Unicorn Day
This Sunday is National Unicorn Day! Are you ready for the sparkliest of holidays? Explore some of our favorite unicorn books for growing readers!
Picture Books | Chapter Books | Middle Grade | Young Adult
Picture Books
Starting off our collection of unicorn picture books is a heartwarming series by Jessie Sima: Not Quite Narwhal & Friends! These books follow a young unicorn who is born to a family of narwhals. Sima's sweet books delicately guide children through themes of belonging, family, and accepting those who are different (or the things that make us different). Plus, they're beautifully illustrated.
Another unicorn series taking the world by storm is Kitty-Corn! These adorable, kid-favorite books follow a fuzzy pink kitten who feels "unicorn-y". With bright, fun illustrations, the Kitty-Corn series touches on topics like friendship, and acceptance.
But don't worry: that's not all! There are so many exciting and adorable picture books including unicorns. Grab Unicorns Are the Worst for a laugh-out-loud tale of a grumpy goblin and his sparkly unicorn neighbor, pick up Margaret's Unicorn for a delicate tale about new friendship, or share Layla, the Last Black Unicorn for a story about an outsider finding belonging. And DK's The Book of Mythical Beasts and Magical Creatures is a great choice for slightly older readers who would enjoy a picture book index of magical beings!
We're also featuring an upcoming release about believing in the extraordinary: Manolo & the Unicorn. This promises to be an exquisitely illustrated, touching story about the power of imagination and belief.
Chapter Books
These series are a great choice for early readers (around ages 6-9) -- especially if those young readers love unicorns!
Dive into a magical chapter book series like Unicorn Academy, or opt for an exciting and accessible graphic novel series like Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Unicorn Diaries, or Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker! These titles will make reading a whole lot of fun, encouraging kids to follow through the ongoing adventures and continue developing their reading skills.
Or grab the unicorn-themed installments in these well known young readers' series! The I Can Read: Pete the Kitty books are a great way to encourage fans of Dean's picture books to branch out into early readers, while Narwhal and Jelly is a kid-favorite series about friendship!
Middle Grade
For the 9-13 year old unicorn fans, it's hard to beat the Skandar series from A. F. Steadman. Set in a world of dangerous magic and wild unicorns, the first book in the series came out out last year -- and quickly became one of our Children's Director Rachel's favorites! Check out the first book -- or preorder the second book, coming next month.
Here are a few more unicorn-y middle grade books we love! Similar to Skandar is Skyriders, an exciting tale of a thirteen year old hero who must fight to defend her home -- on the back of a winged steed. Kamilla Benko's Unicorn Quest books combine the magic of unicorns with the bond of sisterhood, while A Brief History of Unicorns is a great resource for any young reader hoping to become an expert on the unicorn. Also included in our list is The Unicorn in the Barn, a touching story of compassion, friendship, and loss.
Young Adult
Unicorns aren't just for the youngest readers -- although they certainly get the most unicorn content. Peter S. Beagle's classic The Last Unicorn has delighted readers of all ages for generations -- as has Madeleine L'Engle's Wrinkle in Time series (the fourth installment of which introduces the unicorn Gaudior). For young adult fantasy fans, Black Unicorn and The Secret of the Unicorn Queen will sweep you away to fantastical worlds...on the wings, of course, of a unicorn.
Did we include your favorite unicorn book?