The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures #2)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 11, 2025
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About The Poisoned King
Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!
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 more than fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.
My Review
The cameos from some of the minor characters from Impossible Creatures were one of my favorite parts of this book. I really enjoyed getting to see what happened to Irian and Nighthand, but I loved that the tiny dragon, Jacques, was back in this story, too.
I have to say that after the painful losses in the first book, I was braced for tragedy in this one. While I don’t want to spoil anything, I will say that this book wasn’t as devastating as the last one.
The hardcover edition has beautiful artwork throughout. The endpapers have a map of the Glimoria Archipelago surrounded by some of the different mythical creatures. Like the first book, this one has an illustrated glossary of creatures in the back.
The story moved forward at a smooth pace, keeping me engaged all the way through. I am really enjoying the series and definitely want to read the next book when it comes out.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
The narrator sees two adults kiss (from a distance).
Spiritual Content
Magical creatures exist in the story.
Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone poisons several others as part of a power grab. Some magical creatures intend to kill or eat the main characters. One character vows to get revenge on the person who framed her father for murder. The characters hear that someone falsely accused of murder is sentenced to be executed.
Drug Content
None.
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