Welcome to our Pumpkin Spice edition™ of Books on Screen! You didn’t think we’d miss out on October’s bestselling rebrand, did you? This month, we’ll be evaluating the top books on screen based on their Pumpkin Spice Rating (PSR), which is just as silly and delicious as it sounds! Toss your regular old latte, because we’re about to go full fall!

He Named Me Malala: Some of the Bookreporter staffers went to a screening of Malala and were blown away by the teen activist’s powerful message. Surprisingly, some of the most engrossing parts were the fascinating history of Pakistan’s lush Swat Valley, the area Malala grew up in. You’ll be moved by the interviews with the Yousafzai family, now in exile in England, as they rally together in support of Malala’s cause.
PSR: Four pumpkins (girls’ education is our jam) and some spice (Malala can throw down with the best of ‘em)

The Martian: It seems Matt Damon did not learn his lesson from Interstellar; he’s stuck in space once again, although this time it seems he’s handling it with a bit more humor. The movie, based on the Andy Weir sci-fi novel of the same name, has been getting rave reviews, and marks Ridley Scott’s triumphant return to space.
PSR: Three pumpkins (we love a feel-good stuck-in-space movie as much as the next guy) and a dash of spice (Matt Damon is doing some Brady-level press tour fumbling) 

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl on DVD: Back when this one came out, we couldn’t stop raving about it . Unlike some of the other stories in its genre, Me and Earl embraces death and grief and all the messy emotions that go with them, and doesn’t offer up any neat resolutions. Come for the YA pedigree, stay for the humor and heart.
PSR: Four pumpkins (honesty is everything!) and no spice (this one’s as sweet as they come) 
 

--- Written and compiled by Emily Hoenig

In Theaters:

He Named Me Malala
Cast: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai, Mobin Khan
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 2nd
Based on: I AM MALALA: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

He Named Me Malala is an intimate portrait of Malala Yousafzai, who was wounded when Taliban gunmen opened fire on her and her friends' school bus in Pakistan's Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old teenager, who had been targeted for speaking out on behalf of girls' education in her region of Swat Valley in Pakistan, was shot in the head, sparking international media outrage. An educational activist in Pakistan, Yousafzai has since emerged as a leading campaigner for the rights of children worldwide and in December 2014, became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

The Martian
Cast: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig
Director: Ridley Scott
Distributor: 20^th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 2nd
Based on: THE MARTIAN by Andy Weir

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring "the Martian" home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring, if not impossible rescue mission. As these stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes together to root for Watney's safe return.

Big Stone Gap
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Ashley Judd, Jane Krakowski
Director: Adriana Trigiani
Distributor:  Picturehouse Films
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 9th
Based on: BIG STONE GAP by Adriana Trigiani

Ave Maria Mulligan, the town's self-proclaimed spinster, has resigned herself to a quiet life of singlehood and being useful. She works in her family's pharmacy, delivers the prescriptions herself, and directs the town's annual outdoor drama until one day she learns of a long-buried family secret that changes the course of her life forever.

Pan
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Levi Miller, Jimmy Vee, Garrett Hedlund, Rooney Mara, Amanda Seyfried
Director: Joe Wright
Distributor: Warner Bros.
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: October 9th
Based on: PETER PAN by J.M. Barrie

The story of an orphan who is spirited away to the magical Neverland. There, he finds both fun and dangers, and ultimately discovers his destiny --- to become the hero who will be forever known as Peter Pan.

Goosebumps
Cast: Jack Black, Halston Sage, Odeya Rush
Director: Rob Letterman
Distributor:  Sony Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG
Release Date: October 16th
Based on: The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine

Upset about moving from a big city to a small town, teenager Zach Cooper finds a silver lining when he meets the beautiful girl, Hannah, living right next door. But every silver lining has a cloud, and Zach's comes when he learns that Hannah has a mysterious dad who is revealed to be R. L. Stine, the author of the bestselling Goosebumps series. It turns out that there is a reason why Stine is so strange...he is a prisoner of his own imagination: The monsters that his books made famous are real, and Stine protects his readers by keeping them locked up in their books. When Zach unintentionally unleashes the monsters from their manuscripts and they begin to terrorize the town, it's suddenly up to Stine, Zach and Hannah to get all of them back in the books where they belong.

On TV:

“The Flash”
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Premieres October 6th, Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: THE FLASH: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino

Following the defeat of Barry Allen's arch-nemesis Eobard Thawne (a.k.a. Reverse Flash), Team Flash quickly turned their attention to the singularity swirling high above Central City, which fans last saw consuming everything in its path. Armed with the heart of a hero and the ability to move at super speeds, Barry charged into the eye of the singularity, but will he actually be able to save his city from impending doom?

“Arrow”

Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates: October 7th, Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp

After defeating his most formidable foe to date and riding off into the sunset with longtime flame Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen (a.k.a. The Arrow) left Starling City with the hopes of beginning a new life. But will Oliver ever truly be able to leave behind his past as the Arrow, and, if so, what becomes of the team he has worked so hard to assemble? Will Diggle, Thea and Laurel be left to continue Oliver’s crusade without him? And with Malcolm Merlyn having ascended to the top of the League of Assassins as the new Ra's al Ghul, is anyone really safe?

On DVD:

Avengers: Age of Ultron
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson
Director: Joss Whedon
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 2nd
Based on: THE AVENGERS by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

When Tony Stark jumpstarts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as they battle to save the planet from destruction at the hands of the villainous Ultron.

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Cast: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 6th
Based on: ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL by Jesse Andrews

Winner of the 2015 Sundance Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is the story of Greg Gaines, an awkward high school senior whose mom forces him to spend time with Rachel --- a girl in his class with whom he hasn't spoken to since kindergarten --- who was just diagnosed with cancer.

Paper Towns
Cast: Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne, Austin Abrams
Director: Jake Schreier
Distributor: 20^th Century Fox
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 20th
Based on: PAPER TOWNS by John Green

Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green, Paper Towns is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin and his enigmatic neighbor Margo, who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears --- leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship --- and true love.

Jurassic World

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 20th
Based on: JURASSIC PARK by Michael Crichton

Steven Spielberg returns to executive produce the long-awaited next installment of his groundbreaking Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World. Colin Trevorrow directs the epic action-adventure based on characters created by Michael Crichton.

Z for Zachariah

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine, Margot Robbie
Director: Craig Zobel
Distributor: Roadside Attractions
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 20th
Based on: Z FOR ZACHARIAH by Robert C. O’Brien

In the wake of a nuclear war, a young woman survives on her own, fearing she may actually be the proverbial last woman on earth, until she discovers the most astonishing sight of her life: another human being. A distraught scientist, he's nearly been driven mad by radiation exposure and his desperate search for others. A fragile, imperative strand of trust connects them. But when a stranger enters the valley, their precarious bond begins to unravel.

Testament of Youth

Cast: Alicia Vikander, Kit Harington, Taron Egerton
Director: James Kent
Distributor: Sony Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: October 20th
Based on: TESTAMENT OF YOUTH by Vera Brittain

Testament of Youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance, based on the First World War memoir by Vera Brittain, which has become the classic testimony of that war from a woman's point of view. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it's a film about young love, the futility of war, and how to make sense of the darkest times.