The Poisoned King is the second book in Katherine Rundell's Impossible Creatures series, and if your kid devoured the first one, they're probably already begging you for this sequel. The series follows Christopher and Mal as they navigate a world where magical creatures exist alongside our own reality—think griffins, dragons, and other fantastical beasts that would make Percy Jackson jealous.
This installment amps up the stakes with castles, dragons, and—as the title suggests—revenge. It's classic middle-grade fantasy adventure, but Rundell has a gift for writing that feels both timeless and fresh. She doesn't talk down to kids, and she doesn't shy away from real emotional weight.
Middle-grade readers (roughly ages 8-12) are in this sweet spot where they want big adventures but also crave stories that take their feelings seriously. The Impossible Creatures series delivers on both fronts.
The magical creatures are genuinely creative and weird in the best way—not just rehashed unicorns and phoenixes. Kids love world-building that feels rich and lived-in, and Rundell delivers. Plus, the revenge plot gives this book a darker, more intense edge than your typical "chosen one saves the world" storyline. Kids who are aging out of Bluey and into more complex narratives eat this stuff up.
The series also features strong friendships and characters who make mistakes and have to deal with consequences. That's catnip for the 9-12 crowd who are starting to navigate their own complicated social dynamics.
Recommended for ages 9-13, though confident readers as young as 8 could handle it, and reluctant readers up to 14 might find it engaging.
Here's what you should know about content:
- Violence: There are battles and dangerous situations involving magical creatures. Nothing gratuitously gory, but people and creatures do get hurt. Think more Percy Jackson than Hunger Games.
- Scary moments: Dragons, revenge plots, and poisoning—it's in the title. Some scenes could be intense for sensitive readers.
- Themes: Revenge, loyalty, moral complexity. Characters aren't always purely good or evil, which is actually great for discussions about ethics and choices.
- Reading level: Solidly middle-grade. Probably around a 5th-6th grade reading level, but the themes skew slightly older.
If your kid handled the first Impossible Creatures book without nightmares or complaints, they're fine for this one. If anything, they'll be annoyed if you try to hold them back.
This is actually good for them. I know that sounds defensive, but hear me out: in a media landscape where kids can easily fall into the YouTube shorts rabbit hole or spend hours watching people play video games, a well-written fantasy novel is genuinely beneficial screen-free time.
Katherine Rundell is a legitimate talent. She won the Costa Book Award and has been praised by everyone from Philip Pullman to the New York Times. Her writing has been described as capturing "the nobility and pathos of the human experience"—which sounds pretentious until you read her work and realize it's true. She makes kids feel things while also keeping them turning pages.
The revenge theme might give some parents pause, and that's fair. But the book doesn't glorify revenge—it explores it as a complex, often destructive force. That's actually a great conversation starter for kids who are old enough to understand that "getting back" at someone who hurt you isn't always the answer, even when it feels justified.
Reading vs. screens: If your kid is choosing this book over Roblox or YouTube, that's a parenting win. Books like this build vocabulary, empathy, attention span, and imagination in ways that passive screen consumption simply doesn't. Not to be preachy about it, but this is the good stuff.
Some kids love talking about what they're reading. Others would rather eat their socks. If yours falls in the first category:
- What would you do if you could create an impossible creature? What two animals would you combine?
- Do you think revenge is ever justified? What about in the book?
- Which character would you want as a friend? Why?
- If you had to choose between staying in our world or going to the magical one, which would you pick?
If they roll their eyes at you, just let them read. That's fine too.
This is an easy yes. If your kid liked the first book, grab this one. If they're looking for a new fantasy series and you're tired of the same old recommendations, start with book one and then move to this.
The Poisoned King offers exactly what middle-grade readers need: adventure, heart, moral complexity, and creatures that are actually impossible. In a world where so much of kids' media feels algorithmically generated or focus-grouped to death, Katherine Rundell writes like she actually respects her readers.
Plus, it gets them off screens for a few hours. Sometimes parenting wins are that simple.
Where to get it: Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstore (which your kid will probably enjoy visiting more than you'd expect).
Want more fantasy recommendations? Check out our guide to middle-grade fantasy books or alternatives to Percy Jackson.