Children’s stories have often found a second life on screen. From illustrated classics to contemporary sagas, the leap from page to film or television has become a way to reimagine the worlds that once lived only in the minds of young readers.
In this era of streaming platforms and nostalgia, publishers and studios seem to have agreed on a foolproof formula: the stories that shaped our childhood can be reimagined without losing their essence when they blend adventure, humor, and an emotional core that transcends generations.
This year, that trend has gained new momentum with productions reviving iconic titles once found on school library shelves. From tales of fantasy and mystery to historical or parodic narratives, these new releases strive to balance fidelity and freshness.
Yesterday’s young reader has become today’s viewer, while a new generation discovers on screen the same worlds once read under the glow of a bedside lamp.
The Sisters Grimm, by Michael Buckley
Since their publication between 2005 and 2012, Michael Buckley’s The Sisters Grimm books have continued to captivate young readers with a bold blend of fantasy and mystery. Starring sisters Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, the series is set in the town of Ferryport Landing, where fairy tales are not just legends: the “Everafters” live alongside humans, and the sisters discover that their true lineage traces back to the Brothers Grimm, whose stories were, in fact, a chronicle of supernatural realities.
In 2025, this literary fantasy made the leap to animation with the Apple TV+ series of the same name, adapting the first book, The Fairy-Tale Detectives. The production — led by screenwriter Amy Higgins — brings the heart of the original plots to streaming: the search for Sabrina and Daphne’s missing parents, encounters with iconic figures such as Puck, and the moral dilemmas of balancing the magical and human worlds, all while preserving the charm and wit that defined the original novels.
Dog Man, by Dav Pilkey
Since its debut in 2016, Dog Man has become one of the most popular children’s graphic novel series. Created by Dav Pilkey — the author of Captain Underpants — it blends absurd humor, tenderness, and action in equal measure. Its protagonist, half dog and half police officer, is born from an accident that fuses the two partners into a single body. With his nemesis Petey the Cat always scheming and a visual style that playfully mimics comics drawn by kids, Dog Man balances laughter and heart, reminding readers that even the silliest heroes can be truly noble.
In 2025, Dog Man leapt to the big screen in an animated film directed by Peter Hastings. The movie loosely weaves together elements from several books in the series while keeping the central premise intact: the hero battles the devious Petey, who even turns to cloning in his ongoing quest for chaos.
Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Published in 1935, it is part of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s semi-autobiographical series portraying pioneer life in the American West during the 19th century. The Little House on the Prairie books follow the Ingalls family as they move from Wisconsin to Kansas, confronting illness, drought, and loss — and the enduring challenge of building a home amid a wild and changing frontier.
In 2025, Netflix is developing an ambitious reboot of this beloved saga. According to the producers, the new version aims to preserve the spirit of the original books while adapting the story for a contemporary audience, with a particular focus on inclusivity and deeper emotional complexity in its characters.
The series does not yet have an official release date, but anticipation is already high. Given the timeless appeal of Little House on the Prairie and Netflix’s global reach, it is expected to become one of the platform’s most-watched productions once it premieres.