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Impossible Creatures

By Katherine Rundell
Series: Impossible Creatures
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Brief Description
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • THE FIRST BOOK IN THE LANDMARK NEW FANTASY SERIES THAT CONTINUES WITH THE POISONED KING “A glorious fantasy adventure . . . Brimming with intelligence, inventiveness and generosity of heart.”—The Wall Street Journal (One of the Best Children’s Books of... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3900

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Christopher discovers the Archipelago, a world where mythological creatures were secreted away by magic long ago, but those creatures are now dying, and it is up to Christopher and Mal, a girl from the Archipelago, to save both of their worlds.

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • THE FIRST BOOK IN THE LANDMARK NEW FANTASY SERIES THAT CONTINUES WITH THE POISONED KING

“A glorious fantasy adventure . . . Brimming with intelligence, inventiveness and generosity of heart.”—The Wall Street Journal (One of the Best Children’s Books of the Year)

Two kids race to save the world’s last magical place in this instant classic from “a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.” (Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass)

This paperback edition features beautifully designed stenciled edges depicting a creature from the book!

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.

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, KIRKUS REVIEWS, AND SHELF AWARENESS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Series: Impossible Creatures

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780593809891

Publisher: Random House USA Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 August 2025

Country: United States

Imprint: Yearling (imprint of Random House Children's Books)

Illustration: BLACK-AND-WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by Ashley Mackenzie

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 143.0mm

Height: 210.0mm

Weight: 397g

Pages: 384

Collections

Children's Books Children's Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational Katherine Rundell Penguin Books Series: Impossible Creatures Young Adult

About the Author

KATHERINE RUNDELL is the author of Rooftoppers (an ALA-ALSC Notable Book, winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize), Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms (a Boston Globe–Horn Book Award winner), The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer (winner of the Costa Children’s Book Award), and The Good Thieves. She grew up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London, and is currently a Fellow of St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. Her books for adults include Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne (winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize) and Why You Should Read Children’s Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise.
 
ASHLEY MACKENZIE is a Canadian artist and illustrator with a special affinity for dragons, dryads, and all magical creatures.

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