There’s not a whit of substance to it, but unicorn fans will find plenty to love
A tongue-in-cheek field guide to the unicorn (“scientific name: Betterthan horsicus”).
Cartoon-style cover art borders on the garish, with a riot of bright colors embellished with glitter, in its depictions of some of the unicorn characters that populate the text. On the first spread readers meet “the top unicorn scientists working today,” namely Professor Glitter Pants, Professor Sprinkle Steed, Professor Star Hoof, and Professor Sugar Beard. A “trusty lab assistant, Pete,” also makes an appearance, but despite the flashy introduction, none of these characters emerges with a distinct personality or storyline. Instead, they guide readers through the book’s contents, which do not cover traditional unicorn lore but are divided into 10 brief, expository sections with titles such as “The Horn of the Corn,” “Diet and Digestion,” “Social Behaviors,” and “Graduation Ceremony.” That final section is metafictively devoted to praising readers and giving them a certificate for learning unicorn facts detailed on the prior pages, such as: A unicorn’s mane “smells of cinnamon”; their horns are made of “50% magic, 45% mystery, and 5% sugar”; they “poop cupcakes. Yes. Cupcakes”; and they solve disagreements with “the ancient ritual of the dance-off.” In design and palette, the illustrations resemble a video game arcade rather than a stodgy textbook; in other words, they suit the contents perfectly.
There’s not a whit of substance to it, but unicorn fans will find plenty to love . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3036-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
A Valentine’s tale that even the grumpiest readers won’t be able to resist.
A put-upon goblin learns to feel the love.
Gilbert, a bald, mint-green goblin, is far too busy for Valentine’s Day. From bird-watching to goat yoga, his schedule is full. Besides, “Valentine’s Day is all about love and flowers and all that other mushy malarkey”—Gilbert doesn’t need it! He isn’t interested in those heart-shaped boxes of candy with their gross coconut surprises, and he’s not a fan of the so-called stars of Valentine’s Day: cupids with their gorgeous hair and love arrows. But the cupid squad doesn’t give up on Gilbert and sends him zigging and zagging to avoid their arrows. Believing he’s been hit (in fact he unwittingly backed up into a cactus), Gilbert finds himself falling in love with love and eagerly accepting his friends’ valentines. Humor certain to please readers young and old is woven throughout Gilbert’s sassy narration and the candy-colored illustrations, which trace the goblin’s metamorphosis from sourpuss to lovebug. The reasons for Gilbert’s true change of heart—and why he was so loath to celebrate to begin with—are left unspoken, but readers may enjoy coming up with their own ideas. Front endpapers featuring candy hearts festooned with “meh” and “nope” capture the anti-Valentine vibe, while supportive cards from Gilbert’s friends can be found on the back endpapers.
A Valentine’s tale that even the grumpiest readers won’t be able to resist. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Dec. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781665962612
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
Simply delightful (with a wry final twist).
When an alien unicorn descends to Earth, its mission morphs from embedded surveillance of an Earth family to just plain fun.
Bubble07’s log entries, addressed “Dear Fearless Leader,” comprise the narration. “You were right. We look exactly like the toy animals here.” Should the unicorn army invade Earth? To find out, Bubble07 wriggles into an arcade’s glass box full of plushy prizes and gets hooked by a dad for his daughter. (Dad and daughter present Black; mom, seen later, is a woman of color.) About Earthling Daughter, Bubble07 reports: “She loves her toys. She loves them to pieces! Some are missing their eyeballs. Is this going to happen to me?” Biedrzycki’s expert illustrations form a hilarious counterpoint to the alien’s clueless reportage. They begin in grayscale, accented by Bubble07’s otherworldly streams of neon-hued sparkles, as the spy experiences family camping and “show and share” at school. The jealous family sheepdog tries to bury Bubble07 in the backyard, but revenge is sweet: At night, discovering “amazing” peanut butter cookies, the spy leaves the empty bag next to the sleeping dog. “Fearless Leader…I must get this cookie recipe for our planet.” By Day 50, a snow day, full-color spreads depict the unicorn integrating into family life, experiencing Earthling Daughter’s birthday, cuddly bedtime stories, and a sick day as stand-in comfort animal. On the home planet, Bubble07’s final report recommends: “forget the invasion and send more of us to Earth for… / …a Unicorn Vacation!”
Simply delightful (with a wry final twist). (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-62354-272-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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