as his voice acting and producing credits on the movie in question, GOAT). I Have A Superpower reminds readers that being the best isn’t about being the strongest, tallest, or fastest, but about having the heart and determination to commit.
Toy Story 5
“Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad, a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same? —Toy Story 5, Pixar
The Doll People by Ann M. Martin, Laura Godwin, and Brian Selznick
If you love Woody and Buzz, you need to meet Annabelle and Tiffany. When china doll Annabelle meets the plastic Tiffany Funcraft, it’s not jealousy that sparks inside her. The two dolls set off on an adventure to find out what happened to Annabelle’s Auntie Sarah, risking Permanent Doll State (and therefore setting up the same stakes as the Toy Story universe in their need for secrecy) to solve the mystery. This story cannot be contained to a single book, and has sparked almost as many sequels as Toy Story itself.
Mission: Playtime! by Nelly Buchet and Clara Reschke
One of the best things about the Toy Story franchise is the toy industry references sprinkled through every installment. No matter your age, you can find something nostalgic in one of the toy boxes, flea markets, messy bedrooms, or day care cubbies featured in every film. This exact feeling is replicated in Mission: Playtime!, where the main-character sibling pair is helped along by a cast of toys as they search for a beloved stuffed chicken at bedtime. Published by Mattel for the 80th anniversary of the company, the book features Barbie, He-Man, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, and more. Perfect for a toy-loving kid or a collector adult, this silly story celebrates Mattel and the art of imaginative play.
Moana
“Moana is about an adventurous teenager who, with help from demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and save her people.” –Moana(2016 film), Disney. In 2026, we got the live-action remake of Moana, marking the ten-year anniversary of the film with renewed interest in the popular story.
Ning and the Night Spirits by Adriena Fong
In Moana, an entire village lives in deep fear of the ocean, isolating themselves from a world of magic on the sea. Ning can relate—he has heard tales of dangerous forest spirits his entire life. When he actually meets one and is able to form his own opinion, Ning realizes all is not what it seems. Can he convince his village to give the night spirits a chance?
The Big One by Dashka Slater and Myo Yim
The relationship between Moana and her grandmother is a shining heart in the middle of the film’s plot, which makes The Big One a natural parallel. In this gorgeously illustrated story, Marina and Nana set off in their little boat to snag the big one, a legendary fish. What they find is bigger than anyone could have imagined. Set on the sea with a huge mission and treasured relationships fueling the plot, The Big One is perfect for fans of Moana.
Hoppers
“Animal-lover Mabel seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a lifelike robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. As she uncovers mysteries in the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined, Mabel must rally the entire animal kingdom to face a major imminent human-threat.” –Hoppers (film), Pixar
Little People, Big Dreams: Greta Thunberg by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Anke Weckmann
Mabel, the optimistic and devoted defender of nature at the head of the Hoppers cast, draws comparisons to Greta Thunberg despite the differences in their public demeanors (Mabel: madcap and goofy; Greta: serious and important) and countries of origin. Both are young people desperate to protect the environment and unafraid to go against the grain to do so. I love the Little People, Big Dreams series of biographies. Their titles tend to be short and have an endlessly charming aesthetic style. If you love Mabel, you should read about Greta.
You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown
This book first popped into my head when the anthropomorphic bears seemed like long-lost characters from the film Hoppers, but there are more parallels to ponder. Lucille is deeply human, both in her need for friendship and her English language skills. All the animals around her, however, remain their animal selves, and the miscommunications between Lucille trying to connect and the critters living their lives are both hilarious and heartbreaking. Will Lucille find a friend before she terrorizes the entire forest? Both Mabel and Lucille have their hearts in the right place, and both of them end up causing a bit of harm before their time in the forest ends, but the postive outcome in both stories is worth waiting for.
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If you’ve been curious about what titles almost made the list of our Best of the Century So Far: Middle Grade edition, find several below. The process to build these lists is time-consuming and involves a lot of debate. Titles are nominated, voted on, and discussed at length, with factors such as genre balance, fiction/nonfiction/comics representation, publication date, and more all considered.
While the final list is one that we’re proud of, anyone who is a book lover is going to be curious what titles were among those that almost made it. Here’s a look at 10+ middle grade books that were left on the cutting room floor–but they’re all titles we absolutely recommend picking up and enjoying.
- A Dash of Trouble by Anna Meriano, featuring bruja bakers
- A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass, centering a girl with synesthesia
- Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, a mystery bringing together math, codes, history and art into one text
- Curlfriends: New In Town by Sharee Miller, a comic about Black girl joy and friendship
- King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callendar, an award winning title from a beloved and groundbreaking author
- Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds, sharing an array of stories from the perspectives of kids walking home from school
- Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave by Ally Russell, an actually scary book for tween readers with multiple horror accolades
- Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang, a graphic novel series following undocumented siblings from Taiwan trying to survive on their own in the U.S.
- Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan, a Holocaust novel telling the little known story of how the Grand Mosque of Paris saved 500-1,700 Jewish people
- And while we did not have a Gail Carson Levine title make the final cut for the Best of the Century, three of her titles were among the contenders: The Wish, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, and Fairest.
– Kelly Jensen
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