Willa the Wisp

The Fabled Stables #1

by Jonathan Auxier, Olga Demidova (Contributor)

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.

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Animals, Chapter Books, Middle Grade, Magic, Fiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2020

Reviews

[Adriana (SaltyBadgerADii) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely adorable! This was such a fun read and very quick too, I loved that the author's note said that this book is meant to be read out loud, which I 100% agree with. I could see myself reading this to my future children. But even for my current age I loved it! I will definitely be adding finished copies to my collection as I want to see all the amazing illustrations! I like that there's this very whimsical and (sort of) mystery feel throughout the book. I cannot wait to meet more of these wonderful creatures that were mentioned in the book!

[Sisters Three · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute!

[Sue (BeautyBookCorner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun magical story! I loved the whimsical atmosphere and the different personalities. I felt this could have used a couple of more scenes to explain the world a bit more. However, this seems like it will be the type of series that young readers will love as new books adds new details to the world.

This would be great for readers who enjoy transitional chapter books like A to Z Mysteries, Rainbow Fairies, Junie B Jones, and Magic Tree House.

[Rajiv · Rating 5 out of 5]

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4.5 stars

What a cute, whimsical story! I read The Night Gardener (by the same author) a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Even though The Fabled Stables is a read-along for children, it still highlights how talented the author is. He manages to make this short tale unique and creative. Moreover, I loved all the quirky, mutated creatures on the Island like ‘the Hippopotomouse’ and the ‘Bush Squid’. Auggie and Fen have a very adorable friendship. Auggie is upbeat and positive, while Fen is grumpy and pessimistic. But they still look out for each other when needed.

As I read the advanced copy, few of the artwork was still in progress and not included. However, the sketches included were whimsical and beautiful. I love the colors Olga Demidova uses for her illustrations in children’s books. Similarly, I feel the artwork would be breath-taking (like the cover) in the published version.

The only reason I didn’t give this book 4.5 instead of 5 star rating was because I felt the story missed a few details. For instance, we don’t get to know who Professor Cake is and how the Island came into being. Perhaps it would be mentioned in the future books, but I got curious about the island while reading, and was hoping for a tidbit of its history.

Apart from that, Willa the Wisp is a wonderful start to this children’s series. I hope to see the duo add many more books to it.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun new early chapter book series! I think my students will love the magic and the animals!

[Loren Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

J 5 ⭐ & S 5 ⭐

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This must be read as a hard copy. Worked through this one with my 4th grader and the illustrations are pure magic. I am so excited for this series to continue.

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jonathan Auxier, the Governor General Award-winning author of Sweep, teams up with illustrator Olga Demidova (Bernard Pepperlin, written by Cara Hoffman) for the gloriously magical and exciting chapter book Willa the Wisp, the first book in The Fabled Stables series. From the opening lines, Willa the Wisp brings readers right into the world of a young boy named Auggie, who lives in the “heart of an island” “at the top of the world”, whose job is to look after creatures of all kinds in the Fabled Stables. With his extraordinary “Horn of Plenty” to take care of creatures, and the company of island resident Miss Bundt, and Fen, a magical, grumpy, yet ultimately loyal Stick-in-the-Mud, Auggie is busy and kept occupied. But he sometimes wonders about friends and friendships...and how even having “the best job in the world can get lonely without a friend”. The sudden appearance of a new stable door, followed by the thrilling rescue of a creature called a wisp from sinister hunters, as well as the promise of even richer storytelling to come, make Willa the Wisp wonderfully exciting reading. Combining the best of fairytale storytelling, standout characters and creatures, thrills, magic, and humour, featuring out of the ordinary storytelling from Auxier and singular, effervescent artwork from Demidova, Willa the Wisp is sublime and wonderfully peculiar- and meant to be enjoyed as a read aloud!

I received a copy of this title courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.

[Cassiejoan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is a fun, colorful beginner chapter book for kids ready to listen to something longer than a picture book or to just start reading chapter books independently. There are colorful illustrations on every spread with much less text than in a "normal" chapter book so that transitioning readers don't get overwhelmed or bored. I would put this book in the same category as the Mercy Watson to the Rescue books and say that these kinds of books are sorely lacking in the market (how can that be when there are 987,346,509,309 WWII books?) We read it aloud in two sittings, though I'm sure it could be read in less (or more). All that aside, I personally found the plotline less than amazing...its cute and fun but not very special in my opinion. However, I will also add that my kids (even the ones way too old to read this on their own) seemed to like it and want to get the next one when it is released. In addition, we haven't read the chapter book that this is a backstory for (if I remember right) so maybe if we read that first, I would have appreciated this more.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eight-year-old Auggie works at the Fabled Stables and takes care of magical creatures. One night, a new stall appears for a new magical creature who is in danger. Auggie needs to venture out to save the new creature, a wisp.

This is a delightful new book that will enchant younger readers. It is fast-paced, enjoyable, and imaginative.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read aloud to the younger 3 in one sitting. We loved this new early reader book by a favorite author. This is a fantasy story with fantastic illustrations. As early fantasy books go, the plot in this was far better than many we’ve read, with a great setup for more books in the series. I think some of the foreshadowing for future books went over my you get kids’ heads, but my 7 year old was just tickled throughout especially.

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a treasure. It is a book for children, but Jonathan Auxier is an amazing writer. It is gripping from the beginning to end and so inventive that is is excellent fantasy. This is a fine book.

[McKenna R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute fantasy chapter book with full-color illustrations on every page. Auggie is an 8-year-old boy who looks after the magical creatures on the island where he lives. My favorite character was the Stick-in-the-Mud Fen. Love me a grumpy stick.

[Meagan Snodgress · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3 year old and 5 year old were obsessed! The illustrations were fantastic, the story was just exciting and silly enough to keep everyone interested, and new vocabulary was introduced without bogging down the story too much. We will definitely read more of this series.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in a new early chapter book series filled with such unique magical critters as Gargantula, the Yawning Abyss, and the Hippopotamouse.

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this short chapter picture book. In the forward, Auxier mentions that he wrote this to be meant as a read aloud. I am anxious to try this out on the younger elementary students once school starts back up. Full of fantasy and magical creatures, this has the feel of a bigger book but packed into a picture book. I think younger kids will eat up this series. Love the illustrations as well.

[Luci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book was around when I was a kid. It was magical and fun and ethereal!

[Kelly Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was incredibly adorable, and I got major Hobbit vibes from Auggie. I can't wait to read more of this series!

[Meredith Nunley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute book! Leah and I both wanted to read it in one sitting. Beautiful illustrations and great writing.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first chapter book read aloud my 3 year old really engaged with. He loved it and so did my 6 year old! Great illustrations and a story with lots of imagination and action. This book is the perfect addition to the Princess in Black/Mercy Watson early chapter book shelf.

[Renée · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect “adventure with a little bit of fighting.” Good balance of text and pictures for kids starting chapter books. Also a good read aloud for preschoolers.

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I adore everything that Jonathan Auxier writes, so I was thrilled to see that he is starting a new chapter book series.

This is a story about Auggie, who is the caretaker of magical creatures at Fabled Stables. New animals often arrive unannounced, and in this story, a stall appears for a "wisp". Auggie has no idea what a wisp is, but must enter a swamp to try and find it. Though he finds Willa, he also finds trouble, and it takes some teamwork to get them to safety.

I've never read a chapter book with this type of fantastical, imaginative storytelling, and I think kids will really enjoy it. With unique creatures and interesting problems with creative solutions, this story feels unique and different from many other books at this level.

I look forward to seeing the final illustrations, and will definitely be purchasing it for my collection this fall.

[Great Books]

Fantasy fans will fall in love with Auxier’s new chapter book series about Auggie, a stable boy who is tasked with caring for quirky creatures. Auggie finds himself facing a dilemma – can he save another creature before it’s too late? Colorful illustrations and a whimsical storyline will captivate young readers looking to make the transition into chapter books.

Reviewer #30

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another early chapter book that my three year old actually enjoyed more than the six year old. I had read that Jonathan Auxier created this book (seems to be a future series?) to read to his varying aged children, and it's perfect for that. It has full color illustrations on each page, and is very whimsical. My three year old wanted to read it every night. The book (series?) is about a boy named Auggie who is the caretaker for the Fabled Stables, where rare magical creatures come to stay. When a new stable appears, labeled "Wisp," Auggie must go find the wisp before some poachers do.

Ages 3-6

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from ABRAMS Kids through NetGalley.
Auggie is the stable boy for a rather unique stable filled with one of a kind creatures. He cares for them and loves them. In this first book, he has to go into another part of the world and find the new creature - a wisp. He uses his brain to rescue her and himself and brings her back to safety. His only fried is a stick named Fen who pretends not to care. Auxier captures the magic in this fantasy story for younger readers. A perfect read aloud for families and elementary classes.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have at least half a dozen 'Care of Magical Creature' series on my early chapter book shelves. This is the first one that draws on the legacy of Lloyd Alexander and Tolkien.

[Abigail Beckwith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I miiiiiiight have been a little un-busy at a bookfair this morning so I figured I'd get a small book off of my TBR pile. Here's Jonathan Auxier's (author) and Olga Demidova's (illustrator) The Fabled Stables series. These stories were some that Jonathan used to tell his children before bed and during longer car trips, turned into physical form for every family to enjoy.

Willa the Wisp: ["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."]

Trouble with Tattle-Tails: ["Auggie and his magical companions are tending to the Fabled Stables when the building shakes and shudders to make room for a new arrival: the Tattle-Tail. Auggie and friends travel through the portal to a town called Rainbow’s End in search of this mysterious creature. Auggie assumes that the Tattle-Tail is in danger, but he learns that it’s actually the town that needs rescuing . . . from an infestation of Tattle-Tails! // These talking tails have taken over, attaching themselves to every backside in town (including Auggie’s!). The Tails tattle on whomever they’re attached to: She picked her nose! He just double-dipped! The constant stress of being tattled on has thrown all of Rainbow’s End into chaos! // Soon, Auggie and friends hatch a plan to collect the Tattle-Tails and bring them safely to the Stables—foiling a pair of evil bank robbers along the way."]

Belly of the Beast: ["Auggie loves his job at the Fabled Stables, but he fears the day when it will come to an end. Fen keeps dropping hints that caretakers don’t stay forever, and it’s giving Auggie the grumps. Thankfully, there always seems to be a new stall to fill. This time, the stables set Auggie on a quest to rescue a beast called the Shibboleth—but the portal leads Auggie and Fen to the lair of the evil Rooks! // In the dark, damp dungeon, they meet one mysterious girl and one very hungry monster. It’s already gobbled up all of the Rooks, and Auggie and Fen are next unless they figure out the one way to calm the creature. Will they be able to work together to complete the mission before it’s too late?"]

I looooved Olga's illustrations in this! There was so much color and dynamics and character in each page. There was so much storytelling and plot in just setting the scene and illustrating Auggie and his friends.

And the story itself?! Adorable and moving. I loved the simple but hilarious play on words with each character's name (and how they were drawn); it was sooooo clever and perfect.

#willathewisp #troublewithtattletales #bellyofthebeast #jonathanauxier #olgademidova #thefabledstables #thefabledstablesseries #books #childrensbooks #childrensclassics #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was released October 20, 2020, by Penguin Random House Canada.
Don't miss this entertaining treat for chapter book readers!

It's a little bit creepy, a little bit fanciful and a whole lotta delightful.

"AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD SAT AND ISLAND.

And at the heart of that island lived a boy named Auggie. "

On this island are the Fabled Stables. They look small from the outside, but inside they are magically massive enough to be home to one of a kind magical beings.

Auggie, a young boy with the ability to talk to animals, is their caretaker.

Unfortunately he's the only boy on the island and lonely. He may or may not be friends with Fen, a cantankerous 'stick in the mud" who transforms into any shape Auggie needs while caring for the stables. All to often this means turning into a shovel to dig out the muck a stable inevitably acquires. The only other people on the island are Miss Bundt, who, based on her many tattoos, may or may not have been a pirate in a previous career. Her job now seems to be to make things for Professor Cake, an old, clever collector and owner of the island.

One morning the earth shakes. When Auggie rushes to the stables he discovers a new stall. The back of it opens into a swamp where, unbeknownst by him, far away, some hunters are chasing down a magical creature.

Auggie, wrapped in a bit of Gargantula's web so he doesn't get lost, heads off in search of the new creature. Willa the Wisp, seems to be a bunny like creature with floppy ears, fluffy tail, horns and wings. She has the capacity to transform herself into whatever shape she wants.

Things seem dire when Auggie and Willa end up trapped in a net by the nefarious hunters.

I adored so much about this book. Jonathan Auxier's writing is whimsical and fun. I've read this three times and each time I am more enchanted. My NetGalley copy included unfinished artwork by Olga Demidova, a Russian illustrator now living in the USA. She creates exquisite art using photoshop. I found some of the finished work I shared here on her instagram site.

In his introductory note, the author writes,

The Fabled Stables is meant to be read aloud. As a parent I've struggle to find read-alouds that strike a balance between the interests and attention spans of my differently aged kids. I wanted to create a series that combined the more complex plotting and language of chapter books with the illustration-every-page excitement of picture books. Truly, this is a series meant for readers of all ages."

Thank you Jonathan Auxier for your brilliantly executed vision.

I've already ordered a couple of copies of this for two of my grandchildren. (I might even have to purchase a copy for myself for when they come to visit)

I'm excitedly looking forward to the next in the series.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Auggie lives on an island with an amazing set of stables, which he is in charge of. The stables are full of magical creatures like a Gargantula. Auggie’s companions include Fen, a “stick-in-the-mud” that change into whatever Auggie needs him to be. A woman named Miss Bundt also lives there, near the Plotting Shed, where she builds things that the island’s owner, Professor Cake, requests. Auggie is happy minding the stables but wishes for a friend. One day, the stables shudder as a new stall is added. Inside the stall is a swamp, where Auggie meets Willa, a wispy critter who thrives in the moonlight. However, Auggie doesn’t know that others are hunting Willa as well. Who are they, and how can they outsmart them?

Auxier said his goal was to write a read aloud that the whole family would enjoy, and I think he did an excellent job. There is enough meat here to give people of all ages something to think about. Illustrations were not final in the ARC, but I liked what I saw. Demidova does a great job of catching the magical creatures, and they remind me a bit of Quentin Blake’s illustrations in Roald Dahl books. Expect to learn about lots of cool magical creatures and look for more books in the series to continue learning about who else wants these magical creatures.

I would hand this to those that also enjoyed books like Unicorn Rescue Society, Princess in Black, Owl Diaries, or Zoey and Sassafrass. If you are a fan of the author’s Peter Nimble series, familiar characters and places will be referenced along the way.