Diana Wynne Jones is the mastermind of fantasy fiction for ages 9-14. She is most famous for her collection of children and young adult series, most notably The Land of Ingary series. The series, also known as the Howl or Moving Castle series, consists of three fantastical titles: Howl’s Moving Castle (1986), Castle in the Air (1990), and House of Many Ways (2008).
The first book in the series has even been loosely adapted into a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film by Studio Ghibli of the same name, which was critically acclaimed and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Check out the books that inspired the animation in this magical three-book collection.
Titles in This Set :
- Howl's Moving Castle
- Castle in the Air
- House of Many Ways
Description from the publisher:
Howl's Moving Castle
Deciding she has nothing more to lose, Sophie makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above her town, Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls…There Sophie meets Michael, Howl’s apprentice, and Calcifer, the fire demon, with whom she agrees on a pact with. Her entanglements with Calcifer, Howl and Michael and her quest to break her curse come alive with Diana Wynne Jones’s unique combination of magic, humour and imagination.
Castle in the Air
Far to the south, in the Land of Ingary lives a young carpet merchant called Abdullah. In his dreams, he is the long-lost son of a great prince. This dream is a complete castle in the air… or is it? Abdullah’s daydreams suddenly start to come true when he meets the exquisite Flower-in-the-Night, the daughter of the ferocious Sultan of Zanzib. Fate has destined them for each other, but a bad-tempered genie, a hideous djinn, and various villainous bandits have their own ideas. When Flower-in-the-Night is carried off, Abdullah is determined to rescue her – if he can find her.
House of Many Ways
A chaotically magical sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. Charmain Baker is in over her head. Looking after Great Uncle William's tiny cottage while he's ill should have been easy, but Great Uncle William is better known as the Royal Wizard Norland, and his house bends space and time. Its single door leads to any number of places - the bedrooms, the kitchen, the caves under the mountains, and the past, to name but a few.
About the Author:
Diana Wynne Jones was a British novelist who wrote fantasy fiction aimed at kids and Young Adults. Her work often explores themes of time travel or parallel universes. She is also the author of the bestselling Chronicles of Chrestomanci series, which follows Gwendolen Chant, a gifted witch with astonishing powers, and her brother on magical adventures across a series of twelve worlds.
Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011) was an English author who wrote over 40 books, mostly in the fantasy genre. She was born on August 16, 1934, in London, England. Her father was a middle-class printer, and her mother was a homemaker. Her works often combined elements of fantasy, science fiction, and mythology to create unique and imaginative stories.
Jones was a prolific and popular writer, and her books have been translated into over 20 languages. She was awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize in 1987 and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature in 2008. She was also named a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2006.
Jones passed away on March 26, 2011, at the age of 76. Her legacy lives on through her books, which continue to be loved and read by fans all over the world. She will always be remembered as one of the most talented and imaginative fantasy writers of her generation.
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