5 Books You Need to read Before Their Films Hit Theaters

There has been an explosion in the number of young adult books being adapted for the big screen this year! These aren’t just your ho-hum, run-of-the-mill teen books either.  These books have huge, enthusiastic fan bases, and the films are sure to be hits at the box office. Don’t miss out; be sure to check out these exceptional books before they get the Hollywood treatment!

 

 

 

The New York Times Book Review had this to say about The Book Thief: “It’s the kind of book that can be life-changing, because without ever denying the essential amorality and randomness of the natural order, ‘The Book Thief’ offers us a believable, hard-won hope.” This book grabs your attention from the start, because the first thing you’ll notice about The Book Thief is its narrator: Death. Yes, a personified version of death guides you through this story of a young German girl named Liesel who moves in with her new adoptive parents in the midst of World War II. As the terrors of the war unfold around them, Liesel’s adoptive papa teaches her to read, and she acquires a voracious appetite for books (which, as the title may tell you, she resorts to stealing). Liesel represents a small bit of innocence in a world ruled by horror, but her parents soon invite danger into their home in the form of a Jewish refugee named Max. Zusak’s writing style is whimsical and full of rich descriptions, and the ending of the book will leave you at a loss for words. The movie will star young Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse as Liesel, Geoffrey Rush as Liesel’s new father (you may know him as Captain Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean), Emily Watson as Liesel’s new mother, and Ben Schnetzer as Max. 

 

Release Date: November 15, 2013

 

Twitter Heads-Up: Follow @Markus_Zusak (Markus Zusak)

 

 

 

The second installment of the Hunger Games trilogy follows Katniss as she fully realizes the impact of her victory in the Hunger Games on the country of Panem. The cry of rebellion sweeps the nation, and the oppressive President Snow seeks to quiet the cry before it becomes too large to suppress. He attempts to destroy Katniss’s influence by destroying Katniss herself. This gripping sequel has suspense, action, and plenty of cliffhangers and romance (including a love triangle). If you are a fan of dystopian fiction, look no further! Suzanne Collins clearly put lots of thought and creativity into the nation of Panem. Just make sure you read The Hunger Games, the predecessor to Catching Fire, so you don’t miss any important plot events! The movie will bring back beloved stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, Liam Hemsworth as Gale, and it will introduce new cast members such as Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Snow White and the Huntsman) as Finnick Odair and Jena Malone (Donnie Darko, Pride and Prejudice) as Johanna Mason. 

 

Release Date: November 22, 2013

 

Cutie Alert: Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, and Sam Claflin are all in one movie. Come on, girls, do I really need to say more? 

 

Twitter Heads-Up: Follow @suzcollins1 (Suzanne Collins), @jhutch1992 (Josh Hutcherson), @LiamHemsworth (Liam Hemsworth), @MaloneJena (Jena Malone), @samclaflin (Sam Claflin)

 

 

 

 

For fans of the Hunger Games trilogy comes another trilogy centered on a dystopian society. Northwestern University alumna Veronica Roth imagined a futuristic world based in the ruins of Chicago where people are divided by their values into five factions: Erudite (the intelligent), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Candor (the honest). When her time comes to choose to which faction she will pledge her life, Beatrice Prior finds that she is an exception to the rule; she does not fit squarely in one faction. Rather, she is someone called a divergent, someone her society views as dangerous. Beatrice now has a secret to keep in a world where such secrets are deadly. She renames herself Tris and joins the Dauntless ranks, where she forms new relationships and meets an enigmatic boy named Four. This series has gained a huge following in the past year, and the final installment Allegiant is due out on October 22nd!  The movie will star Shailene Woodley as Beatrice Prior, Theo James as Four, and Kate Winslet as Jeanine Matthews. Fun fact: Ansel Elgort will also star in this movie as Beatrice’s brother Caleb; recall that Ansel and Shailene are slated to star together in The Fault in Our Stars too!

 

Release Date: March 20, 2014

 

Cutie Alert: You may not have heard of Theo James; he has not been in the moviemaking business long, but he is a (very attractive) up-and-coming actor! Ansel Elgort will also portray Caleb Prior.

 

Twitter Heads-Up: Follow @VeronicaRoth (Veronica Roth)

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you haven’t heard of John Green by now, I can only assume that you’ve been on another planet for the past year. The Fault in Our Stars, along with his other books Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns, have garnered him praise from both critics and readers alike. The Fault in Our Stars is about Hazel, who knows that her cancer is terminal and that any day could be her last. She is thrown through a loop when she meets a handsome boy named Augustus (Gus for short) at a cancer support group meeting. The relationship between Gus and Hazel will have you snickering and blinking back tears, sometimes simultaneously, so be sure to have tissues on hand while reading! The New York Times Book Review called The Fault in Our Stars, “A blend of melancholy, sweet, philosophical, and funny. Green shows us true love…and it is far more romantic than any sunset on the beach.” The movie will star Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Ansel Elgort as Augustus. 

 

Release Date: 2014 

 

Cutie Alert: Ansel Elgort is fairly new on the scene, but he has crazy good looks and the talent to back it up! 

 

Twitter Heads-Up: Follow @realjohngreen (John Green), @shailenewoodley (Shailene Woodley), @AnselElgort (Ansel Elgort)

 

 

 

This tear-jerking and thought-provoking book explores an interesting question – if you had your world ripped away from you and you were near death, would you choose to remain alive or to leave this world for a better place? That is the predicament of 17-year-old cello prodigy Mia Hall, whose entire family is killed in a car accident. Mia survives, but only just; she exists on the edge of the physical world in a comatose state. In an out-of-body experience, Mia examines her life and what she would leave behind if she were to give in to death to rejoin her family. Her devoted longtime boyfriend, Adam, begs her to take advantage of her survival and remain in this life. You’ll have to read the book to see Mia’s decision! The movie will star the rising actress Chloë Grace Moretz (Hugo, Carrie) as Mia and Jamie Blackley as Adam. 

 

Release Date: 2014

 

Cutie Alert: Jamie Blackley was recently cast as Mia’s boyfriend. He appeared as Iain in Snow White and the Huntsman, and his ruggedly handsome appearance is perfectly suited to Adam’s character!

 

Twitter Heads-Up: Follow @gayleforman (Gayle Forman), @ChloeGMoretz (Chloë Grace Moretz), @jamieblackley (Jamie Blackley)

 

**STORY BY BROOKE ROBINSON