Uni the Unicorn and the Dream Come True

AMY KROUSE ROSENTHAL is the author of lots of books for children (such as That’s Me Loving You, On the Spot, and Uni the Unicorn, of course) and even some books for grown-ups (like Textbook Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life). You can find more about Amy online at whoisamy.com.BRIGETTE BARRAGER is an artist, designer, and illustrator and writer of children’s books. She spent some time at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios before taking the plunge into freelance illustration, where she’s lived happily ever after. She resides in Los Angeles with her handsome husband, cute doggy, and terrible cat. Visit Brigette at brigetteb.com.

In her first story Uni the unicorn was right, little girls are real. Now she and that little girl must team up to save the nonbeliever unicorns who are beset by seemingly endless rain and are quickly losing their strength and magic. Luckily, as a bolt of lightning flashes and thunder claps, both “wished the same wish with all their might,” and through the power of wishing they stood together at last! After cavorting with delight, they speed off to rescue the other unicorns, but not so speedily that there isn’t time to help some forest creatures and lift some spirits. The act of believing and befriending the little girl was all the other unicorns needed to get their mojo back and together successfully wish the rain away (“After what seemed like forever”).  As in their last collaboration, Rosenthal’s magic-filled and effusive text is matched with Barrager’s bright, colorful, and joyous illustrations. Even looking at sad unicorns holding umbrellas (very effectively and amusingly, even with hooves), you can feel the magic waiting to break through. VERDICT Unicorn saves other unicorns with the magic of believing, effective wish fulfillment, and the help of a little girl. What’s not to like? Sure to be in demand where the previous title was popular.–Booklist, October 2017 Uni and the little girl from their first outing (Uni the Unicorn, 2014) finally meet.Things are not well in the land of unicorns. Endless rain has meant no sun, no rainbows, and no sparkle for the horned, cloven-hooved creatures. They stand pale and forlorn, huddled under umbrellas. But one unicorn still has a twinkle left: Uni, who truly—and magically—believes that little girls are real. That deep spirit of believing gives Uni strength to fight the gloom. Somewhere far away (but of course "not that far away"), the blonde, fair-skinned tot with mismatched socks from the previous work looks at the rain and wonders. She feels that she is needed. On the very same clap of thunder and the very same zap of lightning, the girl and Uni make a wish. Suddenly, they are together! When the other unicorns see a real, true girl, they gain strength from the magic of believing as well. Luckily, during the course of wishing the rain away, a double rainbow appears linking Here to There. Uni can now come home with the girl to meet her family. Alas, that is one sequel the dearly missed Rosenthal will never get to write. A sweet story for anyone who needs to find a little sunshine and sparkle. (Picture book. 3-6)Kirkus, June 15