Step Inside The Mythical Land Zoo A Magical New Book for Young Readers

If you are already searching for an imaginative Christmas present for a young reader, a wonderfully unusual new zoo is preparing to open its gates.

Cambridgeshire children’s author Joanne Hutchinson launches The Mythical Land Zoo on 22 August 2026, introducing families to a collection of funny, lovable and completely impossible creatures.

Forget about lions, elephants and penguins. At this particular zoo, visitors can meet teacup-sized Gigglephants that sneeze confetti, Dreammuffs that snore clouds of candyfloss when disturbed and wonderfully dramatic Moopacas that take themselves very seriously as they strut along their own runway.

Filled with humour, colour and playful ideas, the illustrated book has been created to make children laugh while encouraging them to use their imaginations. Who knows what peculiar animal might be waiting around the next corner?

The Mythical Land Zoo forms part of Joanne’s growing Mythical Land story world, which also includes Og, Hagwitch and Hettie the Talking Yeti. Rather than being entirely separate stories, the books are connected through recurring characters, magical locations, strange creatures and new adventures.

Joanne told That's Christmas 365: “I wanted to create the sort of zoo children would invent themselves, somewhere completely ridiculous things are perfectly normal. A Gigglephant can be the size of a teacup, a Dreammuff can snore candyfloss and, of course, a Moopaca can believe it is the star of its own runway.”

She added that Mythical Land has grown far beyond a single story, creating a world in which there is always another character to meet, another place to explore and “another bit of nonsense” waiting to be discovered.

The fun also continues beyond the printed page. The official Mythical Land website allows families to learn more about its characters, explore the expanding world and enjoy free children’s activities inspired by the stories. These resources give youngsters the opportunity to carry on playing, creating and imagining after the book has been closed.

Launching in both paperback and Kindle editions, The Mythical Land Zoo could make a charming Christmas gift for children who enjoy funny creatures, magical adventures and stories that celebrate the sheer joy of imagination. It could also be a lovely choice for a Christmas Eve book box or a festive family reading session.

The Mythical Land Zoo launches on 22 August 2026.

More information, character introductions and free activities are available from www.mythicalland.co.uk.