Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Kate, Michael, their older brother, Stephen, and their parents are living in Italy for a few months. Lately, Stephen seems to think he's too old for them, so Kate and Michael have been spending a lot of time together.

Kate's favorite thing to do is tell stories. Sometimes she forgets that Michael is young and gullible, and he believes her stories. Sometimes she does it a little bit on purpose.

Playing ball in the garden one day, Kate and Michael find what seems to be a baby griffin. Neither of them are sure if he's real or if they're both imagining things. But day after day, Grifonino, the name they give him meaning "little griffin" in Italian, returns. Kate and Michael are sure he's real, but they're not sure where he came from or what to do with him.

Kate thinks Stephen might be able to help, or at least he would have back when he liked them. Michael convinces her to keep it a secret. But when the story Kate is writing starts writing back, they know their secret is out. And they better figure out something fast because Prince Eduardo seems pretty unhappy!

Italian villas, a cuddly baby griffin, and a story that literally comes to life. I absolutely love it! Who hasn't let their imagination run wild from time to time? But who ever thinks that it might be wild enough to come true? And I never thought about having a pet griffin before, but I'm starting to wonder where I might be able to find one. ( )

One day when out playing baseball siblings Kate and Michael discover a wondrous creature that they at first are not sure is real. It is a baby griffin and they decide to help it because it is clearly lost. Through some ingenuity, these siblings discover where the griffin is from and how to bring it home. This tale is reminiscent of Edward Eager's or E. Nesbit's tale. Set in the Italian countryside, it has a time gone by feel to it. Though not long, this is a sweet engaging tale that will delight young readers who might believe that someday they might spot a griffin in their backyard.