I remember devouring the entire Mouse series in a weekend. That's how good they were. The only other books to come close were Nancy Drew and Harry Potter. That might say something about my reading taste, but as a kid, Beverly Cleary was it. 

In about 2 weeks, she will turn 100. So, let's celebrate her birthday by consuming her books and the movies that go with them.

If you wanted to get a jumpstart on her birthday, you could get one of her books and read it by April 12. You could do what I did as a kid and start with Ralph S. Mouse.

This is the newer, easier to come by adaptation of the Mouse collection. The best part here is, you get all of the mouse stories in one package.

​Run time is 195 minutes for all 3 Mouse stories, plus 4 bonus stories.

Here's the book! A fun story about a little mouse who can no longer stay at the Inn.

Guided Reading Level: 0
176 Pages

 E.B. White's book is a perennial favorite. This book combines talking animals with a great plot line.

It's content is suited for an even younger audience than its reading level, making this a favorite read aloud.

The reading level on Charlotte's Web is level R, which is an on-track 4th graders. But you could start reading this book to your kid in 2nd grade. Or wait until they want to read it on their own.

​The movie to watch with this one is the original from the 70s. I've watched both versions and the original animated version is just a more enjoyable viewing.

Book Guided Reading Level: R
Movie Rating: G, 94 minutes

This book is a great example of the power of illustrations. Chris Van Allsburg is fantastic at telling a story through images.

Because of this, his books lends itself especially well to a movie. The book is already so visual that the movie producers didn't need to imagine as much. 

This book and movie duo is great for kids who have a lot of energy and love a good adventure. The reading level is spot in the middle of 2nd grade, but older kids enjoy this set as well.

Book Guided Reading Level: M
Movie Rating: PG, 1 hour 44 min

This book always makes me cry when I read it. But, I read it again and again and I've never met anyone who didn't love it just the same, despite its heartache. 

It's an upper level reading book, so you'll want to read this book together over time or hand it off to a confident reader.

For those who are unfamiliar, it's a story of a boy coming into his own with the help of his hunting coons. 

Book Guided Reading Level: X
Movie Rating: G, 97 minutes

Where the Red Fern Grows, the book
​Where the Red Fern Grows, the movie

The Witches, the book
​The Witches, the movie

Like most Roald Dahl books, this book has an underbelly. This book's reading level puts it in the middle of 4th grade, and I would recommend not starting it sooner than that.

The book explores seemingly caring adults, who are actually witches, trying to rid the world of children by turning them into reviled creatures. Like mice.

The boy and his grandmother hatch a plan but it ends on a sour note. This is a great movie/book duo for right around Halloween.

This book is frequently on the list of banned books across the United States, so you could discuss why this book in particular would be banned and why others are not. What makes it uncomfortable?

Book Guided Reading Level: R
Movie Rating: PG, 91 minutes