Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Sophie always knew she wouldn't amount to much.  She's the oldest daughter.  The daughter who would stay at home and mind the hat shop.

Until the Witch of the Waste curses Sophie and she changes from a teen girl to an old woman.  She aches.  She tires easily.  And worst of all -- she can't tell anyone that she is under a curse.

So she leaves the hat shop . . . and ends up as the housekeeper to the Wizard Howl and his castle that walks around the countryside.  There she enters into a bargain with the fire demon Calcifer that they will break each other's curses.

But that isn't easy.  She has to deal with Howl trying to make her younger sister fall in love with him.  She has to visit the King to convince him that Howl that worthless. She is being chased by the Witch of the Waste and a scarecrow.


I love this book.  It is one of the best fantasy novels for children and teens ever written.  It is detailed with many plot twists and turns.  The characterization is fully developed.  And best of all, there are two sequels to the book.  It's also been turned into an animated movie by the famed Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki and a manga.