5 Must-Read Books Inspired by Your Kids’ Favorite Disney Movies

Try Dog Man (Captain Underpants: Dog Man Series #1), by Dav Pilkey
Who doesn’t love a good buddy cop story, or rooting for the success of the underdog in a tough situation? Also, who doesn’t love the Captain Underpants books? Zootopia joyously brought the classic buddy cop trope to kids’ films ,and found a gentle way to address prejudice, while also giving adorable sloths the spotlight they deserve. Dog Man is the brainchild of Captain Underpants heroes George and Harold. Their half dog, half man creation digs into deception, claws after crooks, and rolls over robbers. Dog Man started life as Greg the police dog, but when he and his cop companion are injured on the job they are surgically recreated as a canine/human hybrid. Just like Judy Hops, who has to face down difficulties within the police force and the prejudices outside it, Dog Man has to learn to resist the call of the wild to answer the call of duty. Animal lovers, fans of great cop stories, or anyone who loves the unexpected should have their copy of Dog Man on order (and Zootopia on replay). (Ages 7-10)
If your kid loves Frozen…

Try Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures, by Kate DiCamillo and K. G. Campbell
Flora and Ulysses are a pair of rather unexpected heroes. Flora Belle is a self-described cynic who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, and Ulysses is a squirrel who was killed by a vacuum cleaner. After Flora tries to save him, Ulysses is reborn with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry. Together they work together to correct the wrongs of the world—or at least eat donuts, fight off cats, and help a boy who is blind find hope. Along the way Flora grows a bit too, as she rediscovers the joy she had lost. As an added bonus, Flora and Ulysses combines traditional novel storytelling with graphic novel artwork. If the tale of Elsa overcoming the tragedies in her life and embracing her powers is your little’s favorite story, they’ll love this beautiful novel. (Ages 8-12)
If your kid loves Wreck-It Ralph…

Try Ungifted, by Gordon Korman
Wreck-It Ralph may be the perfect movie mash up of video games, action, and lovable outsiders, notably Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz. Together the duo as initially seen as odd, unable to do anything, and often just plain wrong. Those sentiments are familiar to Donovan Curtis, the hero of Ungifted. After setting off the prank to end all pranks Donovan is accidentally placed in the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a gifted and talented program, instead of being punished. Donovan is not gifted or talented and he—along with everyone else—knows it, but has found the perfect place to get into a lot of mischief and not get caught. Just as Vanellope learns to use her “glitch” to save the day in Wreck-It Ralph, Donovan finds that he can actually learn a lot from the gifted program. And those in the gifted program discovers that he may be the best thing that has ever happened to them, too. This book, which also happens to include robots, school dances, and crazy experiments, is more than enough to hold fans over until Wreck-It Ralph 2 is released in 2018. (Ages 8-12)
If your kid loves Inside Out…

Try Song of the Deep, by Brian Hastings
If you laughed, cried, and felt every emotion in-between while watching Inside Out, then Song of the Deep is for you. Main character Merryn is thrust into a deep sea adventure to save her father after his ship does not return home during a storm. In just the same way that Joy and Sadness had to work their way through memory, and the shifting tides of Riley’s feelings, Merryn must relive the stories that her father had told her as a little girl. Determined to rescue him, she builds a submarine and travels the ocean—including places she’s only heard about in her father’s lullabies. Alone, facing danger, memories, and mystery, Merryn not only learns more about who she is, but also that her father’s ocean legends were all very, very, true. Go on an adventure into the unknown, unseen world of legends and fish after you’ve explored the uncharted territory of Inside Out! (Ages 8-12)
If your kid loves The Good Dinosaur…

Hatchet (Brian’s Saga Series #1), by Gary Paulsen
Arlo, the star of The Good Dinosaur, loses his father in a storm, and ends up being washed miles from his home by a river. Lost and afraid in a new and scary world, Arlo has to form some unexpected friendships and grow into the dinosaur his father always knew he could be. This story has wonderful echoes of Gary Paulsen’s tale of thirteen year old Brian Robeson in the novel Hatchet. In route to visit his  father in Canada, Brian becomes the only survivor when the single-engine plane he is in crashes. Injured and completely alone, Brian must now stay alive in the harsh Canadian wilderness. Brian can let his broken body and spirit destroy what hope he has, or he can rise above and find a way to make it home. At their cores each story reveals that when everything is stripped down to the core, self-pity, despair, and fear don’t help. To survive you have to keep moving, and grow to recognize your real courage. (Ages 10-14)
 What are your favorite page to screen matches for Disney films?