Comments on: Book vs. Movie: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

By: Ashlee

Ashlee — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:01:48 +0000

I saw a trailer today and definitely will not be seeing it, It doesn’t look anything like the book. I can’t watch another childrens classic be destroyed by a movie.

By: Cathy @ Chief Family Officer

Cathy @ Chief Family Officer — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:03:02 +0000

Honestly, I didn’t expect much from the movie (and apparently I was right not to), but we LOVE the book around here too! We actually have a 30-year-old version that’s falling apart and my 2-year-old keeps tearing “the meatball book.” So I ordered a new one from Amazon but they CHANGED THE WORDS!!! Maybe it’s just b/c I’m used to the original, but the new version just doesn’t flow as well to me so I was quite disappointed. It really is an excellent story, though. By the way, my 2-year-old’s other favorite book is If You Give A Moose A Muffin, which I also highly recommend.

By: Gabriella

Gabriella — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:06:40 +0000

I LOVED this book! My parents did, too. I guess our entire family loved it. We read this book every night, and my parents also volunteered at a preschool, where they read this book to the children a lot.

By: PisecoMom

PisecoMom — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:27:23 +0000

I absolutely agree with you on the gender issue.

At the moment, though, my 6 yo son was entranced by the trailer – I didn’t tell him what it was and as soon as those burgers started to fall he exclaimed, “Look! He made clouds like in Chewandswallow!” So he made the “right” association immediately…

But I’m sure, too, that no movie experience can match the love of a good book.

By: nrbp

nrbp — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:27:55 +0000

This is one of those books that is consistently chosen at bedtime by one or the other of the kids (the sequel hasn’t been as big of a hit). As a movie, I don’t know–we haven’t had much luck with movie adaptations of stories we have loved; we’d all rather re-read the books. The Scholastic DVDs are good, but they are hardly adaptations.

We were all excited to hear that Zach Braff was going to make a movie version of one of our favorites, _Andrew Henry’s Meadow_ (by Doris Burns), but more skeptical about Steven Speilberg taking on Tintin.

By: Diana (Ladybug Limited)

Diana (Ladybug Limited) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 04:26:58 +0000

I am so often disappointed by the book-to-movie transformation, that I don’t even get my hopes up anymore. Guess this one isn’t the exception to the rule either…

By: Sara

Sara — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:04:35 +0000

I haven’t heard of this book, though it looks like something my 3-y-o would enjoy. However, I find that movies often are not as good as the books they are based on, not just in kids books but grown up fiction, too. I have avoided watching movies of books that I really love because I am afraid to see someone interpret the book when I already have it pictured in my mind so well. My hubby disagrees. He feels that a great story can be told many ways without it being damaged.

By: PAUL

PAUL — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:54:05 +0000

One of the all time best for me and my family, also – I think we have TWO copies! Illustrations are phenonmenal – My son and I love looking at the incredible detail. After the ginormous disappointment of the Tale of Desperaux movie, I can’t see how this book would translate to the big screen any better…Will almost certainly skip the movie and allow my imagination to bring this story to life – it’s worked for 30 years, why ruin it now?

By: Amber

Amber — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:36:21 +0000

I remember poring and poring over the illustrations in this book when I was a kid. Totally entranced (now I’m an artist, go figure ;) ).

I too had forgotten all about it. Will have to pick one up for the kiddies.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 19:15:47 +0000

My 4-yr-old daughter loves this book, but I think the movie looks like it might take away a few brain cells :( The book certainly leaves more to her imagination. But it may be a good excuse to take her to her first movie theatre outing!