Willa the Wisp (the Fabled Stables Book #1) - (The Fabled Stables) by Jonathan Auxier (Paperback)

About the Book

One day eight-year-old Auggie Pound, the caretaker of the rare animals in the Fabled Stables, ventures into the swamp to save a new rare creature, the wisp.

Book Synopsis

The Fabled Stables: Willa the Wisp is the first in a fully illustrated chapter book series from New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Auxier and artist Olga Demidova.

Welcome to the Fabled Stables, a magical building filled with one-of-a-kind creatures. Creatures including the Gargantula, the Yawning Abyss, the Hippopotamouse . . . and Auggie.

Auggie is the only human boy at the Stables, and he takes care of all the other animals. The Fabled Stables have a mind of their own, and every so often, the building SHAKES and SHUDDERS, TWITCHES and SPUTTERS--it's making room for a new arrival! It's Auggie's job to venture out and rescue a new creature from mortal danger. But will he be able to complete his mission before it's too late?

With some help from Fen (a literal stick-in-the-mud) and his animal companions, Auggie saves the day and makes a new friend in the process.

"Whimsical fantasy with the right amount of speed and cleverness for the audience." --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"Words and pictures partner to create a captivating, promising series starter that boasts quirky secondary characters and a sympathetic hero." --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

The Fabled Stables series:
The Fabled Stables: Willa the Wisp (#1)
The Fabled Stables: Trouble with Tattle-Tails (#2)
The Fabled Stables: Belly of the Beast (#3)

Review Quotes

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Whimsical fantasy with the right amount of speed and cleverness for the audience."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Words and pictures partner to create a captivating, promising series starter that boasts quirky secondary characters and a sympathetic hero." -- "Publishers Weekly"

"Demidova's chapter illustrations sparkle with whimsy and color and appear on almost every page, pulling double duty by enhancing the story and supporting children ready to step beyond leveled reader. . . Auxier's gleeful and imaginative writing will charm."-- "Booklist"

"Great for reading aloud, this lively first entry in a projected series offers a curious setting and an imaginative cast of characters."-- "Horn Book Magazine"

"Readers will root for Auggie and Willa the Wisp." -- "School Library Journal"

About the Author

Jonathan Auxier is the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author of Peter Nimble andHis Fantastic Eyes, The Night Gardener, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, and Sweep. He lives with his family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Olga Demidova has illustrated many books for children around the world. She studied at the Moscow Art Institute of Applied Arts.