Impossible Creatures (Impossible Creatures #1)
by Katherine Rundell (Author) Ashley MacKenzie (Illustrator)
Two kids race to save the world's last magical place in the first book of a landmark new fantasy series.
The day that Christopher saved a drowning baby griffin from a hidden lake would change his life forever. It's the day he learned about the Archipelago--a cluster of unmapped islands where magical creatures of every kind have thrived for thousands of years, until now. And it's the day he met Mal--a girl on the run, in desperate need of his help.
Mal and Christopher embark on a wild adventure, racing from island to island, searching for someone who can explain why the magic is fading and why magical creatures are suddenly dying. They consult sphinxes, battle kraken, and negotiate with dragons. But the closer they get to the dark truth of what's happening, the clearer it becomes: no one else can fix this. If the Archipelago is to be saved, Mal and Christopher will have to do it themselves.
Katherine Rundell's story crackles and roars with energy and delight. It is brought vividly to life with more than 60 illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.
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Kirkus
An epic fantasy with timeless themes and unforgettable characters.
Publishers Weekly
A boy with an affinity for animals, a girl who can fly when the wind blows, and a secreted-away world in need of saving propel this realms-roving dazzler, a trilogy opener from Rundell (The Good Thieves). When Christopher Forrester is sent to Scotland to stay with his maternal grandfather, he quickly makes for the only area forbidden to him: the top of a nearby hill. Meanwhile, in the Archipelago--"the last surviving magic place"--Mal Arvorian works to understand why marvelous creatures have begun dying and the soil is turning gray. Following a terrifying encounter and a near escape for Mal, the children meet, kicking off a valorous, island-hopping quest to uncover why the Archipelago's magic is fading--a journey that has far-reaching implications. Along the way, Christopher and Mal engage with sympathetic adult secondaries and a cast of wittily rendered mythological beasts, including a cherished griffin and a watchful ratatoska. Employing plotting reminiscent of works by Ursula Le Guin and Philip Pullman, Rundell deploys fresh language, epic stakes, bonds both tender and devastating, and fierce kid characters. It's a thoughtfully lore-informed narrative about the kinship of living things and the marvels of being alive--a story that, above all, takes children seriously. Light-tinged illustrations from Mackenzie (The 66th Rebirth of Frankie Caridi) include a map and bestiary. Cover art portrays the child protagonists with pale skin. Ages 10-up. Agent: Peter Knapp, Park & Fine Literary. (Sept.)
Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
"An instant classic from one of the most gifted storytellers of our time, Impossible Creatures is an astonishing miracle of a book." —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan
"The action is gripping. Every sentence sparkles." —The Times (London)
"The most staggering children's book of the year. A tour-de-force." —The Telegraph
"An absolute WOW of a book. Utterly enchanting and full of wonder, readers are in for a treat!" — B. B. Alston, author of Amari and the Night Brothers
"Rundell is an extraordinary writer and this first in a fantasy trilogy grips, thrills and moves—sometimes to tears." —The Daily Mail
"I love Katherine Rundell's writing. . . . Readers who already know her books will seize this with delight, and new readers will love it and demand all her others at once." —Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass
JUV001010 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure | Survival Stories
JUV002270 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction
Quests (Expeditions)
Mythical animals
Novels
