Seeing as this is my favorite Studio Ghibli film, and that many people haven’t read this classic by Diana Wynne Jones, I had to recommend this book first. The book has all the comedy, enchantment, and heart you’d want in a fantasy book, and, as one of my favorites, I read it every summer when I have the chance. Like the movie, the book is about Sophie Hatter, a girl resigned to apprenticing at her family’s hat shop, whose magic catches the attention of the Witch of the Waste. Threatened, this witch casts a curse on Sophie, turning her into an old woman. As an old woman, the determined Sophie goes off on her own, and ends up encountering a moving castle, the residence of the charming wizard Howl—a man notorious for “eating beautiful girls’ hearts.” Intent on breaking her curse no matter the danger, she strikes a deal with Howl’s fire demon and begins work as a cleaning lady in the castle.
Admittedly, the book does have notable differences from the movie, especially concerning the plot and the characters of Sophie and Howl, but that never took away from my enjoyment of it. If anything, I just came to love both stories for different reasons. With a compelling coming-of-age narrative, an intriguing magic system, and a great romance, this YA book is an absolute pleasure to read.
For those who love spunky young witches and their black cat companions, Kadono’s 1985 middle-grade book is sure to captivate, as it was the original source for Miyazaki’s film. The book is about Kiki, a half-witch living in a world where humans and those with magic coexist. On her thirteenth birthday, following witch-tradition, she eagerly leaves home with her witty, talking cat, Jiji, to live in a new town for a year and make a living with her powers. Choosing the seaside town of Koriko, her everyday life becomes a matter of helping out the locals and getting to know new friends, even while facing many misadventures. Undaunted by these setbacks, Kiki builds her inner confidence and ultimately lives this year to the fullest.
While I haven’t read this book, it seems similar to the movie I love: an empowering story about a young girl embracing independence and finding her place in the world. What’s more, Kiki is a lovable character in every version of the story, and her complexity makes her so relatable. If you’re looking for a fun, delightful read to pick you up, this is the perfect book.
Arriety Clock is a Borrower, a girl only a few inches tall. In her family, one that lives under the floorboards of a home, they live by borrowing from the “human beans” above them. Since it’s dangerous to be noticed by a human, as those who are seen go missing forever, only her father is allowed to make the journey into the house. It’s a comfortable lifestyle, one that guarantees her safety, but Arrietty is dissatisfied. It’s lonely without friends, and she’s desperate to see the world she’s been sheltered from. So, despite the danger, when Arrietty happens to meet a human boy, it begins a friendship of a lifetime.
This imaginative children’s classic by Mary Norton is what Miyazaki loosely based his animated film on. It features a magical depiction of family and friendship alongside an engaging sense of adventure. However, it’s also worth noting that the ending in this book contains more unanswered questions than the movie’s own hopeful ending, as Mrs. Driver, the antagonistic housekeeper and cook, threatens the safety of the Borrower family. Even so, it’s a promising book I have on my own TBR, and I know I’ll enjoy its sense of childhood wonder.
As far as books that inspired Studio Ghibli films go, these three uplifting books are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also films based on manga (e.g. the lovely movie Whisper of the Heart), one based on a book series (The Earthsea Novels by Ursula K. Le Guin), another adapted from a semi-autobiographical short story, and many more. Regardless of the fact that I’ve only read Howl’s Moving Castle, I know and love the other two films, and I’m sure their original books are just as compelling. I hope you enjoy these recommendations!
Danielle Hartshorn, Pine Reads Review Writer and Editor