Diana Wynne Jones Books

Diana Wynne Jones is the master of fantasy fiction for ages 10+. She is most famous for her collection of children and young adult series, most notably The Land of Ingary. The series, also known as the Howl or Moving Castle series, consists of three titles: Howl’s Moving Castle (1986), Castle in the Air (1990) and House of Many Ways (2008). Find all of her most popular books in this collection now.

She is also the author of the bestselling Chrestomanci Series, which follows Gwendolen Chant, a gifted witch with astonishing powers, and her brother on magical adventures across a series of twelve worlds. 

The Moving Castle Series

Published in 1986, Howl’s Moving Castle is the first book in the series, following the story of a young woman named Sophie Hatter, who leaves her life of servitude in her mother’s hat shop after being cursed by the Wicked Witch of the Waste. To her misfortune, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her to look like an elderly woman.

Her only chance at breaking this curse is at the Wizard Howl’s Castle. There she is to deal with the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a dangerous fire demon and get caught in the crossfire of both political and love affairs if she is to untangle her own enchantment.

The novel was adapted into a 2004 animated film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli, which was critically acclaimed and nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The second book in this charming series is Castle in the Air, published in 1990. Though the story is set in the same fantasy world as the first book, the sequel focuses on Abdullah's adventures based on the tales from Arabian Nights.

Set in the land of Ingary, Abdullah is a carpet dealer who sits in his booth and spends his time daydreaming about being the long-lost son of a prince. One day he purchases a carpet from a man who claims that the carpet possesses magical properties. Soon enough, Abdullah has been whisked away on an adventure to replicate his dreams into reality by meeting dangerous djinns and beautiful princesses.

With a few familiar characters from Howl’s Moving Castle, fans of the series are in for another whimsical and enchanting adventure. 

The last book in the trilogy is House of Many Ways which is labelled as the direct sequel to the first book in the series, Howl’s Moving Castle. In this stunning finale, the story tells of Charmain Baker, who lives a sheltered life and spends her days with her nose in a book, never learning how to do the simplest of household chores.

When her Great Uncle William is overcome with sickness, Charmaine is tasked with cleaning and looking after the house- except this is no ordinary house, but one that bends space and time. When Charmain gets caught up in resolving the kingdom’s financial troubles, she encounters Sophie Pendragon and her magical family, her eccentric husband Howl, their son Morgan and the brilliant fire-demon Calcifer. With this magical family involved, there’s bound to be much chaos and unexpected revelations. 

About the Author:

Diana Wynne Jones was a British novelist who wrote fantasy and speculative fiction for children and young adults. Her work often explores themes of time travel or parallel universes.

Her work has been nominated for several awards, including being a twice finalist for the Hugo Award and being nominated fourteen times for the Locus Award, among many others. 

Jones died in early 2011 as a result of Lung Cancer. Before her death, she was working on a novel that was completed by her sister Ursula Jones in 2014.