6 books you should read before they become movies and TV shows in October

Now that it’s fall, things are getting serious at the box office. We’re (almost) nearing awards show season, which means production companies are preparing to unleash their best films on the world. And some of the books becoming movies that are out in October are definitely contenders.

There’s Beautiful Boy, a heartbreaking film about addiction starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet as father and son. And there’s First Man, a biographical drama about Neil Armstrong starring Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy. Plus, let’s not forget the much-anticipated The Hate U Give, a timely teen drama about police brutality that’s for audiences of all ages.

But that’s not all. In addition to books becoming movies, we can’t forget the books becoming TV shows. So set your DVRs and prepare your Netflix queues, because you’re going to have a lot of great new episodes to watch this month. But first, pick up the books that these movies and TV shows are based on. There’s still time to read the original text before you see the big (or small) screen versions.

1I Feel Bad: All Day. Every Day. About Everything. by Orli Auslander, on NBC October 4th

“Here’s what every woman knows: We feel bad about something every day,” Emet (Saraya Blue from Blockers) says in the trailer for I Feel Bad. “I never know what I’ll feel bad about, but I know it’s always just around the corner.” Ain’t that the truth. We can’t wait for this NBC show based on Orli Auslander’s collection of too-relatable illustrations about trying to do your best, but still constantly feeling like a failure. Buy the book here.

2The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, in select theaters October 5th

This movie could not be more timely. It stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr, a high school student dealing with the tragic death of her friend after he’s shot and killed by the police. The Hate U Give hits select theaters on October 5th and will be everywhere October 9th. Buy the book here.

3Beautiful Boy by David Sheff, in theaters October 12th

Beautiful Boy stars Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. Need I say more? Okay, I’ll go on. Both actors have stolen our hearts, but in Beautiful Boy, they’re going to smash them into a million pieces. The film, based on a memoir of the same name by David Sheff, follows a father and son through the son’s battle with methamphetamine addiction. It has “Oscar buzz” written all over it. Buy the book here.

4The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine, in theaters October 12th

If you love Halloween but don’t love scary movies, this is the perfect way to get into the spooky spirit. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is a must-see for every ‘90s kid who grew up reading R.L. Stine’s book series. Buy the books here.

5The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, on Netflix October 12th

Critics are already losing it over this new Netflix series based on the gothic horror novel by Shirley Jackson. Maybe that’s because it’s more than just a scary show: It’s also a moving family drama. But don’t worry, there are still plenty of terrifying jump-scares that’ll keep you up at night. Buy the book here.

6First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen, in theaters October 12th

Ryan Gosling is boldly going where no man has gone before: space. Okay, not actually. But he is playing Neil Armstrong in First Man, a drama based on an in-depth biography of the famous astronaut. They had me at “Ryan Gosling,” but I’m even more excited to see Claire Foy play his first wife, Janet Shearon. This one’s gonna be good. Buy the book here.

Happy reading!