I never read the book but I am going to just to compare it to the movie. I brought my boyfriend to I-Max for his birthday to experience the big screen and I was a little disapointed in the story. I got the whole thing and cried at the end when the boy was in his mothers arms, but it was a depressing movie and not approiate for children at all. Max was dealing with all of his emotions and they didn't make it clear enough for young children to comprehend. I kept waiting for it to get MUCH better but it never did. Bird's that never talk....come on! Not funny at all! They could have made it more entertaining than that.