Books with Ghibli vibes
There is a feeling of nostalgia that Ghibli movies provoke with their hand-painted visuals and dreamlike stories. It’s a place where castles float in the sky, magic creatures live in your backyard, and old planes park next to restaurants, somewhere in the ocean. It’s a place where art, song, and stories come together and create a place of beauty. Ever since I watched my first Ghibli movie, I’ve looked for media that provokes the same feelings. Here are some books that feel like a Studio Ghibli movie.
Books for the Ghibli fans
Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate Dicamillo
The king demands a song that breaks the heart and sews it back together. The wolf, proud of her sharp teeth, yearns to run through the woods. The boy with a bow waits on a remarkable deed. The girl with violet eyes wonders at the world, the moon, and its song. And the owl says wise things. All the puppets belong in a story.
There is a certain sincerity and gentleness in DiCamillo’s work that makes her books an ideal candidate for Ghibli fans. Like Ghibli, her magic comes from humanistic themes and the heart she places on each word.
Why the whales came by Michael Morpurgo
Gracie and Daniel have been warned to stay away from the mad birdman, and they never would have gone anywhere near him had the swans not driven them away from the pool under Gweal Hill, where they always went to sail toy boats. Then they get lost in the fog and stranded on Samson Island—should they believe the birdman’s story that the island is cursed?
When it comes to Ghibli-like, Michael Morpurgo is the closest thing to Miyazaki in fiction. Like Miyazaki, Michael grew up around the conflict of the World War, with his earlier memories shaped by the grim post-war London. These experiences, along with his love for adventure books of Robert Louis Stevenson, have shaped his storytelling style, with his books often featuring Anti-war sentiments.
When Marnie was there by Joan G. Robinson
Sent away from her foster home one summer to a village by the sea, Anna dreams her days away among the sandhills and marshes. She is drawn to a mysterious mansion in the saltwater marsh. There she meets Marnie, who is as mysterious as her house. A friendship quickly develops between the two until Marnie vanishes.
This story will always have a special place in my heart, as its adaptation was my first Ghibli movie, and when the beautiful visuals of the countryside with a lonely lighthouse and the mysterious house across the salt marsh came on screen, I was in love. The friendship between Anna and Marnie reminded me of the days of childhood, when you earnestly went looking for a place to belong, and friendships were an intense affair.
The movie is not a one-to-one adaptation, especially in the third half. While the movie is precise, the book elaborates on Marnie’s backstory and takes its time revealing the truth about her. I love both the versions: the ending of the movie hops on your lap like a cat and stays there for a while. On the other hand, the book eases the reader through the reveal.
Ronia, the robber's daughter by Astrid Lindgren
The story follows Ronia, the spirited daughter of Matt, the robber’s chieftain. She spends her days dancing and singing with the band, but it is in the forest alone that she truly feels at home. Then one day Ronia meets Birk, the son of Matt’s archenemy. Soon after Ronia and Birk become friends, the worst quarrel ever between the rival bands erupts, and Ronia and Birk are caught in the middle.
When I first read the book, I was a little miffed that I wasn’t introduced to this story sooner. The novel is fun, exciting, and deep. But more than that, it’s one of those tales that respects the adult in the child and recognizes the child in the adult; the tensions that can arise from denial of the two. The novel is pure Ghibli and was adapted into an anime by Goro Miyazaki, Hayao Miyazaki’s son.
Howl's moving castle by Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie Hatter, resigned to a boring life of running her family’s hat shop. Her life is turned upside down when the “Witch of the Waste” transforms Sophie into a frail, ninety-year-old woman. Determined to untangle the enchantment, she finds refuge in Howl’s Moving Castle and strikes a secret bargain with Calcifer, the fire demon. Along the way, she navigates the chaotic castle, handles the heartless howl, and meets the witch of the waste head-on. She discovers that there is more to Howl and herself than meets the eye.
If the other books on this list are like Ghibli, Diana Wynne Jones‘s work is Ghibli. That is to say, she is one of the great influences on Miyazaki, someone he considers one of his favorite authors. So it wasn’t a surprise that Miyazaki would end up adapting her book and creating one of the most beloved Ghibli movies. What’s more, Dianna was supportive of Miyazaki’s adaptation, stating that the director understood her work in a way no one ever has before.
