Kiki is flying back.

A new English-language installment in Eiko Kadono’s original Kiki’s Delivery Service book series is coming to North American readers, and the newly revealed cover gives fans their first look at Kiki and the Other Witch.

The novel will be published by Delacorte Press on February 23, 2027, marking its first North American English-language edition.

Kiki Is Older—and Facing a New Kind of Challenge

The new story takes place after Kiki has spent several years living in the seaside town of Koriko.

Now 16 years old, Kiki has grown considerably since the beginning of her journey as a young witch. But her life changes when she encounters Keke, a 12-year-old girl with unexpected magical abilities and a mischievous personality.

Keke’s arrival forces Kiki to reconsider what she understands about herself, her abilities, and what it actually means to be a witch.

Rather than simply giving Kiki another magical adventure, the story focuses on friendship, identity, independence, and self-discovery.

The Book Behind the Beloved Film

For many readers, Kiki’s Delivery Service is best known through Studio Ghibli’s beloved 1989 animated film directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

But the film was based on Kadono’s original Japanese novel, first published in 1985.

Kiki and the Other Witch is actually the third book in Kadono’s original series. The Japanese edition was originally published in 1993, meaning English-speaking readers are only now getting the opportunity to read it in translation.

The upcoming English edition is translated by Emily Balistrieri and illustrated by Yuta Onoda.

A New Witch for Kiki to Meet

One of the most intriguing elements is Keke herself.

Unlike Kiki, who has spent years learning how to navigate her abilities and independence, Keke arrives with a completely different personality and approach to magic.

Their relationship becomes the emotional center of the novel, with Kiki having to confront questions about her own identity while helping—or perhaps simply trying to understand—this younger witch.

That gives the book a coming-of-age quality while retaining the cozy fantasy atmosphere that has defined Kiki’s world.

More Kiki Books Are Coming

The North American release of Kiki and the Other Witch is part of a larger effort to bring more of Kadono’s original series to English-language readers.

The second book, Kiki and the New Magic, is scheduled for publication in the U.S. on August 25, 2026, shortly before the third book arrives in 2027. A deluxe edition of the first novel is also being released.

That means fans who discovered Kiki through the movie will soon have more of the original literary series to explore.

About Eiko Kadono

Eiko Kadono is one of Japan’s most prolific children’s authors, having published nearly 200 original works.

Her career has earned numerous honors, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award, while Kiki’s Delivery Service itself was recognized on the IBBY Honor List.

Her Kiki books have therefore become much more than the source material for a famous animated film—they form a substantial literary series of their own.

When Does Kiki and the Other Witch Come Out?

The North American English edition of Kiki and the Other Witch will be published on:

February 23, 2027

The book is already available for preorder.

The Bottom Line

For fans who grew up with Kiki’s Delivery Service, Kiki and the Other Witch offers something particularly appealing: there is still more of Kiki’s original story to discover.

The third novel gives readers an older Kiki, a new magical friendship, and a story about figuring out who you are as you grow.

And for English-speaking readers, this isn’t simply another new Kiki release—it’s the first English-language North American publication of a story that has been part of Kadono’s original series for decades.