Five Classic Children’s Books That Should Be Adapted by HBO
Posted by
Maria Vicente
There are so many classic children’s books that have dark, meaningful storylines and HBO shows are often groundbreaking and thought provoking.
The two truly go hand in hand. Here are five children’s books that would be excellent on the network.
Watership Down by Richard Adams: This super-violent book about bunnies could only be properly adapted by a network that’s willing to make it look like it’s meant for viewers older than 10. Sure the cartoon version is a bit terrifying, but it’s not quite as bold as it should be.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman: While the movie featuring Nicole Kidman was a great cinematic portrayal, I’d love to see a series that focuses on the deeper themes of the His Dark Materials series. There is so much commentary about religion that was, necessarily, left out of the movie version. An HBO adaptation could take this to the next level.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: An odd little gem of classic children’s literature, The Little Prince would be a lovely adaptation—as long as it keeps its artistic flair. There is so much to be done with “characters” like Wise Fox and the baobob trees.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum: If there’s any series that has been over-done with adaptions, it’s this one. And yet there still isn’t any single movie, show, or Broadway play that gets it completely right. The first book in the series is well-loved, but there is an entire world of Oz that remains unknown to many.
The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle: We know that HBO does fantasy well, so why not a fantasy featuring a non-human lead character? Everyone loves unicorns: the internet, hipsters, children. A dark, realistic adaptation of this book seems inevitable.
Maria Vicente is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency. She likes books, coffee, design, & magic. You can find her on Twitter (@MsMariaVicente) or her blog, ibelieveinstory.com.
