FROM THE PUBLISHER

Katherine Rundell - Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and prize-winning author of five novels for children - explores how children's books ignite, and can re-ignite, the imagination; how children's fiction, with its unabashed emotion and playfulness, can awaken old hungers and create new perspectives on the world.

FROM SARAH:

“Greater than the world’s chaos are its miracles.” Fablehaven meets The Giver in this unputdownable fantasy novel... probably my favorite fiction read of the year. Solid themes of redemption, sacrifice, love, and memory are the foundation of this riveting tale. The audiobook is especially well done, but you’ll also want a physical copy so you can see the gorgeous pictures of the creatures. Intensity and darkness-wise, it’s on par with the later Harry Potter books and begins with a murder, so read the first few chapters if you want to gauge its intensity before handing it to your kids. I'd recommend it for about ages 10 or 11 and up. Would be fantastic to read aloud with teens, as well.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

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.

FROM SARAH:

It's not everyday that a sequel to a beloved story is as fantastic as the first, but Katherine Rundell has brought us back into the magical world of the Archipelago with just as much beauty, adventure, redemption and heart as she did in Impossible Creatures. Grab your tissues for this one, friends. It's not to be missed! Recommended for ages 12 and up.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!