Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce and Maggie Stiefvater

Pip is a girl who can talk to magical creatures. Her aunt is a vet for magical creatures. And her new friend Tomas is allergic to most magical creatures. When things go amok—and they often go amok—Pip consults Jeffrey Higgleston’s Guide to Magical Creatures, a reference work that Pip finds herself constantly amending. Because dealing with magical creatures like unicorns, griffins, and fuzzles doesn’t just require book knowledge—it requires hands-on experience and thinking on your feet. For example, when fuzzles (which have an awful habit of bursting into flame when they’re agitated) invade your town, it’s not enough to know what the fuzzles are—Pip and Tomas also must trace the fuzzles’ agitation to its source, and in doing so, save the whole town.

From bestselling authors Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce comes an exciting new series full of magical creatures, whimsical adventures, and quirky illustrations.

Personal Thoughts:

Maggie Stiefvater‘s name is basically the reason why I pick-up Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures even it is actually for kids. I adore Maggie’s writing from her previous novels and I just want to read more from her while waiting for the release of The Raven King. Maggie is a very talented writer and artist and I’m just really excited to see more of her genius.

Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures not only offers Maggie’s writing but also her sketches. So having to see Maggie’s art inside Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures is a delight for me. It’s like seeing another side of Maggie in here, not just an artist or a writer but someone who is having fun like a kid. I don’t know how, but reading Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures somehow project Maggie and Jackson having fun writing or exchanging ideas, which makes reading more fun for me in return.

As a middle grade novel, Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures is a lot simpler than Maggie’s other works, which is already expected but still the novel is no less perfect. In this collaboration with Jackson Pearce, they both come up with an exciting, whimsical, and entertaining story. I had so much fun following Pip and Tomas with their encounter with all the magical creatures.

Overall, Pip Barlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures is quick and delightful read. Kids and kids at heart will surely have fun reading Pip’s story as well as adoring the sketches inside this charming novel.

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*This review is based on a copy I received courtesy of the publisher, Sholastic Press Philippines in exchange for an honest opinion.