Even though reading is like watching a movie in your brain, there is just something so cool about seeing a favorite title come to life on screen. Will the actors portray your favorite characters well? Is the costuming on-point? What do they change from the pages to the big screen? With recent successes like The Summer I Turned Pretty as an Amazon Prime show, My Life with the Walter Boys as a Netflix series, and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before as a Netflix movie, there is definitely a demand to see more YA books be turned into movies or shows and these titles should absolutely be considered:

The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor

This title has dual perspectives with one taking place in Paris during WWII while the other takes place in present day Paris. The parallels between the two would be so cool to see on screen similar to Julie & Julia and the cinematic potential is HUGE! This could work as either a feature film like Dunkirk (though not as action-packed) or a limited series like All the Light We Cannot See. My vote is for a movie!

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Part of the reason people love this book so much is how whimsical it is. We never know exactly what Jacks is thinking and anything can happen in the land where stories keep changing. This book has such TV show potential where the costuming and set designs (helped with CGI I’m sure) could shine. Think Once Upon a Time mixed with The Vampire Diaries mixed with Shadow & Bone. If the show gets three seasons, there could even be a few alternate endings!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Oo la la! This book needs a tv show! Emily in Paris is certainly fun and a little chaotic at times, which makes this book the perfect pairing for teen audiences. With Anna in a Paris boarding school without knowing much French, having to carve her own path with new friends, and a love interest that’s off limits, this book would take the teen drama show world by storm.

Emerge by Tobie Easton

I don’t know about you, but I LOVED the movie Aquamarine as a sleepover movie. Now that it’s been almost twenty (!!) years since it came out, it’s time for a new sleepover film to take the stage. What better book than Emerge, a little mermaid retelling with its own twists and swoon-worthy romance? I can see teens and adults alike putting this movie on repeat during the summer months.

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

This book would be limited series GOLD. It has the same vibes as The Summer I Turned Pretty so it’s sure to pack in a huge binge-watching audience. The assassin game throughout the book would play out so well on screen and you know this show would have an amazing playlist. The flashback scenes would be heart-wrenching, but the relationship development between Wit and Meredith would be so worth it.

Storylore by Mae McKoy

If you combine Once Upon a Time with The School for Good and Evil then you have the perfect elements for Storylore. An ideal book for a Netflix film, this book would bring so much fun to the screen as well as the option for a pretty cool cast since Atticus is a talking dragon. There’s a lot of potential with this book and though it’s not as well-known as some of the other books on this list, it definitely deserves its spot on film.

What did you think of these book to movie suggestions? Let me know in the comments below and if you want to see any other YA books turned into movies/tv shows!

6 YA Books That NEED Film Adaptations