TL;DR
If your kid has graduated from Percy Jackson and is looking for something with a bit more "main character energy" and a lot more emotional weight, Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell is the book currently taking over middle-school libraries. It’s a high-stakes fantasy epic about a hidden chain of islands where every mythical creature you’ve ever heard of (and some you haven’t) actually exists.
Quick Recommendations for fans of the Archipelago:
- For more mythical beasts: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief
- For similar environmental themes: The Wild Robot
- For that "classic" portal fantasy feel: The Chronicles of Narnia
- For kids who prefer gaming their way through fantasy: Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Impossible Creatures is the first book in a planned trilogy by Katherine Rundell. The story follows Christopher, a boy who discovers his grandfather is a guardian of a way-station between our world and the Archipelago. The Archipelago is a secret cluster of islands where magic (called "the Glimmer") is a physical substance that keeps mythical creatures alive.
Christopher teams up with Mal, a girl from the islands who has a flying coat and a baby griffin, to figure out why the Glimmer is fading and why creatures are dying out. It’s been called a "modern classic," and for once, the hype isn't just marketing fluff. It’s a sophisticated, beautifully written, and occasionally gut-wrenching adventure.
If you feel like your kid’s vocabulary has been reduced to "Skibidi" and "Ohio," picking up a book like this can feel like a massive win. But why are they actually reading it?
- The Bestiary Factor: Kids who grew up on Pokemon GO or spent hours in Adopt Me! on Roblox have a natural affinity for "collecting" knowledge about creatures. Rundell fills the book with sphinxes, krakens, and rat-atosks.
- High Stakes: This isn't a "safe" book where everyone gets a trophy. There is real peril. Kids appreciate when an author respects their ability to handle "real" stories.
- The World-Building: The Archipelago feels like a place you could actually visit if you just found the right door. It has that same immersive quality that made Harry Potter a global phenomenon.
While the publisher might say "ages 9 and up," you know your kid best. Here’s the no-BS breakdown of what’s actually inside:
The Intensity Factor
This book doesn't pull its punches. There are moments of genuine horror—not "slasher movie" horror, but "mythical creatures being hunted" horror. There is a scene involving a "murder of crows" (literally) and a villain who is genuinely unsettling. If your kid is particularly sensitive to animal (or creature) peril, you might want to read this one together.
Emotional Weight
The book deals heavily with grief, environmental collapse, and the idea that sometimes, to save the world, you have to lose something you love. It’s heavy. It’s 2025, and our kids are already dealing with "climate anxiety"—this book is essentially a giant allegory for that, which can be cathartic for some and overwhelming for others.
Reading Level
Katherine Rundell is a "writer's writer." The prose is gorgeous, but it’s more complex than Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It’s a great choice for strong readers in 4th-6th grade, or as a read-aloud for younger kids who can handle the darker themes.
Check out our guide on finding the right reading level for your child
We see a lot of "brain rot" content in the digital space, but Impossible Creatures is the literal antidote. However, it’s worth noting how it interacts with your kid's digital life.
- The "Gacha" Connection: Kids who are obsessed with "pulling" for rare characters in games like Genshin Impact will find the variety of creatures in the Archipelago very satisfying. You can use the book to talk about what makes a character "rare" or "special" beyond just a digital stat.
- Environmentalism: The "Glimmer" is a perfect metaphor for natural resources. If your family is intentional about conservation, this book provides a fantastic opening to talk about why we protect things that seem "useless" or "hidden."
- The "Hero's Journey": Christopher isn't a "chosen one" in the traditional sense; he’s a kid who chooses to do the right thing. In an era of influencers and "main character syndrome," it’s a nice change of pace to see a hero motivated by responsibility rather than fame.
If your kid has already blazed through the first book and is begging for more while waiting for the sequel, here are some Screenwise-approved pivots:
Think "Men in Black" meets magic. It has that same "hidden world" vibe but with a very modern, fast-paced energy that appeals to kids who might have a shorter attention span.
If the draw was strictly the dragons and the creature lore, Wings of Fire is the gold standard. It's a bit more "action-movie" and a bit less "literary masterpiece," but it keeps them reading.
For the environmental themes and the "nature is beautiful but dangerous" vibe, you can't beat Roz the robot. It’s a bit younger, but the emotional payoff is just as strong.
If they want to live in a world of mythical beasts, this is the most immersive way to do it. Just be prepared for the "I want a PS5" conversation if you don't already have one.
Instead of the standard "Did you like the book?", try these conversation starters that actually get more than a one-word answer:
- "If you lived in the Archipelago, which island would you want to live on? The one with the dragons or the one with the sphinxes?"
- "The Glimmer is dying because people stopped caring about it. Do you think that happens in the real world with things like nature or even friendships?"
- "Mal has a coat that lets her fly. If you could have one magical item from the book, but it had a 'cost' to use it, would you still want it?"
Learn more about how to have meaningful conversations about media
Impossible Creatures is a rare gem. It’s the kind of book that reminds us why we want our kids to read in the first place—to expand their empathy, fire up their imagination, and maybe give them a slightly more sophisticated vocabulary than "bruh."
It’s intense, yes. It’s sad in places, definitely. But it’s also the kind of story that sticks with a kid for a lifetime. If your child is between 9 and 13, this is a "must-buy" (or "must-reserve-at-the-library-immediately").
- Audit the shelf: See if they’ve read the "pre-requisites" like Percy Jackson or The Golden Compass.
- Check the maturity: If your kid is 8 or younger, maybe read the first three chapters together to gauge if the "peril" is too much.
- Look for the Bestiary: There is an illustrated guide often sold alongside the book. If you have a "visual" kid, that might be the hook they need.
Ask our chatbot for a personalized reading list based on your kid's favorite games