The Mythical Creature Conservatory
by Sara Axelbaum, with contributions and illustrations by Hudson Axelbaum (age 10)
A debut novel by Sara Axelbaum for kids 8-12
THE MYTHICAL CREATURE CONSERVATORY is a middle grade novel that follows Jack as he joins a globally diverse team of kids recruited not for magic, but for compassion, to rescue mythological creatures and preserve their stories before they're lost forever.
Mythical creatures are fading from the world, and the last refuge for their stories is the Mythical Creature Conservatory, where poachers are lurking right outside the enchanted gates. Ten‑year‑old Jack earns an invitation to this dreamlike sanctuary, where trees hum, clouds serve as transport, and legends from every culture walk the halls. But it’s not all smiling bees and unicorn groves.
Jack quickly discovers that the invaders know too much and that they may have something to do with a long missing phoenix.
Can Jack face his fears and anxiety to save the creatures and solve the mysteries?
"Your story differs from that of most fantasy fiction... [with a] fresh approach to the subject... reshaping traditional material for our own time."”
— Joseph Nigg, foremost expert on fantastical creatures, whose books were sourced for much of the research that went into this novel.
Joseph Nigg’s books include The Phoenix: An Unnatural Biography of a Mythical Beast, How to Raise and Keep a Dragon, and The Book of Fabulous Beasts: A Treasury of Writings from Ancient Times to the Present
“I love the characters - I really felt like I knew them and felt something for them! Love that some of the characters were neurodiverse. And I think a story where a kid has something "special" is a great hook.”
— Beta Reader
“The characters and story felt so real. It was the first time I’ve read the thoughts of someone experiencing anxiety like I do. And I use the same coping mechanisms that Jack uses!”
— Beta Reader
What people are saying about THE MYTHICAL CREATURE CONSERVATORY:
About Sara
I am on a quest to give good-natured kids the inspiration they need to grow up to be good-natured adults. As an inclusivity expert (after a career in advertising and digital media), I believe in the power of storytelling. I want to give my sons a hero worth looking up to, so their generation can restore the compassion to this world that we so desperately need.
I’ve had proven success in many arenas outside of my day job. As an entrepreneur and inventor, I successfully crowdfunded a business. As a speaker, I have been on countless podcasts, panels, and conference billings. As a community volunteer, I am a volunteer suicide crisis counselor, I launched my village’s inaugural Pride celebration, and raised thousands of dollars for our local library renovation and other local charities. I love making something out of nothing, whether it is crocheting a ball of yarn into a phoenix, planting a seed to make a garden, or creating a book to show my kids just how wonderful writing can be.
About Hudson
Hudson is 10-years-old and inspired writing this novel when he came home one day and said he didn’t really love writing. In an effort to prove that writing could be fun, his mom, Sara, wrote a chapter, which somehow became a 57K word book. Hudson contributed story lines, plot twists, creature inspiration, and sketches throughout the process and this book would not exist without him.
When Hudson isn’t sketching mythological creatures, he can be found deep in his imagination, listening to his favorite podcast “Greeking Out”, or at the volunteer charity table he started, Tuckahoe Kids’ Table, where handmade items are donated by people in the village and every penny from selling them goes toward village charities.
