When I was growing up, there was a rule in my house: you had to read the book before you watched the movie. Doing this, I became engulfed in the descriptions of the settings, and I found myself giggling at the slightest comment made by my favorite character. I almost always prefer the imagery and descriptions in a book to a movie. Reading the book gives one the freedom to envision the universe of the text. You can create an escape, cracking open the unread, yellow pages and find a new world.

I loved imagining the castles in “Harry Potter” when I was 11, and I still love it today. I love painting mental pictures with the metaphors and imagery in the text. I feel more connected to the story and the characters while reading than I do while watching a movie. As I’ve gotten older, I have become more appreciative of the beauty in writing through paying attention to each intentional word choice, and when it comes to my preference of the book or the movie, I consistently choose the book.

A book-movie duo I particularly enjoyed was  “Wonder” by R. J. Palacio. Both the book and the movie did an incredible job communicating the highs and lows of Auggie Pullman’s middle school experience. What set the book a part from the movie was the multiple perspectives in the novel. Each character has their own section of “Wonder,” where readers use their eyes as a lens to navigate the story.

This stylistic choice brought the story to life, and it wasn’t available in the movie. I felt a deeper connection to each character. I had more empathy for Auggie and his friends, and the overall themes and messages were conveyed in a way that touched me on a deeper level.

I completely understand the appeal of choosing the movie of a book-movie duo. The drama is more dramatic, the emotions can seem more intense and plot lines can definitely seem clearer. I also understand that after a long day of reading at school, one might be more inclined to choose a move over a book. All of these are fair points. I believe that there are differences and similarities between reading for school and for pleasure, but for me, there is nothing that compares to settling down with a good book at the end of the day. Nothing can compare to looking at the world through the perspective of the characters. In movies, I feel like I am on the sidelines. In books, I feel like I am a part of that world.

I’ve always felt more connected to the text as apposed to the visuals so if you’re asking me, I say, read the book!