Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones, is a fantasy filled with magic, action, humor, and horror. The world Ms. Jones has created is filled with everything a fantasy lover wants. Three books make the world of Wizard Howl.
Howl's Moving Castle is the first. It follows Sophie Hatter. She is the oldest of three girls, and as such, she's nothing special. Her life is not destined for anything other than making hats at her family's business. When her father dies, her stepmother ships her sisters off. One to apprentice for a witch, and the other to become a baker's apprentice. They are expected to have great lives with handsome suitors lining up. Sophie is expected to stay behind and make hats. That's what she does until a witch walks into the shop and puts a spell on Sophie, seemingly for no other reason than she can. Sophie is now cursed. But, she decides to make the best of it and sets out on an adventure that the oldest daughters never get. She finds the Wizard Howl and his moving castle. She makes herself at home in the castle to the irritation of Howl. She makes friends with a fire demon named Calcifer, and she paves her own way through cursed scarecrows, bumbling apprentices, and the mystery of disappearing wizards and princes, and angry witches. It's a fun and fast-paced read.
Castle in the Air is the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. This story follows a modest carpet merchant named Abdullah. He's a disappointment to his father and his father's first wife's family. When his father died, he left Abdullah with enough to sell carpets from a small booth at the Bazaar.
Abdullah sells carpets and dreams. He dreams of a life where he is a long-lost prince and of a princess he is to marry. He's content with his dreams until a stranger sells him a magic carpet. Then his dreams start to come true and the princess is all too real. A jinn complicates matters by kidnapping the princess of Abdullah's dreams and now he has to save her. With the help of a flying carpet, a genie, an old mercenary, dogs, and cats, Abdullah must find a way to save the Princess, Flower in the Night. Add in a couple of confusing prophecies and Castle in the Air is a fun ride.
The House of Many Ways is book three in the World of Howl. Charmain Baker is a baker's daughter who would rather read than anything else. Charmain is tasked with watching her Great Uncle's house and she thought she'd get uninterrupted time to read. Instead, her great Uncle is a wizard and his house bends time and space. She maneuvers the house while dealing with Peter, the uncoordinated wannabe apprentice, and Waif, the small dog that is more than she seems.
Charmain is targeted by a magical monster called a Lubbock after she begins helping the King look for something called an Elfgift. The King calls on Sophie, a powerful sorceress, and her friend Calcifer. The Wizard Howl is not far behind. Wherever Sophie is, he's usually lurking around complicating things for the pure joy of doing so. It's fun and filled with books, mysteries, monsters, little blue men called Kobolds, and magical tantrums.
The World of Howl books are colorful mischievous adventures that both children and adults will enjoy.