CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Children's movies are big business in Hollywood and with a film industry that seems strapped for ideas, it isn't uncommon for a classic children's book to be adapted into a film.
But while the list of children's movies based on novels is a long one, only a handful of managed to become classics.
With "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" coming to theaters this weekend, we decided to look back at some of the best movies based on children's novels.
To become a classic, a movie had to be both a critical and commercial success, meaning we omitted movies that were a hit with critics but ignored by audiences, and movies that made a lot of money but were panned by reviewers.
Scroll through the slides to see our list of the greatest movies based on children's novels.
20th Century Fox
The best children's movies based on novels
"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," which hits theaters this weekend, is one of many movies based on a classic children's novel.
Pinocchio
This 1940 Disney movie is based on the novel "The adventures of Pinocchio," by Italian author Carlo Collodi. The classic tale of a puppet imbued with life and a nose that elongates every time he lies has been so ingrained in popular culture that a puppet with long nose became a universal symbol of dishonesty. "When You Wish Upon a Star," a song from the movie, is one of the most recognized movie songs ever written.
Mary Poppins
Another Disney production, "Mary Poppins" is based on a book series of the same name. The title character is a flying nanny who swoops in to save a dysfunctional London family. The film met with near universal acclaim, and remains one of the most beloved children's movies ever made.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
This 1971 movie is based on the 1964 novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by renowned children's author Roald Dahl. It was one of several of Dahl's novels to be adapted into film, and one of the most highly recognized. While audiences virtually ignored the film when it was first released in theaters, it garnered praise from parents after being played on various television stations and has since become a classic.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter fans have been known to wait in line for hours to acquire a copy of one of the acclaimed novels upon their release, so you can only imagine their elation when the first chapter in the classic series finally came to the big screen in 2001. Fans were even more ecstatic when they found that the film was a faithful adaptation of the source material.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" is an indispensable film. No holiday season would be complete without at least one viewing of this seminal movie based on the book by children's author Dr. Seuss.
Charlotte's Web
"Charlotte's Web" is a tale of a pig named Wilbur who befriends a barn spider that offers him friendship and life advice. It features themes that transcend children's literature and appeal to the readers of all ages. It was made into a movie in 1973. The film at first failed to capture the success of the novel, but developed a devoted following over time.
The Hobbit (1977)
"The Lord of the Rings" might be the most recognized series of books ever written, but the groundbreaking novels were preceded by an adventure story titled "The Hobbit." That first novel was made into an animated movie which set the stage for "The Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy in the early 2000s.
The Jungle Book (1967)
Disney turned Rudyard Kipling's series of short stories collected in "The Jungle Book" into a movie in 1967 that became successful enough to spawn a remake in 2016. Critics loved Disney's original movie, and it made more than $200 million at the box office.
101 Dalmatians
"101 Dalmatians" is one of Disney's finest animated movies. It's success has endured through the years, and it continues to thrill young audiences to this day. The story was taken from a 1956 novel of the same name.
Field of Dreams
"Field of Dreams" is one of the few baseball movies that managed to transcend the genre and become a cinematic classic. However, few people probably know that it was adapted from W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe."
The Wizard of Oz
It's difficult to find a list of classic movies that doesn't include the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz," and it has taken it's rightful place as one of the greatest musicals ever made. But you may not of known that it was based on a 1900 novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum.
Anne of Green Gables
"Anne of Green Gables" has sold more than 50 million copies since it's 1908 publication, making a movie adaptation virtually inevitable. The aforementioned film version aired on Canadian television in 1985, becoming one of the most watched television programs in Canadian history. PBS help to make the film a classic in the United States by airing it a year later.
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Another of Roald Dahl's novels to be made into a movie, "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" was directed by film maestro Wes Anderson, and was beloved by both critics and audiences alike when it hit theaters in 2009.
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