Turning Children's Books into D&D Adventures

[Ulrick]

Tonight, I just re-read the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/The-Berenstain-Bears-Spooky-Tree/dp/0394839102"]Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree.[/ame] As a little kid I enjoyed it, because it was spooky. As an adult and D&D player, I still enjoy it, particularly because the three little bears are like dungeon explorers. They encounter dangerous situations and creatures. They even get in over their heads and have to run for their lives.

Years ago, I used the book as inspiration for a D&D Adventure. The "Spooky Old Tree" became the lair of a powerful necromancer, but the creatures from the book remained the same. I even detailed areas that the book did not explain.

My players enjoyed the adventure and didn't catch on that they were going through a plot originally meant for children

Since then, I've wondered what other children's books could be made into a D&D adventure. But I haven't done so.

How many of you have done this (like with Scooby Doo or Goodnight Moon?) How did it turn out? Did your players catch on?

 

[Ray_K]

Bumping for interest. Earlier today I was thinking about this exact same idea. Maybe you should check out some old Goosebumps books. Yea, you remember those goldmines right?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The Wrinkle in Time books would work. So would The Borrowers.

Phantom Tollbooth?

Where the Wild Things Are?

 

[Dioltach]

The Edge Chronicles would be brilliant.

I've used the Huntsmen of Annuvin from Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. The premise is simple: they hunt in bands, and if a member of the band dies the rest grow stronger.

 

[Lanefan]

I once took Enid Blyton's "Famous Five" setting - Kirrin Island, etc. - and made an adventure out of it. The results were less than stellar; one day I might try it again just to see if I can make it work.

Lanefan

 

[Gilladian]

I've never used an ENTIRE book, but I've used pieces from various books. I once based a trip to a "fairy mound" on the 12 dancing princesses fairytale. In fact, fairytales make really good motifs for adventures, though they usually can't be used whole cloth.

The idea of being tiny and stealing for a living as presented in the Borrowers gives me my image of brownie society as it interacts with human.

I used a scene from a wizard of Oz novel (wherein all the royal family of a kingdom are enchanted by the gnome king); the PCs had to wander through a castle, finding the hidden objects that were the transformed royal family. I used the idea that each person was transformed into something that represented his personality; when they found the one really demonic-looking statuette, they wisely decided NOT to break the curse on him!

 

[Cor Azer]

I watch Disney Junior and Treehouse TV with my two and a half year old twins.

I wonder if my players would blanch at the discovery of how many simple quests are thinly vieled redressed of plots from animated kids shows (Backyardigans, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Octonauts, and Mike the Knight being the key muses)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Shaun the Sheep.

 

[Grogg of the North]

I loved The Spooky Tree growing up.

A little off topic, but I've really wanted to run a game inspired by Metro 2033 for a while now.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Pick up a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Plenty of instant adventures there ...