Impossible Creatures: 'There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell' – Michael Morpurgo
Katherine Rundell
Subjects
- Fantasy Worlds - awesome adventures of magic and mystery
- Action Adventures - chills, thrills and plenty of spills
- Facts & Information - lists, stats and plenty of facts
Average rating
‘There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell. Wondrous invention, marvellous writing.’ – Michael Morpurgo
There’s a place where all the wildest stories began … The first novel in the award winning and globally best-selling Impossible Creatures series is the story of two children’s epic adventure to transform the world.
Read the stunning sequel to Impossible Creatures: book 2, The Poisoned King, is OUT NOW!
Christopher is stunned when he discovers a Way-Between from our world to the Archipelago: a cluster of magical islands where all the creatures of myth still live and breed and thrive in their thousands. There he meets Mal: a girl from the islands, who is in possession of a flying coat and a baby griffin, and who is being pursued by a killer. Together they embark on an urgent quest to discover why the creatures are suddenly perishing, voyaging across the wild splendour of the Archipelago, where sphinxes hold secrets and centaurs do murder, in a bid to save both the islands and the world beyond them from a rising evil – before it’s too late.
- THE TIMES CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK * THE INDEPENDENT CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK * THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE WEEK * SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER IN SEPTEMBER 2023
- BRITISH BOOK AWARDS CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR * WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNER * BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS’ AWARD WINNER * FOYLES CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR * SHORTLISTED FOR AMAZON KIDS AND YA BOOK OF THE YEAR
‘Full of adventures, wonderful side characters, new lands and so many fantastic creatures. I heartily recommend it to readers of all ages’ – Rick Riordan
‘A book stuffed full of fantastical, magical delight, and a world of richly imagined wonder’ – Cressida Cowell
‘Rundell’s first foray into fantasy is both a deft, rich homage to the greats of children’s literature and an absorbing, profoundly poignant quest story for those aged 9+ – quite possibly her best yet’ – The Guardian
‘A marvellous, imaginative fantasy told with great style and sparkle – a book to race through in a day and keep for a lifetime’ – Jacqueline Wilson
‘The world of this new book is so intriguing and so well put together that I couldn’t resist it. 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
‘A masterpiece to rival Tolkien and Pullman’ – The Daily Telegraph
‘Fantastically exuberant, wildly imaginative, impossibly brilliant. Rundell’s best, which is something to be marvelled at’ – Kiran Millwood Hargrave
‘Between the covers of Impossible Creatures is a world as enchanting, as perilous, as richly imagined as Narnia or Middle Earth’ – Frank Cottrell-Boyce
‘Rundell’s book packs a punch with imagination and creativity in its purest form. She has created a story with potential to be adored by fantasy lovers for years to come’ – The Independent
‘With a delightful cast of characters, breathless adventure, and an abundance of myth and magic, Impossible Creatures offers the very best of fantasy’ – Aisha Bushby
‘A fierce, fantastic, wild-hearted adventure that roars and bristles with imagination. I devoured it like a hungry dragon’ – Sam Sedgman
‘A rare and remarkable feat of glittering imagination from a truly masterful storyteller’ – Catherine Doyle
‘The action is gripping. Every sentence sparkles. You can feel the flutter of griffin feathers and the menace of strange poisonous shrews. Magnificent’ – The Times
‘Surely the next classic’ – The I
Reviews
I love boooks with magic, animals and adventures! I would also recommend this book! Also, Katherine Rundell is a great Author!
Officer Viper Pendragon 17.06.2026
It was a magical and amazing book!
Lieutenant Mandrake Hedgehog 07.09.2025
Brilliant. Exciting book
Professor Gonzo Submarine 02.09.2025
Really good! Exciting
Mademoiselle Cupcake Waxwork 02.09.2025
This was a mythical fiction book. My favourite character was Mal; she was very adventurous and kind. All animals liked Mal as she was the Immortal. I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy reading!
Doctor Bunny Moonlight 18.08.2025
Very adventurous and good for tweenagers
Viscountess Peaches Windchime 23.07.2025
It was a fun book to read. I loved all the different creatures
Captain Tyler Banana 22.06.2025
Finally finished this book! Every ordinary boy (or girl) dreams of befriending a flying girl/boy and taking off on an extraordinary adventure! I’m going to re-read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them again after this.
Master Aardvark Submarine 14.10.2024
Star Reviewer
Brilliant settings, characters and plot. Great for people who want a balance of fantasy and adventure.
Professor Pug Godzilla 03.09.2024
I would recommend it to fantasy creature fans and those who are in to mystery
General Rapunzel Snivel 10.08.2024
I liked it because it was very interesting and mythical. I absolutely loved the theme and my favourite character was Mal because she was an immortal girl who helped the creatures not to get extincted. And yes I do recommend other people to read it.
Coach Iguana Possum 08.08.2024
This is a really fantastic book. I enjoyed all the weir and wonderful creatures. I recommend reading this book if you like magical worlds and characters. I also really liked Mal’s character and her personality. I just think she has a very fun way to do things.
Director Bunny Tyrannosaurus 05.08.2024
Impossible Creatures is a moving adventure book by Katherine Rundell, that tells a story about Christopher - a normal boy who loves and cares about animals and nature. When he is sent to his grandfather for the holidays, he uncovers an unbelievable truth about a secret world where all the mythical and impossible creatures live. Then a strange girl called Mal appears and asks Christopher for help as she is wanted by a murderer who wants to kill her. The two of them settle on an epic adventure involving dragons, ships and some dangerous creatures with teeth and bones. Good read but might be a little bit boring for fans of Harry Potter and His Dark Material.
Dona Peaches Pumpernickel 29.07.2024
I liked this book because it had lots of cool creatures and some of them were exotic and others could easily hurt or kill the characters. My favourite character was Gelifen because he was a griffin. I liked how the author and illustrators didn't just include friendly creatures, some of them were deadly. I would tell my friends that this was a good book.
Madam Beryl Jumpsuit 28.07.2024
I like this book because it was interesting and very engaging
Principal Birthday-cake Arlington 27.07.2024
For people who like magical creatures. It was very good.
Officer Diamond Sequins 08.07.2024
I can definitely see why this is an ultimate bestseller and why it got the 2023 children's book award. Just the best! There is almost no better book than this. More than 100 times better than I actually expected.
Anonymous 07.05.2024
Star Reviewer
Almost no better book
Anonymous 07.05.2024
Star Reviewer
This was another excellent read by Katherine Rundell. My favourite character was Mal. I would recommend this book to all readers.
Empress Birthday-cake Shortbread 10.02.2024
An astonishing, brilliant book.
Master Sandwich Pawprint 03.02.2024
