Read it in 5th grade, loved it. That was 25 years ago. I just stumbled on the sequels in one of those DIY neighbourhood free library boxes and I am sooooo excited to read them. One of the few books from my childhood that I still remember every detail.

Telepathy makes more sense further in the series. But yes the books aren't really better than the movies, except the third book. By the third movie, things stop making sense because of everything they left out. But by the third book, everything that didn't make sense in the first two is explained or becomes relevant. Also third book had some genuine thrills.