English Cymraeg

Impossible Creatures

Name: Impossible Creatures
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

by Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Tomislav Tomic

Interest age: 9 to 13
Reading age: 8+

Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2023

Adventure
Fantasy
Myths and legends

About this book

The Archipelago is a collection of hidden, secret islands inhabited by all the magical creatures you probably think are just myths or stories: dragons, griffins, sphinxes, unicorns, krakens, and many more. But the Archipelago is in trouble. Something dark has taken root at its centre and the islands’ glimourie (magic) is disappearing.

Mal knows something’s wrong with the glimourie, but her biggest concern right now is the man who just tried to murder her. Why would someone want her dead? Thrown together with a boy from our world, Christopher, and hunted by the would-be murderer, Mal embarks on an unplanned journey across the Archipelago to look for answers. As the impact of the fading glimourie is revealed, their quest grows in urgency. Is there any way to fix it before the Archipelago and its inhabitants are lost forever? And what might they have to sacrifice in order to do so?

Katherine Rundell has created an incredibly real-feeling magical world and story to rival classics like Narnia, with writing that sweeps you up and main characters who are simultaneously humanly flawed yet inherently pure and good.

A wondrous, brilliant adventure; forget Hogwarts – everyone will be dreaming of the Archipelago now.

About the author

Katherine Rundell spent her childhood in Africa and Europe. After completing a degree in English and a doctorate on John Donne, she is now a full-time writer and a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, where she studies Renaissance literature and climbs old buildings at night.

Katherine is the bestselling author of The Wolf Wilder and Rooftoppers, which won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize and the Blue Peter Book Award and was shortlisted for many others. In 2017 Katherine won the Costa Children's Book Award for The Explorer. She has also been selected as one of the Aarhus39 – 39 of the leading children's writers from across Europe – and one of the Hay30 'writers and thinkers'.

More books like this

In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen

by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

9 to 14 years
The Poisoned King

by Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Tomislav Tomic

9 to 14 years
The Zebra’s Great Escape

by Katherine Rundell, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

5 to 9 years
The Good Thieves

by Katherine Rundell

9 to 14 years

Explore our Bookfinder

Lists of recommended reads

Books to read aloud to ages 10 and 11

A collection of gripping stories, powerful poetry and riveting non-fiction, ideal for reading aloud to children in upper Key Stage 2.
Great Books Guide Cymru 2024-25: For 10 to 11 year olds

Here's a round-up of new children's books from the last year, which we think any child aged 10 to 11 will love.
Great Books Guide 2024-25: For 10 to 11-year-olds

Here's a round-up of new children's books from the last year, which we think any child aged 10 to 11 will love.
Fantasy books for 9+

Some of our favourite contemporary fantasy titles for readers aged 9+ to enjoy

Discover more booklists