Book Recs Based on Studio Ghibli Movies

Posted by Ashley Poston

[All DVD covers from Studio Ghibli films]

I love Studio Ghibli. When Howl’s Moving Castle came to theaters, I must’ve taken the hour and a half drive four—maybe five?—times to the only theater playing it in my region. I loved the colors, and the characters, and the story (even though it was miles different from the novel by Diana Wynne Jones, which I love equally as much and re-read every year). The Cat Returns is my pick-me-up whenever I feel sad, and Porco Rosso is the hilarious and heartfelt comfort on rainy days.

My other comfort, my love, my obsession—is books.

So I thought, why not try to pair the two together like a nice cheese and some red wine?

 

Nausicaä and the Valley of the WindThe Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

 

Castle in the Sky — Sabriel by Garth Nix

 

Spirited AwayEvery Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

 

Howl’s Moving CastleUprooted by Naomi Novik

 

The Cat Returns Kamisama Kiss by Julietta Suzuki or A Well-Timed Enchantment by Vivian Vande Velde.

 

Whisper of the HeartWhisper of the Heart by Aoi Hiiragi or Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

 

My Neighbor TotoroWhere the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

 

Princess MononokeThe Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

 

Shout out to @ashposton on Twitter and let me know which books you’d pair with a Ghibli movie!

Ashley Poston

Ashley Poston

Ashley Poston is a part-time author and full-time fangirl. She was born in rural South Carolina, where you can see the stars impossibly well…Tweet her at @ashposton and find out more about her at www.ashposton.com.