3 Reasons Why You Should Read Impossible Creatures #2: The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

What’s the book about?

When Christopher Forrester is unexpectedly woken by a miniature dragon chewing on his face, his heart leaps for joy. For months he’s dreamed of returning to the Archipelago – the secret islands where all the creatures of myth still live. But he did not know it would involve a rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, or a plan to enter a dragon’s lair. Nor did he imagine it would involve a girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket and a ravenous hunger for justice…

Recommended for:

Ages 8+

Three reasons to read it: 

1. The Poisoned King is packed with more than fifty stunning illustrations that help bring its magical world to life. Readers can explore the beautifully drawn map of the Archipelago and many other artworks. The visuals make the book even more fun to read and will help younger readers imagine every scene. It’s the perfect mix of storytelling and art for kids who love fantasy and magical creatures.
2. Rundell is not just any writer; she’s the bestselling author of Impossible Creatures. The first book in the series won major awards like Waterstones Book of the Year and the British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year. The Poisoned King continues that legacy with rich language, original ideas, and thrilling storytelling that’ll grab readers from page one.
3. There’s trouble in the Archipelago. Poison is spreading, justice is under attack, and a rescue mission is calling. Christopher must face a journey that includes flying on the back of a sphinx and sneaking into a dragon’s lair. The stakes are high and the challenges are intense, but so is the excitement. Every twist of the journey adds more tension and thrill, making it impossible to stop reading.

Buy a copy of Impossible Creatures #2: The Poisoned King here.

About the author:

Katherine Rundell is a multi-million-bestselling author whose novels for children have won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Costa Children’s Book Award, among many others. Impossible Creatures was Waterstones Book of the Year 2023, and in 2024 Katherine was named the British Book Awards Author of the Year and Impossible Creatures won the Children’s Fiction Book of the Year. She is a Quondam Fellow of All Souls College and a Fellow of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, where she works on Renaissance literature. Her books for adults include Super-Infinite, winner of the Baillie Gifford Prize. Very occasionally she goes climbing across the rooftops of Oxford, late at night.