Unice was born into a family of rhinoceroses but feels like a unicorn inside and, with the help of a new friend, embraces that identity in Esmail’s picture book.
Everyone around Unice tells them that she’s a rhino, but when alone, Unice sees a beautiful unicorn reflected in the mirror. That sense of identity brings joy until the rest of the family condemns it: “Unice, we all agree. You look like a rhino. You are a rhino.” The thought of not being a unicorn makes Unice miserable, but then she meets Snyder, who she initially thinks is a tiger but who identifies as a snow leopard. Following Snyder’s example, Unice once again embraces her unicorn-horned self. Esmail and illustrator Cooke craft a beautiful story. The writing is simple and should be easy for independent readers to follow, and plenty of white space leaves room for text and vibrant rainbow spatters that play across the full-color painterly illustrations whenever Unice or Snyder assert their inner identities. These bursts of color effectively contrast with the grayness of Unice’s family and their inculcating, off-page calls of “That’s what rhinos do”; also notable is the murky, watercolor smudge that accompanies Unice when she briefly despairs. The effect is striking, and the message, while unabashedly overt, is one that will stay with children.
A playful allegory of self-expression and acceptance.