In honor of Thanksgiving, here are some of my favorite comfort-reads, perfect for curling up with on a day off. For best results, add hot chocolate.
Howl’s Moving Castle
by Dianna Wynne Jones
In the land of Ingary, such things as spells, invisible cloaks, and seven-league boots were everyday things. The Witch of the Waste was another matter.
After fifty years of quiet, it was rumored that the Witch was about to terrorize the country again. So when a moving black castle, blowing dark smoke from its four thin turrets, appeared on the horizon, everyone thought it was the Witch. The castle, however, belonged to Wizard Howl, who, it was said, liked to suck the souls of young girls.
The Hatter sistersSophie, Lettie, and Marthaand all the other girls were warned not to venture into the streets alone. But that was only the beginning.
Dealing With Dragons
By Patricia C. Wrede
Cimorene should have been a proper princess. After all, she is the youngest daughter of a proper king and queen, and their first six daughters are all perfectly proper as well.
But Cimorene is not. Oh she has a lovely face, but she is too tall, too stubborn—and she finds being a princess unbearably dull.
After she is forbidden lessons in fencing, cooking, magic, and economics—the only things she does find interesting—Cimorene takes her one remaining option: she runs away to become the princess of a very powerful, very fascinating, and very exacting dragon, Kazul. In the process, she gets involved with a witch, a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, a stone prince, and some very oily wizards. And, of course, lots of dragons.
Menolly loved music and wanted to be a Harper, though her father would not allow it. It was a disgrace for a woman even to think of such a thing. Finally, he forbade Menolly to even sing for fear her ambition would become known. Menolly had no choice but to run away. On her journey she meets a group of fire lizards who bring new adventure, challenge and direction to her life.
Lucy in Bookland 