The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum

When a notorious thief is out for priceless treasure (gems! cats! general decorum!)—who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat!

“For any kid who’s felt like a misfit, this crackling adventure packs a wallop!” —Lincoln Peirce, creator of Big Nate and Max & the Midknights

Olive Cobin Zang has . . . issues. And they mostly aren’t her fault. (No, really!) Though she often slips under the radar, problems have a knack for finding her. So, imagine her doubts when she’s suddenly dropped off at the strangest boarding school ever: a former castle turned prison that's now a “reforming arts school”!

But nothing could’ve prepared Olive for RASCH (not “rash”). There, she’s lumped with a team of other kids who never quite fit in, and discovers that the academy isn’t what it seems—and neither is she. In fact, RASCH is a cover for an elite group of misfits who fight crime . . . and Olive has arrived just in time.

Turns out that RASCH is in danger of closing, unless Olive’s class can stop the heist of the century. And as Olive falls in love with this wacky school, she realizes it’s up to her new team to save the only home that’s ever welcomed them.

Lisa Yee has taken a private-investigator course, and it’s slightly possible that she’s a secret undercover operative. She’s also a Newbery Honoree and a National Book Award finalist for Maizy Chen’s Last Chance. Some of her other twenty-one novels are the groundbreaking Millicent Min, Girl Genius; Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time; and the DC Super Hero Girls series. A frequent contributor to NPR’s Books We Love, she divides her time between Western Massachusetts and Los Angeles

Dan Santat is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of over a hundred books. His picture book The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend received the Caldecott Medal. He also illustrated The Blur, Lift, and Drawn Together, both written by Minh Lê, which received critical acclaim. Dan is also the creator of the Disney animated hit The Replacements. He lives in Southern California with his family. 

“Full of heart and humor with twisty turns and unforgettable underdogs. Just like the priceless jewels the team is trying to protect, this book is a total gem. You’ll wish you were a misfit too.”
—James Ponti, New York Times bestselling author of City Spies

"There are hilarious high jinks and outlandish plot points aplenty, plus an astonishingly inventive array of technology that would make even James Bond jealous." —Booklist

"A fantastical blend of quirky characters and goofy adventures." —Kirkus Reviews

"[A] rapidly paced narrative." —Publishers Weekly

"Clever and funny, this rousing mystery-adventure will be a hit with a wide audience." —School Library Journal

"A Royal Conundrum....is action, adventure, and fun with a group of young underdogs worth rooting for. The Misfits are a team of heroes for the outcast in everyone." —Shelf Awareness

"An entertaining mystery with good kids working together to defeat the bad guys and, in the process, finding their place in the world." —The Horn Book