Kiki's Delivery Service: The classic that inspired the beloved animated film

If you’re looking for a sweet story that feels like being wrapped up in a warm hug, this is it. Lately, I've been on a mission to add more whimsy into my life, and this book is a perfect match. 💕✨️ Kiki’s Delivery Service is an absolutely enchanting coming-of-age tale that captures the same wholesome, magical spirit of reading a cozy slice-of-life Manga. As a huge fan of the Studio Ghibli film, I was delighted to find that while the book stands on its own as a different experience, it is equally beautiful in its own whimsical way. It’s a sweet, charming look at a young witch finding her way and finding her place in the next chapter of her life, and the atmosphere is pure magic from start to finish. I loved the author's note at the introduction, especially hearing how much passion she has for writing and storytelling. It made me tear a little bit. This is such a wholesome and comforting read, perfect for anyone who loves healing fiction or stories about navigating life's big changes. Just keep in mind that this takes a wonderfully non-Hollywood approach to storytelling, and don't expect a formulaic romantic comedy, a standard meet-cute, or a major emphasis on a central love story. Instead, Eiko Kadono has created a cozy, hopeful, and lighthearted story centered on growth. And of course, Kiki’s black cat familiar, Jiji, completely steals the show! I love Jiji! 🥰❤️🐾 I highly recommend this to anyone who loved the Ghibli movie or anyone simply in search of a cozy, magical escape.

Kiki is turning 13, the traditional time a young witch leaves home and chooses a new town to call their own. Kiki and her cat, Jiji, follow tradition, leaving their home and finding a new home in a lovely sea-side town. As Kiki starts her new delivery business and starts to make new friends, she finds she is growing up. I was mostly familiar with this story because of the Studio Ghibli anime. The books is just as enchanting. Kiki is very relatable as she learns to make friends and enjoy her independence. The various, almost everyday, events lead Kiki from a hesitant newly independent witch to a confident young girl enjoying her life in a new town. This story was first released in Japan in 1985 with the first English edition not appearing until 1993. Currently there are two more in the series that have been translated into English and I look forward to both. Highly recommended.

Ms. Kadono has captured the magic of flying, growing up, and leaving home for the first time, all in one lovely book. As Kiki meets new people and places, she learns about how people live and how she fits into the new town. This story is different from the Miyazaki movie inspired by her book, yet similar enough that you recognize many of the characters. By the end of the book you aren’t comparing the two; you are caught up in the original story and wondering what Kiki will do next! And if you haven’t seen the movie, you get to be surprised by the changes in the movie, which stays true to the book’s intent but has more action. Either way a good book for children and those young at heart.

I bought this book having already seen and fallen in love with Miyazaki's take on it. Of course, the book is very different from the movie, but not in a bad way at all! The book is even more of a slice of life sort of story than the movie, in that the stakes are never truly high for Kiki or Jiji. (Spoiler warning ahead...?) You won't find a daring dirigible rescue or a terribly deep relationship with Tombo or Ursula in the book, and her relationship with Jiji is not tested as much as it is in the movie. But you will find several quirky, pleasant and creative new scenarios in which Kiki finds creative ways to solve. I loved the idea of Kiki making "accidental" music while towing a string of orchestral instruments on her broom, and her keeping hundreds of feet of colorful drying laundry aloft. I wish Miyazaki had put some of these stories into his animation, but I understand how they didn't advance the plot much. Basically, this book is a pleasant, breezy sort of read and it great if you want a book you can read in an afternoon, or if you want to see more of Kiki. I only wish it had been a little longer!

Kiki’s Delivery Service was the first Studio Ghibli film I ever saw as a kid and I absolutely loved it. It was fun reading the differences between the book and movie, getting more insight into her world like her relationship with Jiji and her magic. What a fun read 😊

The book arrived in perfect condition. My 11 year old loves it and has almost finished reading it with in two weeks - this is a huge feat considering she hates to read, and only likes graphic novels or manga's. She loved the story line right off the bat. She needed something that was around 200 pages, grade level and no pictures for a book report, so this was a perfect fit. I would definitely recommend this! I will look for more books similar to this.

Love it

I was introduced to Kiki's Delivery Service through Studio Ghibli's film adaptation and was very excited to get my hands on this translation of this classic (I didn't know about the 2003 english publication). The book is refreshingly different from the film (similar to my experience with Howl's Moving Castle by the late Diana Wynne Jones) and introduces so much lore about Kiki's world. I especially like the details about the history and current state of magic. The book doesn't have one strong overarching drama, but instead, a series of smaller, episodic plot lines. I didn't expect this style of story-telling, probably because I was biased by the film, but in the end, I found it relaxing and always looked forward to reading the next chapter. I've read that there are some errors in the translation and some lines missing, but I'm unfamiliar with the original and don't speak Japanese, so I didn't notice. I also enjoyed the illustrations. While this book works as a stand alone story, I just learned that there are more book in the series. I would love to discover that these book have been translated into english, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

This is such a great book! My daughter, who’s now in her 20’s loved it and now my niece, who’s 11 is enjoying it.

A well-written story that really exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be strictly similar to the movie, but it turned out to be much more lengthy and rich!

Here’s a polished Vine-style version with a light touch of humour: As a long-term Studio Ghibli fan, I was delighted to finally read Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono. I knew the story through the film, but the original novel has its own gentle charm and is well worth discovering in its own right. The book follows young witch Kiki as she leaves home, settles in a new town and tries to build an independent life using the one skill she has properly mastered: flying. Admittedly, this is already more useful than most of the skills I possessed at her age. What makes the story so appealing is its warmth. Kiki is capable but not perfect, and her mistakes, worries and occasional frustrations make her immediately likeable. Her adventures are imaginative without becoming overwhelming, while Jiji provides exactly the sort of feline commentary every difficult life decision requires. Readers familiar with the Studio Ghibli adaptation will recognise the central characters and premise, but the book feels more episodic and focuses closely on Kiki’s everyday deliveries and gradual growth. It is less dramatic than the film in places, but this quieter structure suits the story’s cosy atmosphere. What I liked: * A warm, engaging and imaginative story. * Kiki is an appealing and relatable young heroine. * Gentle humour and plenty of charm. * Enjoyable for both younger readers and nostalgic adults. Things to consider: * More episodic and less cinematic than the film. * Best approached as the original story rather than an exact version of the adaptation. Overall: A lovely, comforting read about independence, friendship and finding your place in the world. Highly recommended for Studio Ghibli fans, younger fantasy readers and anyone who believes most errands would be improved by a broomstick and a sarcastic cat.

É uma história infantil, dito isso, é muito boa e divertida, se você gostou do filme provavelmente vai amar o livro, os personagens são mais desenvolvidos e tem cenas legais, inclusive preferi os do livro. Sobre a edição: é bem estilo paperback americano, mas as folhas são de jornal (são cinzas e tem até o mesmo cheiro). É um ótimo livro pra pré adolescentes, o inglês é de fácil a intermediário (a autora usa sinônimos complicadinhos, mas não tem diálogos complexos ou descrições muito extravagantes).

I was a little worried because of previous reviews and photos of the book. Mine arrived perfect, no marks, no cuts in the pages... The paper feels nice to the touch. I'm happy with this book, and I recommend for all ages and Kiki's and Jiji's fans! :D