WOW Dozen: Global Adaptations of Classics
Adaptations of classic stories breathe new life into familiar literature. Bringing in a global focus allows readers to revisit the themes of these stories with a fresh perspective that can help them connect with the narrative on a deeper level. Beloved works such as Peter Pan, The Secret Garden and Alice in Wonderland are reimagined with new contexts to invite readers into a world that is both familiar and brand new. Adaptations of longer, more complicated works such as Les Misérables and Frankenstein, or even the works of Shakespeare, introduce modern middle and high school readers to these influential works of literature in a more engaging setting.
This list of books is just a starting point for the growing number of titles that reimagine, retell or remix classics. From middle grade to young adult and even into graphic novels, authors and illustrators are publishing global adaptations and introducing new generations to the literature that has been celebrated for decades.
Suddenly orphaned at 15, Mary Lennox is sent to live with an uncle where she finds new family in her cousin, dark secrets hidden with the walls of the manor and a forgotten garden that may have the answers she’s looking for. An adaptation of The Secret Garden.
Born in prison, Pong dreams of being able to walk among the lights of the city, but his escape shows him the cruel realities of the outside world as he’s chased by Nok, the prison warden’s daughter, who must confront the secrets that change her world. An adaptation of Les Misérables.
Set during the Civil Rights Movement, Mexican American Rosa Capistrano pretends to be Rosie, a white girl, to remain safe at her majority white school. After a relationship between her best friend and a white classmate ends in tragedy, Rosa is pulled into the scandal and must decide between her future and justice for her friends. An adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.
Two girls join forces to find the legendary treasure of the Dragon Fleet as the golden age of piracy comes to a close and find that the sea and those who sail it are far more dangerous than they imagined. An adaptation of Treasure Island.
Dan Stewart-Álvarez is suddenly abandoned by his mother and left in the care of his grandparents in rural Tennessee, where he learns to adapt to this new life and be a part of the community despite the intolerance of others. An adaptation of Anne of Green Gables.
After his sister is murdered, Enrique takes to forbidden means to bring her back to life and together they vow to protect their country from harm. An adaptation of Frankenstein.
Tiger Lily discovers a plot by two of Captain Hook’s crewmates to find a powerful treasure and sets out to take the treasure first, taking charge as a leader to save her home. An adaptation of Peter Pan.
Non-binary Anishinaabe middle schooler Aimée wanders off during a school trip and falls into an alternate dimension, where they must fight against spirits and monsters to find their way home. An adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.
Bree Matthews is drawn into a magical conflict after her magic in unlocked and a repressed memory comes to light, revealing that there is more to her mother’s death than a simple accident, and her quest to find the truth brings her to the Legendborns. An adaptation of Arthurian myths.
Young Pakistani girl Maria struggles to find a place to belong as she’s passed along to various relatives, until she is sent to the United States where a locked and off-limits garden helps her find a place to call home. An adaptation of The Secret Garden.
Mimi joins a baking contest in the hopes of getting on the path to becoming a celebrity chef, but nothing goes smoothly as her father loses his sense of taste, her siblings love lives cause trouble around town, and the exotic ingredients she’s gathering with her friend Vik may be the heart of it all. An adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Set during the American Civil War in the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island, four Black sisters face all the joys and hardships of life as they grow into women together. An adaptation of Little Women.
WOW Dozen features a list of 12 global books for children and adolescents around a theme, topic, issue or personal favorites. Each Dozen consists of ten newly-published titles with two older “must have” books. Please share or recommend additional books that fit the theme in the comments section or on social media using #WOWDozen.
