The Poisoned King

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - THE SECOND BOOK IN THE LANDMARK NEW FANTASY SERIES THAT BEGAN WITH IMPOSSIBLE CREATURES

"Rundell is back with a sequel . . . which offers magical thrills for young readers and adults alike."--The New York Times

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*

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.

A GOOD HOUSEKEEPING KIDS' BOOK AWARD - A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

Author: Katherine Rundell
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published: 09/11/2025
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Series: Impossible Creatures
Weight: 1.04lbs
Size: 8.73h x 6.23w x 1.12d
ISBN: 9780593809907
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 5
Point Value: 8
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 555824 / Poisoned King


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 02/10/2026
Kirkus Reviews 07/01/2025
School Library Journal 08/29/2025 pg. 1
Shelf Awareness 09/19/2025
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2025 pg. 77

About the Author
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.