Kids Corner: The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

My thoughts:

Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures was very well received. All of the kids who enjoyed that title will be thrilled to pick up this second in the series. Spending time with Anya, Christopher and others from the first book will be most welcome. Here there is once again adventure, friendship, loyalty, a belief in justice, humor and more. The plot is good, the pages turn and the illustrations add to the enjoyment of the book.

It is very easy to see why this book has gotten so many positive reviews. I agree and think that these titles will become children’s classics.

Note that the author herself has said that she is retelling the story of Hamlet.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 11 September 2025

About the book:

From the publisher

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, smash hit Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!

*This spectacular book features foil and embossing on the jacket, full-color designed endpapers, and brilliant stained edges*

A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING KIDS’ BOOK AWARD WINNER

Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons.

But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice.

Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.

About the Author:

From Amazon

Katherine Rundell is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Impossible Creatures and The Poisoned King. Her other books for children include Rooftoppers, Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, The Wolf Wilder, The Explorer, and The Good Thieves. For adult readers, Rundell has written Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures and Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. She was the recipient of the British Book Award for Book of the Year and Author of the Year. She grew up in Zimbabwe, Brussels, and London, and is currently a Fellow of St. Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Ashley Mackenzie is a Canadian artist and illustrator with a special affinity for dragons, dryads, and all magical creatures.

Editorial Reviews:

Review

“Rundell is back with a sequel….which offers magical thrills for young readers and adults alike.” —The New York Times

“A brilliantly imaginative, wildly adventuresome, heartstring-tugging sequel in a series destined to become a classic….With many moments of deadly peril, luminous triumph, deep grief, and sweet wisdom, it’s a thrilling, emotional ride.” —Common Sense Media

★ “A spectacular return to a magical world.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Rundell’s ability to render the nobility and pathos of the human experience will take readers on a profoundly affecting journey that they will remember long after the book is closed.” —The Horn Book, starred review

“A high-energy and imaginative sequel….Rundell expertly shapes another magical adventure in The Poisoned King.” —Shelf Awareness

The first in the series:

Kids won’t forget: Impossible Creatures