The first book in a magical chapter-book adventure series by the Governor General Award-winning author of Sweep.

Auggie Pound is eight years old and has the greatest job of all time: he cares for all the animals in the Fabled Stables. The Fabled Stables house the rarest creatures in existence -- all of them one-of-a-kind. Auggie's job is to care for these creatures, as well as track down and safely capture endangered magical beasts in the wild. Some mornings, he arrives to find an empty stall with the name of a new creature to rescue. One day, the Stables rearrange themselves out of the blue, creating a new stall. The sign over the gate says, "Wisp." But what is a wisp and where is it? All Auggie can see is a moonlit swamp stretching out before him. Then a hungry HOWLLLLLLL rings out in the darkness. It's up to Auggie to go into the swamp to find the wisp before it's too late.

Jonathan Auxier writes strange stories for strange children--including PETER NIMBLE & HIS FANTASTIC EYES and THE NIGHT GARDENER. Raised in Canada, Jonathan now lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and family.

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One of the Ontario Library Association's 2020 Best Bets selection, Junior Fiction category

“Whimsical fantasy with the right amount of speed and cleverness for the audience.” ―STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews
"Words and pictures partner to create a captivating, promising series starter that boasts quirky secondary characters and a sympathetic hero." ―STARRED REVIEW, Publishers Weekly

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

"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 readers. . . 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

“Fans of The Princess in Black and Mercy Watson will be won over by this magical new series.” ―100 Scope Notes