Impossible Creatures meets the world-building of Cornelia Funke's Inkheart series in this unforgettable fantasy series starter perfect for kids 8-12! When twelve-year-old Rain bonds with the last wild griffin, she has the chance to change her fortune—and possibly her world.“Powerful, inspiring, and absolutely wonderful.”—Shannon Messenger, New York Times best-selling author of the Keeper of the Lost Cities seriesAs an orphan on the lowest rung of society, twelve-year-old Rain is destined for a future of hard labor—until she meets a wild griffin and bonds with him.An old law says that bond entitles Rain to an education at the elite Griffin Riders Academy instead of a life in the mines. But Rain’s Rise threatens to topple Griffin Land’s fragile hierarchy, and those at the top are determined to see her fail. So they task Rain with proving herself: Armed with just her wit and accompanied by her best friend and an unlikely ally, Rain must scale the highest peak in Griffin Land and defeat the monster at its summit.Rain’s success could change the world. But with an impossible quest ahead, will she and her griffin even survive?Filled with awe-inspiring black-and-white illustrations, Griffin Speaker is both a delightful friendship-adventure story and a hopeful tale of resistance in an unequal world.