Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne JonesAR Reading Level: 5.4
On the library stacks: YA Fiction
Recommended for: Grades 6+
Awards: Boston Globe/Horn Book Award/Honors; Phoenix Award/Honor
Series: Book 1 of 3 (Castle)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three girls in a land where being the eldest means inevitable failure. After her father dies, her sisters are apprenticed to a witch and a baker and she stays behind with her step-mother to run the hat shop. But when the Witch of the Waste comes to pay her a visit one day, turning her into an old woman, Sophie ends up at supposedly-evil Wizard Howl's Castle where she poses as a cleaning woman, hoping that the fire demon named Calcifer can break the spell she is under.
I thought this book is a clever fantasy with a little humor thrown in for good measure. It's a cute, fun book that I read with a smile on my face. It's also very fast-paced and would make a good read-aloud. This is the first book I've read by this author and it won't be my last.
Also reviewed by: Confessions of a Book Habitue ~ Becky's Book Reviews ~ Bending Bookshelf ~ Puss Reboots ~ Your link here?
Book 59 of 100 for the 100+ Reading Challenge, Book 37 of 50 for the New Author Challenge, Book 17 of 25 for the Support Your Local Library Challenge, Book 27 of 50 for the YA Reading Challenge, Book 4 of 6 for the What's in a Name? 3 Challenge
Source: Library
6 comments:
I don't read a lot of fantasy - maybe I should start with some for younger folks to get into the genre more. This one sounds good.
I love Diana Wynne Jones... :)
Read the companion books!! The flying carpet one before the other one. (Titles? you ask.... um.... Castle in the Air, that's it! My brain doesn't work. Castle in the Air before House of Many Ways.)
Also, the Chrestomanci books are fabulous!!
And thanks for the link!
Only the first? Eek! You'll also like her Chrestomanci books, as well as the two Howl sequels. Some of her "singles" are a little too strange, but for the most part I've really enjoyed her series.
I love Howl's Moving Castle, though I think the ending was rushed and chaotic. The anime movie is fun too.
You would also get a kick out of her Tough Guide to Fantasyland. So funny.
I like it already! and would love to read ti as well!
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