Film Education -

This month's focus reveals the top 10 poll of your favourite book to screen adaptations. We talked to Mark Herman writer and director and John Boyne author to talk about their experience of writing and the process of working on the film adaptation The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas.

Panel Discussion

Mark Herman

Mark Herman interview: (transcript)

John Boyne

Watch interview below (transcript)

Poll Results

1. The Kite Runner - Online resource.
2. Trainspotting
3. Romeo and juliet – PDF Study guide.
4. The Railway Children
5. Holes – PDF Study Guide.
6. Charlotte's Web – PDF Worksheets and Teacher's Notes
7. Great Expectations
8. Bridge To Terabithia – Online resource
9. Catch 22
10. Room with a view

Prize Draw Winners

Thanks to everyone who voted. The winners of the prize-draw are:

Andy Wallis from Islay High School, who had this to say about Trainspotting:
"Current and relevant. Encourages older pupils to examine how different narratives can be presented on screen."

Clare Cheetham from Patcham House School in Brighton, who voted for Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet saying:
"It’s exciting, action packed and yet deeply moving. It’s Shakespeare and the big screen at its best. I love it, and so do my students!"

Cherry Blackbourn from The Priory School, voted for The railway Children saying:
"Because its just perfect – casting, direction, adaptation, the lot. It can be watched again and again and has stood the test of time."

John Wilmot/Debbie Daniels voted for The Kite Runner.
"The novel is outstanding and the film is a faithful adaptation which captures the spirit of the novel. The film loses none of the book’s subtlety, intelligence or emotion. The casting and pace are first rate and the filming is poetic, particularly that of the
kite flying which is moving and inspiring to watch."

And finally Sue Johnson from Glossopdale Community College voted for Holes and commented that:
"Although not totally ‘true’ adaptation of the book (the journey down the mountain is diluted a little) – I can honestly say that, after reading the book, as we do each year, with year 8s, the students are nearly ‘sick’ with excitement to see their much loved characters represented on screen.They love discussing how the actors chosen fit with their ‘imagined’ version (also how Stanley should be a ‘fat kid’ but isn’t ). There is the opportunity to discuss and study film and media linking the book and film together. Every single year, without fail, the film is a hit! Fantastic music too. The whole thing doesn’t seem to age at all…"