I Can Make a Movie!

4.5

4.5 (1)

304 0

Write Review Add to favorites

Author(s)

Morgan Stevenson Cooper

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Geneva Bowers

Publisher

Kokila

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

November 11, 2025

ISBN

978-0593858301

Buy This Book

From self-taught, award-winning director Morgan Stevenson Cooper comes a heartfelt picture book about a girl on a mission to make her first movie—and lift her grandpa's spirits along the way.

Norah Rose loves movies—action, comedy, drama—you name it! She dreams of becoming a director, but Hollywood feels a long way from home. When her grandpa falls ill, Norah decides to make a movie just for him, because no one loves a good story more than Grandpa. Equipped with her mom’s phone, a head full of ideas, and the wide-open backdrop of Kansas City, Norah sets out to write, cast, shoot, and edit her very first film. There’s a lot of work ahead, but Norah’s sure of one thing: her movie is going to shine.

With a spirited how-to approach and lively artwork by Geneva Bowers, Morgan Stevenson Cooper shows young readers how creativity, heart, and a little hustle can turn any dream into a reality.

Editor review

1 review

A Heartwarming Story About Making a Movie

January 28, 2026 (Updated: June 04, 2026)

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

I CAN MAKE A MOVIE follows a young girl as she tries to make a movie for her Grandpa with the help of her family. From creating the script to editing, the story follows Norah Rose and her crew along their journey.

What I Loved:
The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Featuring clean lines, vibrant colors, and detailed settings, the story is brought to life on the page by these images. The characters are especially well-drawn with similarities that show the family relationship, but enough differences for readers to tell them apart.

The heart of this book is clear in every scene. A young girl tries to make a movie for her Grandpa when he can no longer visit the theater. Love for family, as well as the craft of moviemaking, defines the scenes of this movie. Despite the story being short and not being able to hear it, there is a love between the family (the “film crew”). It’s sweet and heartwarming to see the connection between these characters.

The author, a director himself, takes what can be a very long and confusing process and breaks it down to the main details that a child can understand. The book and story encourage kids to create their own movies. It can be hard, but the book almost provides a “step-by-step” format for kids to follow if they want to express their own creativity in this way. There’s even additional information at the back of the book to help kids learn more and make their own movies.

Final Verdict:
Full of vibrant illustrations and a lot of heart, I CAN MAKE A MOVIE is a story of family, love, and creativity.

Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer Top 50 Reviewer 128 reviews

Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0

User reviews

1 review

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

5.0(1)

Characters

4.0(1)

Writing Style

4.0(1)

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0(1)

Already have an account? or Create an account

I Can Make a Movie! - Book Review

March 16, 2026 (Updated: June 04, 2026)

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

5.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

This picture book by Morgan Stevenson Cooper is a really sweet and encouraging story for kids who love movies. The book follows a girl named Norah Rose, who dreams of becoming a movie director someday. When her grandpa gets sick, she decides to cheer him up by making her very first movie just for him. Using her mom’s phone and a lot of imagination, she begins figuring out everything from writing the story to filming and putting the movie together.

One thing I liked about the book is how it shows the whole filmmaking process in a simple way that kids can understand. As Norah works on her project, readers get to see the steps of creating a movie, like planning scenes, choosing actors, and recording the footage. It makes filmmaking feel fun and possible instead of something that only happens in big Hollywood studios.

The illustrations by Geneva Bowers are colorful and lively, which helps bring Norah’s creativity to life on each page. I also liked that the story has a caring message behind it. Norah is not just making a movie for fun, she is doing it to lift her grandpa’s spirits, which gives the story a lot of heart.

At the end of the book, there is also a helpful note that explains a little more about how movies are made. That part makes it feel a bit educational while still being fun to read. Overall, it is a great book for kids who enjoy movies and storytelling, and it encourages them to be creative and try making things themselves.

Good Points

Cute and colorful illustrations

Shows kids the basics of making a movie

Inspiring message about creativity and trying new things

A sweet story about family and cheering someone up