Lesser Known YA Adaptations
by BreezeBell | created - 27 Jun 2013 | updated - 01 Jan 2020 | PublicMovies and TV shows based on YA books. Some you may know, but hopefully you can discover something new.
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1. Ruby Red (2013)
122 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
On her 16th birthday, Gwendolyn Shepherd finds out that instead of her cousin, she has inherited a rare gene that allows her to travel through time.
Director: Felix Fuchssteiner | Stars: Josefine Preuß, Florian Bartholomäi, Uwe Kockisch, Johannes Silberschneider
Votes: 8,229
2. Sapphire Blue (2014)
116 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Gwen has just discovered that she's the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. Now she must juggle with constant trips to the past, her relationships with Gideon, and figuring out dark secrets surrounding the Circle.
Directors: Felix Fuchssteiner, Katharina Schöde, Lev L. Spiro | Stars: Josefine Preuß, Florian Bartholomäi, Karl Walter Sprungala, Peter Simonischek
Votes: 4,295
3. Emerald Green (2016)
113 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Adaptation of the final part of famous time-travel trilogy. Gwendolyn's heart is broken, will she trust Gideon again? There's no time to wallow in tears. Something unbelievable happens, and Gwendolyn finds herself in the race against time.
Directors: Felix Fuchssteiner, Katharina Schöde | Stars: Kostja Ullmann, Josefine Preuß, Maria Ehrich, Jannis Niewöhner
Votes: 2,856
4. How to Deal (2003)
PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A teenager (Moore), disillusioned by too many examples of love gone wrong, refuses to believe that true love exists. Then this new guy (Ford) comes along...
Director: Clare Kilner | Stars: Mandy Moore, Trent Ford, Dylan Baker, Allison Janney
Votes: 9,945 | Gross: $14.11M
5. Sea Change (2017 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 81 min | Drama
A teenage girl makes a startling discovery about her connection to the Seawalkers, legendary beings who are half-human, half-sea creature.
Director: Chris Grismer | Stars: Emily Rudd, Keenan Tracey, Skyler Maxon, Siobhan Williams
Votes: 652
6. Drink Slay Love (2017 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 86 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
A 16-year-old vampire masquerades as a high school student in order to recruit unsuspecting victims for a vampiric feast.
Director: Vanessa Parise | Stars: Cierra Ramirez, Zack Peladeau, Gregg Sulkin, McKaley Miller
Votes: 518
7. Fallen (II) (2016)
PG-13 | 91 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
A young girl finds herself in a reform school after therapy since she was blamed for the death of a young boy. At the school she finds herself drawn to a fellow student, unaware that he is an angel, and has loved her for thousands of years.
Director: Scott Hicks | Stars: Joely Richardson, Addison Timlin, Daisy Head, Juliet Aubrey
Votes: 15,903
8. Heartland (II) (2007– )
TV-PG | 45 min | Drama, Family
A multi-generational saga set in Alberta, Canada and centered on a family getting through life together in both happy and trying times.
Stars: Amber Marshall, Shaun Johnston, Michelle Morgan, Chris Potter
Votes: 19,680
9. Beautiful Creatures (2013)
PG-13 | 124 min | Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Ethan Wate longs to escape his small southern town. He meets a mysterious new girl, Lena Duchannes. Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective families, their history, and their town.
Director: Richard LaGravenese | Stars: Alice Englert, Viola Davis, Emma Thompson, Alden Ehrenreich
Votes: 90,911 | Gross: $19.45M
10. Avalon High (2010 TV Movie)
TV-G | 90 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
A teenage girl moves to a new high school where she slowly discovers herself involved in the reincarnation of King Arthur.
Director: Stuart Gillard | Stars: Britt Robertson, Gregg Sulkin, Joey Pollari, Devon Graye
Votes: 6,535
11. Maximum Ride (I) (2016)
PG-13 | 88 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A flock of winged children mount a rescue plan when wolf-boys abduct their youngest member and return her to the militarized institution that created them all.
Director: Jay Martin | Stars: Allie Marie Evans, Patrick Johnson, Lyliana Wray, Luke Gregory Crosby
Votes: 4,693
12. How I Live Now (2013)
R | 101 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
An American girl, sent to the English countryside to stay with relatives, finds love and purpose while fighting for her survival as war envelops the world around her.
Director: Kevin Macdonald | Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, George MacKay, Harley Bird
Votes: 31,912 | Gross: $0.06M
13. Tiger Eyes (2012)
PG-13 | 92 min | Drama, Family, Mystery
After Davey's father is killed in a hold-up, she and her mother and younger brother visit relatives in New Mexico. Here Davey is befriended by a young man who helps her find the strength to carry on and conquer her fears.
Director: Lawrence Blume | Stars: Willa Holland, Amy Jo Johnson, Gwen Goldsmith, Lucien Dale
Votes: 2,045 | Gross: $0.03M
14. Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010)
R | 104 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
When their country is invaded and their families are taken, eight unlikely teenagers band together to fight.
Director: Stuart Beattie | Stars: Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis, Deniz Akdeniz
Votes: 31,985
15. Ashes in the Snow (2018)
98 min | Drama, History, Romance
In 1941, a 16-year-old aspiring artist and her family are deported to Siberia amidst Stalin's brutal dismantling of the Baltic region. One girl's passion for art and her never-ending hope will break the silence of history.
Director: Marius A. Markevicius | Stars: Bel Powley, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Martin Wallström, Jonah Hauer-King
Votes: 6,868
16. Mortal Engines (2018)
PG-13 | 128 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
In a post-apocalyptic world where cities ride on wheels and consume each other to survive, two people meet in London and try to stop a conspiracy.
Director: Christian Rivers | Stars: Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving, Jihae
Votes: 139,228 | Gross: $15.95M
17. The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
Not Rated | 91 min | Comedy, Drama
In 1993, a teenage girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians.
Director: Desiree Akhavan | Stars: Chloë Grace Moretz, Steven Hauck, Quinn Shephard, Kerry Butler
Votes: 25,508 | Gross: $0.90M
18. Eye Candy (2015)
TV-14 | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A New York woman suspects that one of her online dates is a serial killer.
Stars: Victoria Justice, Casey Deidrick, Harvey Guillén, Marcus Callender
Votes: 7,609
19. The Nine Lives of Chloe King (2011)
441 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
A girl with special cat-like powers is being hunted by an assassin.
Stars: Skyler Samuels, Gracie Gillam, Ki Hong Lee, Benjamin Stone
Votes: 10,573
20. Delirium (2014 TV Movie)
52 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Set in a world where love is deemed illegal and can be eradicated with a special procedure. With 95 days to go until her scheduled treatment, Lena Holoway does the unthinkable: she falls in love.
Director: Rodrigo García | Stars: Emma Roberts, Billy Campbell, Corey Reynolds, Erin Cahill
Votes: 1,998
21. Roswell (1999–2002)
TV-14 | 42 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
The lives of three young alien/human hybrids with extraordinary gifts in Roswell.
Stars: Shiri Appleby, Jason Behr, Katherine Heigl, Majandra Delfino
Votes: 30,631
There is a reboot currently airing on the CW which makes this original less likely to be watched - but I would recommend you try it!
22. Looking for Alaska (2019)
TV-MA | 426 min | Drama, Romance
Teenager Miles enrolls in boarding school to try to gain a deeper perspective on life; after an unexpected tragedy, Miles and his friends try to make sense of what they have been through.
Stars: Charlie Plummer, Kristine Froseth, Denny Love, Jay Lee
Votes: 13,993
23. Let It Snow (2019)
PG-13 | 92 min | Comedy, Romance
In a small town on Christmas Eve, a snowstorm brings together a group of young people.
Director: Luke Snellin | Stars: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Odeya Rush, Liv Hewson
Votes: 24,907
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