When books meet film

Librarians still see books as the major media for storytelling to children, but popular books that remain tied solely to the printed page are few and far between these days. Like so many other picture books, Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux is being transformed into a movie but the transformation is not without pain. Unlike a picture book, many of which are still produced by an individual author with a little help from an editor and later partnership with an illustrator, movies are group projects from the beginning. The result may be an exciting movie for viewers, and a money-maker for studios, but it can also be a source of jealousy and dissatisfaction for its creators. The basically simple moral tale of Despereaux has turned into such a complicated dispute that the average librarian will find it impossible to figure out the rights and wrongs. It's just as well, however, to be aware of how complex the arts world is because it affects the quality of the materials we share with children. It will be interesting to see how the legal issues are finally resolved, although at the moment it is perhaps even more interesting to see the picture of how our little hero Despereaux will appear on screen. Take a look.