Kiki's Delivery Service: The Classic That Inspired the Beloved Animated Film

by Eiko Kadono

Book Overview

Read the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all Nostalgic fans of the Hiyao Miyazaki film, Kiki's Delivery Service and newcomers alike will love this exciting new translation of the beloved fantasy story.

"A gentle story of magic-tinged independence."--The Wall Street Journal

Half-witch Kiki never runs from a challenge. So when her thirteenth birthday arrives, she's eager...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1984896695
• ISBN13: 9781984896698
• Release Date: June 2021
• Publisher: Yearling Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

A fun coming of age story!

Hayao Miyazaki may be one the only film maker's on the planet who can say that most people know his films first. And he may also be the only filmmaker on the planet that can confidently say that instead of ruining a book he enhances the experience of the book and in turn reading the book enhances the experience of watching the films he's created from the books, this is why I thoroughly enjoy reading the books his movies are based on. I'm never disappointed and I come to love characters that I already love even more. Kiki is a young witch whose coming of age day is approaching fast. Her mother Kokiri is driving her mad, asking her when she is leaving, what type of town Kiki should settle in (not a big one dear), which broom she should take (certainly not the one Kiki just spent forever making herself), and even the type of clothes she should wear! Kiki finally settles on a date to leave and she and cat Jiji take off, Kiki isn't entirely certain what type of town she will pick for her coming of age year but she knows that it must be by the sea. Flying past each of the smaller towns Kiki finally finds exactly what she's looking for a town by the sea; except it is the exact opposite of the type of town her mother recommended, Koriko is a large bustling town with a huge clock tower right in its center. As soon as Kiki lands she realizes that maybe her mother is right. This town hasn't had a resident witch in years and the city folk all believe tales about witches being evil. Kiki's only magic is she can't figure out how she will be able to help these people. That is until she meets Osano a baker who has a simple request to make a delivery for her. And with that one request, Kiki's Delivery Service is born, unfortunately now Kiki must convince the rest of the town that they need her service, which is much easier said than done! With only a year to accomplish her task Kiki isn't sure she's up to it but with a little help from the townspeople of Koriko maybe just maybe Kiki will be able to head home with her head held high! This was such a delightful little book. It is episodic in nature, which was not what I was expecting after watching the movie a million times, however, I really enjoyed it. It gives us a better idea of Kiki's entire year in Koriko and the people she met there. Telling the story in this manner gives us not only a better idea of how Kiki grew in the year she spent in Koriko but also of the people she meets as well as the whole town. And some of the chapters are just wonderfully magical. Whether it's Kiki helping Chrysthanum dry clothes by flying high into the sky with them or trailing an entire band's instruments throw the sky and ushering in Spring with the sounds they make each episode truly makes you simply happy. Kiki's can-do attitude in the book is something that we miss in the movie until the very end, wherein the book it's almost the entire point. And Kiki is downright clever. There never seems to be a situation she can't resolve. Kadono's descriptions of Koriko itself were brilliant as well. Even without the benefit of the movie she describes it so well right down to being able to figure out roughly where one address that Kiki is given is in relation to another. That being said it's not too much. This is a children's book and Kadono keeps that in mind. She keeps descriptions short and important to what's happening, just enough to keep a child's interest and allow them to use their imagination. What I think Kadono does best here though is really cover what it's like to be a young girl. Kiki has feelings of inadequacy at some points, she doesn't understand boys, she is sometimes cranky for absolutely no reason at all (this is honestly one of my favorite chapters), she gets frustrated with her clients sometimes, and she thinks her mom is overbearing. Basically everything a thirteen-year-old goes through. And yet for the most part Kiki keeps up this very positive attitude throughout the book. And while ha

Better than the movie

I purchased the book my child. My wife stole the book before I finished the first chapter. What I can say (and she confirms) is that there is more in the book than the movie and that he book is better than the movie. You have to see the movie to understand.

Worth the Wait!

Given the popularity of the Harry Potter books and the glorious animated film version by Hayao Miyazaki, I'm amazed that it's taken this long for this book to appear in English. Eiko Kadono's "Witch's Delivery Service" (Majo no Takkyubin) also deals with the education of a witch child; in this case, a rite of passage for a witch named Kiki. She has to spend her thirteenth year on her own in a witchless town, making a living by her witch craft. The book is a celebration of the independent spirit of its protagonist and the changes she goes through at this pivotal time of life.I'd like to give this book the full five stars, but I have a couple of caveats. One is the cover illustration by Irvin Cheung, showing a robust, rosy-cheeked Euro-witch. Somehow, it totally misses the warm and evocative line-drawings by Akiko Hayashi, which fortunately are included in the book.Translating is one of the world's most thankless job. If the translation is really fine, the reader shouldn't even notice it. The irregularities should be smoothed out, the oddities of one language seamlessly patched with the oddities of another.Lynne E. Riggs has created a mostly complete, very readable English version of Kadono's book, but there are a few quintessentially Japanese touches that got missed. At one point, just before she leaves home, Kiki tells her mother, "Anata no musume wo, shinjinasaittara, shinjinasai. Mou yooi wa dekitemasu." Riggs's reading of this ("You should trust your own daughter more! Believe me, I'm already ready to go.") is literate and understandable. However, one of my Japanese teachers pointed out that this is an old Japanese song. A Japanese reader would certainly pick up on this, while a Westerner would not. My attempt at translation would cue a Western reader by preserving the rhythm:"I'm your daugh-ter, o mother dear,Just trust in me, I say,Have faith in me.I've got plans, I'm al-read-y pre-pared..."Nitpicking? Maybe, but also an illustration of the pitfalls awaiting the translator.As I said above, though, this is a fine translation of a fine book, long overdue in English.

finally in english print

i am so happy that they re-released this book in english. the english version was out of print but here it is again. it is different from the movie from which it is taken from. there is even more to the adventure in the book. i just wish they have english versions of the other 3 books.

Charming Adaptation of the Movie

I've always been a big fan of Miyazaki's movies, but the best thing about this picture-book edition of KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is that kids who are beginning readers really enjoy it. The English version of KIKI'S has been available for several years, and kids who have seen the movie are eager to read the book, or have it read to them.The picture quality is excellent, and the text is in good English, unlike some translations I've seen.Too bad the book is hard to find. My copy has been damaged, and I wish it were easier for me to find another!

Batchi-guu! (^-^)

I haven't read the book but I assume it's the same as the movie. I first saw this movie in Japan and I fell in love with it and all following Miyazaki movies. He has a gift when it comes to story telling. The characters, with Jiji the black cat as my favorite, are unforgettable.