If You Like Impossible Creatures…
Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell is an excellent adventure that will likely find itself on many lists come award time. In the fantasy, Christopher is told by his Grandfather never to go into a forbidden area in the woods, so of course he does. There he rescues a griffin who escaped from a hidden magical world. Mal lives in that world, and the two team up to stop the destruction of the environment and protect the magical creatures they both love.
The books below are other environmental fantasies and adventures sure to please a fan of Rundell.
Immortals series by Tamora Pierce (started in 1992)
I’m a big Tamora Pierce fan, and this series that focuses on Daine does not disappoint. Daine has special connections with animals, and even adopts a orphaned dragon as she finds a place for herself in the Tortall universe.
The Tuesdays at the Castle series by Jessica Day George (started in 2011)
Princess Celie and her family live in a castle that magically changes, and only Celie can keep track of all the new and strange additions. Midway through the series griffin characters enter the story, and those looking for more magical creatures will enjoy the shenanigans.
Leisl & Po by Lauren Oliver and Kei Acedera (2011)
In a very fairy-tale-ish set-up, Leisl has been locked in an attic by her step-mother after her father died. She befriends a ghost named Po and Po’s companion Bundle. When Will, the alchemist’s apprentice, mixes up a box with Leisl’s father’s remains and one full of powerful magic, a quest begins.
Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger (started 2012)
The more books I read in this series the more I like it. Sophie never fit in to the human world, which makes sense since she was really a super-powered elf in hiding! Once she enters the Elf world she learns of the conflict within it and her responsibility to save them all. Messenger handles the stakes deftly, keeping the books fun while true to Sophie’s teen emotions. Lots of cool magical creatures included!
Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend (started in 2017)
I love the Nevermoor series, where a neglected child is whisked away to a magical world. Morrigan Crow must compete to gain entry to a school for magic. Her new world is full of danger and mystery, but it’s also full of love. There’s an often absent parental figure, an enormous cat, and a hotel full of quirky residents, as well as friends from the competition, that populate Morrigan’s world.
Greenwild series by Pari Thomson (started 2023)
Daisy and her journalist mother never stay any one place for long, but that’s okay as long as they are together. When her mother disappears on a dangerous assignment, Daisy is determined to find her. The search leads her to a secret world of botanical magic, one Daisy apparently belongs to. Thomson creates charming characters, wicked villains, and fun plant magic.
Paper Dragons series by Siobhan McDermott (started 2024)
Zhi Ging’s dream is to train as an apprentice to the Immortals. Her rival is chosen instead, but Zhi Ging won’t give up — and magical forces seem to be helping her. When she gets to join the apprentices, she learns of the evil Fui Gwai and the danger it poses. Can Zhi Ging fit in with the other apprentices? Can she pass the tests needed to become an immortal? Will the Fui Gwai ruin the world she is beginning to love?