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 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. ~~ Stephanie L Bannon

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