Watched Howl's Moving Castle for the first time in many years. I still think the plot is a little hard to follow, with some elements being introduced a bit late and the Witch of the Waste not getting enough development. The themes feel less focused and effective than in other Ghibli movies. I would still struggle to explain what the movie is about. But boy is it a gorgeous movie to look at and listen to. And I really loved Sophie, Howl, Calcifer, and Markl. Wish we got more of them! There's a wealth of great ideas and amazing scenes, and nothing that I really dislike. Highly recommended.
I'm also reading Walking is a Way of Knowing by Madhuri Ramesh. It was in the little kids' picture book section of the library, but while it's technically a picture book, sort of, it's meant for older youths and adults. It's a fascinating account of Ramesh's visit to the Kadar tribe in southern India, a tribe with intimate knowledge of the forest they live in and near. Ramesh gets taken on long walks through the forest while his Kadar friends explain to him all about the forest plants and wildlife. It's like the best kind of environmental science book, told very concisely but evocatively with true-to-life narration.
How about this?. To be fair, it sounds a hideous read.
In the Sorcerers Apprentice, Tom (are the witch fighters Christian??) is distracted by Alice.