Kiki's Delivery Service

By: Eiko Kadono, Emily Balistrieri - translator

Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest

Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's Summary

Nostalgic fans of the Hiyao Miyazaki film and newcomers alike - soar into the modern classic about a young witch and her clever cat that started it all!

Half-witch Kiki never runs from a challenge. So when her 13th 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, wisecracking 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 listeners and dedicated fans.

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

"An enchanting, gently humorous all-ages family read-aloud." (Kirkus Reviews)

"A classic tale, this new translation is perfect." (School Library Journal)

©2020 Eiko Kadono (P)2020 Listening Library

Felt like a kid

When I was little I used to watch the movie Kikis Delivery Service at least once every other week. I'm so glad that the original book was finally translated and I have to say I love it! So far one of my favorites 😄😄😄

a new memory to share

this book gave rise, to one of my daughters favorite movies of all time. she adored jiji. when we discovered we could get the book in English , she was so excited. with my vision going. getting it in audio form was a real treat , one I can't wait to share with my daughter.

Amazing Kid's Story

I enjoyed this listen very much. The story of Kiki, and Gigi is not unknown to me. Years ago it was on cable tv, and I watched and fell in love with the movie. I was so excited to see this advertisement on Facebook. The movie focused more on Kiki and Tombo's relationship more than the people of the town, as always, I love the book, more than the movie.

Very good narration of a beloved film!

Loved the narrator and the life she gave Kiki and the other characters. This is a great way to engage young and older minds!

Different than the movie but still good

It is more aimed at a younger audience, but I still loved it! I didn't mind since the movie is obviously for kids as well. I think it may have had a younger tone because it is translated from Japanese, but again, I still really enjoyed it! It follows a very different story than the movie except the main idea Kiki leaving home to become an of age witch. I enjoyed the narrator and all of her voices for the characters.

So happy this story was translated!

I love Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service and I'm so happy this book was translated into English. The story is sweet and Kiki is feisty, clever, and resourceful. The story is told in a storytelling kind of a way, like old stories, and in a sort of vignette style. Each chapter builds upon the next but could be it's own short story at the same time. The supporting cast isn't super complex but Kiki herself pops off the page full of life and vigor. Jiji also has his own life and is a great source of amusement.

Considering that the story is meant for middle grade, I think it did it's job admirably. I certainly wish there were more Kiki stories. I'd like to see how she furthers her relationships with those around her.

Light hearted like on a clear day.

Going into this and leaving behind my rose tinted glasses of the movie’s music and visuals was rough but refreshing and very pleasant. It’s sense of community, childish mischief, and pacing stands well for a children’s novel.

I would definitely recommend reading this then watching movie. Hopefully we get the sequels that later came out.

Very wholesome story, and the narrator is perfect

Big fan of the movie version, so when I saw it originated from a book, my curiosity was peaked. First off, the narrator is perfect, you can feel the emotions ebb and flow fluidly, I can't imagine Kiki with any other voice after this, she really brought the character to life.
Storywise, I was pleasantly surprised with the extra lore of witches and the more in depth interactions with some characters.
Definitely was a audible experience I'm thankful for. Now I want to watch the movie again knowing how much more I'll appreciate it.

there's so much in the book that never happened in

there's so much that occurs on the book that never happens in the movie. the movie is very disneyfied and this one just seems more real world. it's still cute and adorable, but it's just more real world. does that make sense? it will after you read it :)

Might be a little slow for some

I really enjoyed the story. But about an hour in it was pretty similar to the movie, and I was worried I just bought a longer audio version of the movie. I didn’t. As it continued it was charming and cute like the movie but had a different story!