Nostalgic fans of the Miyazaki film and newcomers alike--soar into the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all!In a seaside town called Koriko, where the residents aren't used to having a witch around, Kiki has to prove her usefulness. She sets up a delivery service shop and uses her everyday magic of flying to bring joy to the residents of the town. Kiki goes through ups and downs and problem solves her way through delivery requests that take her on an adventure of a lifetime.
Half-witch Kiki never runs from a challenge. So when her thirteenth birthday arrives, she's eager to follow a witch's tradition: choose a new town to call home for one year.
Brimming with confidence, Kiki flies to the seaside village of Koriko and expects that her powers will easily bring happiness to the townspeople. But gaining the trust of the locals is trickier than she expected. With her faithful, wise-cracking black cat, Jiji, by her side, Kiki forges new friendships and builds her inner strength, ultimately realizing that magic can be found in even the most ordinary places.
Blending fantasy with the charm of everyday life, this enchanting new translation will inspire both new readers and dedicated fans.
Kiki is coming of age in this classic Japanese children's book that inspired the Miyazaki film. Kiki's Delivery Service is getting revamped with a new cover and illustrations that will allow kids of this generation and the one before to enjoy such a sweet witchy story. I'm pleased that I read the author's note at the start of the book because it laid out the reasoning the author first wrote the story. She got the idea from one of her daughter's drawings. She wanted to make Kiki have only one type of power in order for her to be as ordinary as possible. This way her magic can be thrilling for those who read her story but she also faced realistic obstacles that she had to solve. This author's note started off my reading right. I truly enjoyed getting to know Kiki. She was a dreamer but also determined. She could get easily worried or annoyed by something but she could also be hardworking. She sounded and acted like a twelve-year-old girl just with some extra magic in her. I enjoyed seeing her relationship with her parents especially her mother at the beginning of the story. I also thought that the whole atmosphere and the way everyone spoke took me back to why Miyazaki chose this story. It's whimsical, sweet, and with a little adventure. The talking cat made this special too. Their bond and conversations with each other were lots of fun and provided some light humor into the story. Jiji is an admirable sidekick who is as dedicated to seeing Kiki succeed as long as it doesn't interfere with a nap.
I loved that each chapter followed a day in Kiki's life. Who she was helping, what obstacles she had to face, and what new person she would meet. In some cases, this might be a downfall to the story. It is slower-paced so kids might not want to patiently follow along with Kiki's story. On the other hand, fans of the movie might delight to get a chance to read about Kiki. I think this would be a great read-aloud story for parents to read to their children. A chapter a day will keep this children's classic a light and fun read to enjoy amongst family.
Kiki's Delivery Service is a classic that meshes the everyday simplicity of life with a magical adventure.
Thanks to Delacorte Books for Young Readers (Random House Children's) and NetGalley for letting me read Kiki's Delivery Service in exchange for an honest review!
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