It's been a while since I've read a children's book for the first time. I was thoroughly enraptured in a way I haven't been by a book in a very long time. The story was engaging and funny, and Sophie was a great main character. I have not seen the movie yet, but plan to soon.

Not as good as the first one, but still great. This is basically a re-imagining of Aladdin (though it was written before the Disney movie came out), with some of the elements from Howl's Moving Castle thrown in. To the author's credit, the characters feel much more real than in other versions of this fairy tale I've read/seen. I also wouldn't really call this a "sequel" but more of a companion book. The characters from the first book do appear, but not until near the very end. Or so you think.

Like the Castle in the Sky, this wasn't a direct sequel, but more of a tie-in.
I enjoyed it, but it wasn't nearly as good as the first one. The main character was kind of annoying, but ultimately charming, as was Peter, the sidekick. Everything turned out a bit too convenient in the end, but it was a cute story. Didn't enjoy the cameos in this one as much as the last.