Ink Heart
Biblio Bits Inkheart, Produced by New Line Cinema; screenplay by David
Lindsay-Abaire; directed by Iain Softley; Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema, 2009.
Reading Level/Interest Age Rated PG – See Full Rating for fantasy adventure action, some scary moments and brief language.
Plot Summary:
Mortimer is a bookbinder and has passed on his great love of books to his daughter Meggie, but he has never read aloud to her. When a stranger named Dustfinger appears at their home, Meggie’s world turns upside down. She soon learns some startling truths — about her mother’s disappearance nine years earlier, and the mysterious book called INKHEART that her father tries desperately to hide at the book-filled home of Elinor, Meggie’s great aunt. She learns that the reason Mo has never read aloud to her is because he has a secret, mysterious, dangerous gift — when he reads aloud, objects and charaters come out of the books — a skill he discovered when Capricorn, the dark villain of INKHEART, came into the world when Meggie was three. Teresa, Meggie’s mother, disappeared at the same time, presumably into the story.
Critical Evaluation:
I think that no movie based on a book can be true to the book title as it is a tough job. However I was impressed with the choices made in selecting the most significant portions of the book to portray onscreen. I was also pleased with many of the casting choices the visual “look” and filming-style, and the way the relationships played out onscreen. I think if you have read all the books, you will want to see the movie!
Why this movie?
This must certainly be the classic book lover’s book and movie as the father because he has the power to make things in books come to life. He is he is also a book doctor, which means that this movie is filled with the most amazing collection of books. The foundation of the movie is that it is based on a book and the idea that the book they are seeking is actually the book that was made into the movie. It adds a wonderful inspiration to the world of reading and especially reading aloud. I particularly enjoyed the setting of this movie, the beautiful homes with old libraries of books, the book stores, the books, the quaint village, and more. It was beautifully done.
Author Information:
Cornelia Funke was born in 1958 in the town of Dorsten in Westphalia, Germany to Karl-Heinz and Helmi Funke. Cornelia received her degree at the University of Hamburg. Inkheart (2003), won the 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Children’s Literatureaward. Inkheart was the first part of a trilogy which was continued with Inkspell (2005), which won Funke her second Book Sense Book of the Year Children’s Literature award (2006). The trilogy was concluded in Inkdeath (published in Germany in 2007, English version Spring 2008, American version Fall 2008). Named by Time magazine as one of the “100 most influential people in the world today,” Cornelia currently lives with her family in Los Angeles, California, in a house full of books.
Challenge issues:
There are some scary moments and brief language.
Book talking Ideas:
It would be natural to include this movie in a booktalk about the supernatural or a Halloween/spooky theme.
Curriculum Ties:
Language Arts (Examples):
- Students can explore characters and plots that will help them in writing their own creative narrative.
- Take a chapter or two and write it as a play. Act out this play in front of an audience.
- Rewrite a chapter of this story from Teresa’s (Meggie’s mother) point-of-view.
- Write a review of this story. Explain why you did or did not like the story.
- Research the author, Cornelia Funke, and create a poster about her.
- Read another book by Cornelia Funke. Compare and contrast the stories.
- Writes narrative accounts, such as poems and stories
- Research foreshadowing
Visual and Performing Arts (Examples):
- Take a chapter or two and write it as a play. Act out this play in front of an audience.
- Design a new cover for Inkheart.
- Create a miniature model of Capricorn’s village.
- Make a detailed poster comparing and contrasting Silver tongue and Darius.
- Research the author, Cornelia Funke, and create a poster about her.
- Create a model of a fairy, troll, or glass person.
Social Studies (Examples):
1. Research the author, Cornelia Funke
2. Research how to repair old books. Demonstrate this technique to your class.
Karrie's Corner 