Uni the Unicorn

I looked forward to reading Uni the Unicorn based on enjoying author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s earlier book Little Pea. I was not disappointed. The book cleverly turns the tables on the reader, with a unicorn who believes little girls are real. The narration helps us empathize with Uni when her friends and parents don’t support her desire for an otherworldly friend.

The artwork strikes just the right balance of rich colors, humor, and whimsy. The best were of Uni painting pictures of girls with unicorns, and another with a girl braiding Uni’s mane. Throughout, the little girl sports mismatched socks, as all little girls should.

The little girl dreams of unicorns, just as Uni dreams of meeting a little girl. The little girl’s friends and family further mirror the behavior of Uni’s, laughing at her belief in unicorns. The author subtly conveys the theme of not being dissuaded from your dreams by others. The book ends poignantly with the little girl and the unicorn longing to live in the other’s mythical world.