BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSKiki is the daughter of a witch and a human father, and the only magic she has learned is flying on a broom. By witch tradition, a girl who chooses to become a witch leaves home on a full-moon night to make a life of her own in a town that has no witch. So Kiki, who is about to turn thirteen, takes off on her mother's old broom with a red radio hanging from the handle and her black cat, Jiji, who can talk with her. She flies south to see the sea and lands in Koriko, a big town where a river meets the sea. But the people there are wary of witches, and the crowd that gathers shrugs her off with a cool "Whatever floats your boat." Her luck turns when Osono, a kind baker who is expecting a baby any day, needs a forgotten pacifier taken across the big river to a customer, and Kiki offers to fly it over. Osono gives Kiki a room in the flour storehouse next to the bakery and helps her open a business flying things to people all over town. At first nobody hires her, though, and when her very first customer hands her a birdcage with a stuffed toy cat inside, the job goes wrong high in the air. Her new jobs bring trouble, surprises and new friends as Kiki tries to win the town over.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Kiki's Delivery Service
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Kiki's Delivery Service. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a fortune-teller fly in jerks, laughing that she's simply bad at flying?
✓ Answer
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
On her journey, Kiki meets an older witch who came of age about a year earlier and flies in herks and jerks. When Kiki guesses her broom is broken, the fortune-teller laughs that she's just bad at flying, but she flies anyway so she won't forget she's a witch.
- First half
In what book does a boy turning five wear bandages on his cheek, nose, forehead, and knees?
✓ Answer
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
Kiki finds Ten Apricot Street behind the big flower shop, and the birthday boy who opens the door has one bandage on his cheek, one on his nose, two on his forehead and three on his knees. He jumps up and down holding the birdcage tight, while Jiji bounces around inside pretending to be the stuffed toy.
- First half
In what book does a girl tie a laundry line around her waist and circle above the rooftops?
✓ Answer
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
An old handywoman named Violet needs a huge pile of washing dried fast, so Kiki holds the end of the line and flies higher and higher as more clothes are hung. With nowhere to tie it in the sky, Kiki ties it around her waist, and kids below cheer that the flying laundry looks like a string of kites.
- Second half
In what book does a girl recall her only poem, about shoes and hats that laugh?
✓ Answer
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
Flying with the girl's sealed poem in her pocket, Kiki remembers the one poem she wrote as a little kid, where shoes laugh tap-tap-tap, hats laugh tip-tip-tip, and she laughs tee-hee-hee. She is sure a poem written to a boy must be much more grown-up, and she can't stop wondering what it says.
- Second half
In what book does a girl guess that a huge striped knitted band must be for an elephant?
✓ Answer
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
Right after the old woman says she plans to bring belly bands to the zoo for the animals' chilly tummies, Kiki sees the giant blue and white band she just finished and assumes it's for the elephant. The old woman says no, it's for her son, a boat captain, and Kiki wonders just how big he must be.
- Near the end
In what book do a girl and her cat land atop a speeding train's last car?
✓ Answer
Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono
Kiki chases the express train through mountain after mountain and tunnel after tunnel, then glides down onto the roof of the very last car while Jiji shrieks that they're going to crash. Her plan is for Jiji to slip in through a window and unlock the back door.
