A: Cirque du Freak is the most recent example of aging up -- a movie that's more mature than the book. We rated the books iffy for 10-year-olds because, while they're easy to read, they're pretty creepy and almost always end with a gory scene. The movie, on the other hand, is rated PG-13, and we feel it's a little iffy even for mature 12-year olds.

Take the language for example. The strongest word in the first three Cirque du Freak books is “hell,” whereas the film includes regular use of much stronger language (including “a--hole,” “s--t,” “bulls--t”). And the second half of the movie includes several dark, action-packed fight scenes, as well some very creepy characters (a man with two bellies, a woman who can regenerate limbs, and a boy with snakeskin, just to name a few). Cirque du Freak's intense scenes are about on par with X-Men, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, or Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Keep in mind that movies are almost always scarier than books, because seeing the action unfold onscreen carries more of a wallop. Our advice? For kids younger than 12, you might want to stick to the books for now and rent the DVD when it comes out. For great alternatives, see our recommendations for 10 Best Scary Flicks With No Gore and 10 Beasts That Changed the World. And this weekend? Consider Astro Boy or Where the Wild Things Are.