- Fantasy
- Chapter Books
- Ages 9–13
The shape of it
The shape of this universe.
Impossible Creatures is Katherine Rundell's major fantasy-adventure franchise set in the Archipelago, a hidden world where mythical creatures such as dragons, griffins, sphinxes, unicorns and krakens still exist. The series follows Christopher and Mal into a world where magic is fading, creatures are dying, and courage, loyalty and moral imagination are required as much as bravery. It has the scale and ambition of a modern fantasy classic: beautiful language, perilous journeys, invented geography, mythic creatures and a sense that wonder is something worth fighting for.
A rich, thrilling fantasy adventure about a hidden archipelago of mythical creatures, fading magic, courage and wonder.
Primary themes
Tone palette
- Adventurous
- Exciting
- Suspenseful
- Thought provoking
The series
One way in.
Cultural footprint
A shelf of evidence.
What Impossible Creatures has done
- Major award winner
- Bestseller list
Cultural ubiquity
4/ 5Widely-known cultural fixture — just below household-name status.
Sensitivity
Moderate, and collection-wide.
Content notes
- Violence
- Animal harm
- Death of character
- Scary imagery
Across the collection
All 3 books.
About the creator