Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.'The pencil, pen, and watercolor illustrations, done in a simple, loose style, offer expressive, playful character poses. VERDICT This funny, heartfelt story about a girl and her not-so-perfect unicorn will be a hit for storytime or one-on-one sharing.- Laura J. The last page, in which a smiling Lucy declares, 'Welcome Home!' and embraces a visibly happy Sparkle, is the perfect endnote. Young skillfully draws the endearingly scruffy Sparkle so that even though he more closely resembles an odd-looking 'goat' than a unicorn, he is still undeniably adorable. This is a humorous and charming story about managing unrealistic expectations, choosing a pet, and acting responsibly. Children will laugh at Sparkle's naughty antics but also root for him to win Lucy over, feel heartbroken when she initially chooses to return Sparkle, and cheer when the two are reunited at the end. At first Lucy wants to return him to the man she bought him from, but she soon warms up to him when she realizes that, despite his flaws, Sparkle is actually very sweet.

However, when Sparkle arrives, he is spotted, short, and mischievous and has fleas. Lucy has high expectations for her new unicorn, whom she plans to name Sparkle as she rides on his majestic back and impresses all of her friends. PreS-Gr 1-When a girl named Lucy sees an ad in the paper selling unicorns for 25 cents, she sends off for one right away. (July) Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission. Her message to readers is clear: self-awareness and finding a soul mate don't always come easily. 'She had to admit: sometimes he made her smile and sometimes he made her laugh,' writes Young ( Don't Eat the Baby!), whose storytelling and watercolor cartooning are spot-on in their comic timing. Clearly, Sparkle will never be the flashy showpiece Lucy dreamed of-but maybe Lucy isn't the dainty princess type, either. Come to think of it, he's as stubborn as Lucy, with her relentless insistence that Sparkle is really a unicorn and therefore should wear a flower necklace and tutu (both of which prove edible). He also smells like a goat, eats like a goat, and is stubborn like a goat. The specimen that shows up, however, looks a lot like a goat. By Grade + Interest - K to 1st By Grade + Interest - 2nd to 3rd By Grade + Interest - 4th to 5thĪfter sending away for a mail-order unicorn (only 25 cents!), Young's heroine, Lucy, fantasizes about naming him Sparkle, garlanding him with flowers, and riding over rainbows on his back.

A unicorn named sparkle a picture book