I saw this question in the Rise of the Guardians Fans community, and I was going to leave a simple comment like a well-adjusted person. But as I wrote it out, I turned into a full-on lore goblin, poured my heart into this ridiculously long answer, and decided to post it here instead.
To be honest, I watched the movie first, fell in love with it, and then read the books—probably like most in the fandom. But back then, only the first three had been published, and when I finally read them, everything just clicked. Suddenly, the world felt richer, the characters deeper, and I found comfort in knowing their stories had always been there, waiting for me to discover them~
I love both the film and the books. To me, they aren’t truly comparable—the books explore how the Guardians became guardians, offering richer motivations and deeper histories than the film allows. While the movie focuses more on Jack’s personal arc—his loneliness, eventual acceptance, and role as a Guardian. The film simplifies characters and themes for broader appeal while still preserving the heart of the books. The books provide much deeper lore, delving into childhood wonder and cosmic balance in ways the movie only hints at but doesn’t fully develop.
If you say you like the movie better, it likely means you prefer the story of Jack Frost’s journey of becoming a Guardian. But the books explore how North, Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy took up their mantles—plus the forgotten Guardians Ombric and Katherine. And honestly, their stories deserve just as much love as Jack's. They’re just as compelling, their struggles just as meaningful, and their journeys are a huge part of what makes the Guardians who they are.
Production for Rise of the Guardians began in 2009, with DreamWorks Animation developing the film based on William Joyce’s Guardians of Childhood book series. After years of animation work, voice recording, and visual development, the movie was officially released in 2012.
Meanwhile, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King was published on October 4, 2011, as the first book in The Guardians of Childhood series, introducing North’s origins and his battle against Pitch Black.
This is where I have to say—I really wish Katherine and Ombric had been included in the movie. North, Jack, and the others wouldn’t be where they are without them. Katherine and Ombric are essentially Mother Goose and Father Time, yet they didn’t receive a shred of acknowledgment. The film makes it seem like there are only four Guardians when Pitch refers to them as "the big four," but that’s simply not true—Katherine and Ombric played pivotal roles.
Many people don’t realize just how much the first book focuses on Katherine and Ombric—especially their profound impact on North. Before meeting them, he was a bloodthirsty thief and Cossack, driven by adventure but lacking true purpose. But Ombric saw potential in North before North could see it in himself. He gave him not only knowledge but also purpose, teaching him that true strength isn’t found in battle but in protecting those who cannot protect themselves. North’s magic as a wizard became an extension of his heart—allowing him to spread wonder, warmth, and belief in ways that would eventually make him Santa Claus.
I don’t know if the filmmakers realize it or not, but what I love most about North and Ombric’s relationship in the book is how beautifully it mirrors North and Jack’s.
Katherine was the first person to show him what love, kindness, and dreams truly meant. She softened the edges of his heart—not by forcing change upon him, but simply by being herself. Her wonder encouraged him to see the world differently, to embrace magic not just as a tool but as a gift meant to inspire.
It’s because of Katherine that North becomes the kind of person who can wield both strength and compassion. He builds the North Pole based on her dream—a physical manifestation of the belief and imagination she sparked in him. She teaches him that being a leader isn’t just about power; it’s about creating something that lasts, something that brings joy and hope to others. Without Katherine, North might never have found the path that led him to become Santa Claus.
Their relationship is a testament to how small kindnesses can change a person’s destiny.
So, without Ombric’s wisdom and fatherly guidance, North wouldn’t have become the wizard and mentor he is. Without Katherine’s imagination and kindness, he wouldn’t have learned to see the world through the eyes of a child. The warmth, joy, and wonder we see in the movie? That’s all because of them. They shaped him into the leader he was always meant to be.
Jack Frost wouldn’t be Jack Frost without his bond with Katherine—without her, he’d still be Nightlight. She played a vital role in his journey, shaping who he would become in ways few truly realize. As for the depth of their relationship… well, that’s a conversation for another time, because I could go on forever.
Katherine read Sandy his Guardian oath, swearing him in as a protector of dreams. In that moment, she wasn’t just officiating a ceremony—she was recognizing the quiet strength within him, welcoming him into a legacy built on trust, and belief.
Katherine is the only one who could truly reach Pitch on a personal and emotional level because they both understood loneliness and the longing for family. Their dynamic in the books runs much deeper, emphasizing their shared experience as outcasts. (I talk more about their relationship here.)
In the movie, Tooth has a bubblier personality, but she often falls into the role of the "designated girl" of the group. While she retains her warmth and charm, much of her fierce, warrior-like nature from the books is softened. The only real glimpse of that side is when she charges at Pitch with Bunny’s boomerang and later punches him in the face. But imagine if she’d had her swords—she wouldn’t have needed to pilfer Bunny’s goods in the first place. Her strength was there, but it was just barely acknowledged, leaving her feeling like a fraction of the warrior she was meant to be. Additionally, her portrayal was altered in ways that diminished important aspects of her original character, including her cultural representation. (She was noticeably whitewashed.)
And let’s talk about the weapons. Every main male character had one—North had swords, Bunny had boomerangs, Sandy had sand whips, Jack had a staff, and Pitch had a scythe. Tooth? Her wings were used as blades to destroy Pitch’s nightmares, but that’s barely the same. She was meant to be a warrior queen, fierce and commanding, yet they stripped her of her swords, making her the only Guardian without a real weapon. She deserved better.
In the books, Toothiana wields swords, carries a dark and tragic backstory, and has a sworn enemy—the Monkey King. And she wasn’t afraid to grab him by the throat and pin him against the wall. That’s how feral she is!
But beneath her warrior’s strength is a story of loss and resilience. Tooth's past brought out a deeply personal and bittersweet side to Katherine, who, like Tooth, had lost her parents at a young age. Tooth had memories of her family—faint but precious—while Katherine had none. That difference created a quiet envy in Katherine—not out of resentment, but from the longing to have what Tooth did: even the smallest fragments of love to hold onto. It was an interesting moment of vulnerability, seeing a child wrestle with emotions so complex—admiration, sadness, and a deep yearning for something she never had.
I don’t really have complaints about Movie Sandy. He’s a little badass and the closest to his book counterpart, making him feel the most true to The Guardians of Childhood. In the movie, he’s the heart of the team—warm, wise, quiet but powerful, and playfully charming. And since the film came out before Book Four was published, it’s cool how he managed to stay so spot-on to his character.
But The Sandman: The Story of Sanderson Mansnoozie gives us a better look at Sandy. He lives on a magical beach, has a giant sandcastle, commands an army of seashells with arms and legs, and—most importantly—has a harem of mermaids! Like, what a stud. The original short king. He’s just effortlessly cool, and I wish we’d seen more of him and his world in the movie.
Movie Jack works well since this was his first introduction as Jack Frost, though in the books, he’s Nightlight. I wasn’t a fan of how his transition from Nightlight to Jack Frost was handled in Book Five, and while I’ll keep my thoughts polite, there are quite a few things I didn’t like about that book.
As for Bunny, I love both versions, and I have my own theories about why he’s more "human" and emotional in the film. In the books, Bunny is the last of his species—the Pookas—who were annihilated in a genocide carried out by Pitch Black, leaving him the sole survivor. Yet, despite such a heartbreaking past, the books don’t delve much into his emotions about it. Instead, what we see is his fascination with chocolate, eggs, and anything oval-shaped—a detail that might seem annoying but carries subtle undertones of comfort and attachment.
Many people prefer Bunny’s movie counterpart, and it’s hard not to when you have Hugh Jackman as his voice actor. But William Joyce revealed that Pookas were inspired by Vulcans from Star Trek, and Bunny himself was particularly based on Spock. Vulcan tradition focuses on suppressing the irrational effects of emotions, and Bunny reflects that logic-driven mindset in the books. He’s literal, methodical, and steeped in mechanical thinking—reasoning through strict logic rather than emotion.
Chocolate, however, changes everything. It mutates him, making him feel emotions more intensely. Eating chocolate triggers the release of oxytocin and dopamine, chemicals that promote pleasure, bonding, and emotional connection. Oxytocin—often called the "love hormone"—plays a key role in trust, empathy, and relationship-building, reinforcing social bonds and reducing stress. Bunny, who thrives on logic, is suddenly overwhelmed by these irrational yet deeply human sensations.
Here’s a quote from Book Two: "Alas,” he sighed, “chocolate is bad for Pookas. It makes me more like you. Illogical. Racing about. Always trying to save the day.” He shook his head, as if disgusted with himself".
But maybe that’s why chocolate and eggs mean so much to him. They’re not just indulgences or traditions; they’re a way to carry the weight of his survivor’s guilt, a way to hold onto something warm and meaningful in the wake of unimaginable loss. Chocolate makes him feel, and eggs symbolize new beginnings—hope, rebirth, the cycle of life continuing even when everything else seems lost. And that’s why it’s brilliant that Bunny is the Guardian of Hope. He knows firsthand what it means to endure, to survive, and to keep going even when his world has been shattered.
Yet, deep down, I think Bunny fears allowing himself to feel too much. If he lets go of his rigid logic, if he allows emotions to take over, does he become something lesser? More vulnerable? More human? He clings to his Pooka nature because it’s all he has left of his people, of the world that was stolen from him. But through his bonds with the Guardians, through the traditions he keeps alive, he slowly learns that emotions don’t make him weak—they make him whole. What starts as discomfort eventually becomes acceptance, leading him to evolve into the Bunny we see in the movie—strong, loyal, quick-witted, but also deeply emotional in a way that makes him more relatable and endearing.
I don’t have the energy to write EVERYTHING about Movie Pitch vs. Book Pitch, so I’ll just enjoy this meme I made instead. :3
I don’t really know where I was going with this, but I poured a lot of thought into it, and, well… here we are! Being neurodivergent means my brain takes the scenic route, and this took me hours to write—but I wouldn’t change a thing.
