It goes without saying that some franchises are done better than others. This is one of the better ones I can remember witnessing. Part of a spread of books detailing an invented world of eight different species of unicorn, this might be the fourth or fifth book in the set but to me flagged this up as a really commendable effort. Here all eight types (mountain, desert, flowers, weather, etc) are briefly introduced, and then in turn each has an eight- or ten-page story from the archives of these alleged unicorn researchers.

And OK the book shows how potent cheap colour is, to misquote Noel Coward. Just because we get detailed borders and coloured paper each page-turn (which makes this dreadful for dyslexics) doesn't automatically mean this has had a lot of effort put in. Just because the artwork is fine, and the overall appearance is quite radiant, doesn't mean this is essential. It could have been twee, childish and naff, but it isn't – the first story has a lot more drama in it than a quick view of a virginal kind of critter, and in baby form, should by rights be expected to have.

And the strong story-telling only continues – a battle with a demonic drought-bringer in a parched desert, a Pacific sea monster that needs besting, and a true globe-trotting ethos. It's not perfect – the third story bodges the "was it only a dream?" beat, and a rags-to-riches fairy tale has just too much cheese. But these tales are fine, and the whole shtick about the Magical Unicorn Society existing and being a real-world entity for you to aspire to join is going to give many a young reader a real sense of belonging. This unicorn-filled world is one of bravery, friendship and compassion galore, which might have been sickly sweet and cloying, but if you are going to make books that sell such a world to young audiences this is definitely the way to do it. Four and a half sparkleberries.

This book was just all around lovely. I especially enjoyed the illustrations. A great gift for 6+ unicorn lovers.

A book to be loved by older youth and teens who like unicorns. Great stories. Beautiful pictures. A treasure.

This book is absolutely stunning. If you love unicorns, this is a book that you need in your life. The illustrations are stunning and gorgeously detailed. Each unicorn has its own legend or lore, a profile and a charming tale to go with it. This is a wonderfully diverse and inclusive text. I love that this was set up as though the reader was a unicorn anthropologist/explorer. Take the pledge: join the Magical Unicorn Society. You won't regret it. I especially love the quiz at the end to find out which unicorn you're connected to.

My favorite story was the unicorn who helped a dancer's dream come true after she rescued a puppy! So cute. Although, saving the panda was adorable too!

A very beautifully illustrated and written book about Unicorns. What’s not to love?

This book talks about the species of Unicorns, their magic and much more.

A delightful book for all ages.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was an adorable read! The eight stories were all very fun, but I especially liked the one with the panda cub, it was so cute! I also really enjoyed the quiz at the end of the book that told you which unicorn you would bond with best. The artwork was really pretty too. Highly recommend checking this out, especially if you have a unicorn lover in your life!

Baby Unicorns by Anne Marie Ryan. Unicorns are fascinating creatures in this story. Would be fun to play with and go on adventures. Read the book to find out what unicorn you are.

What a beautiful book!! Perfect for fans of unicorn lore and magic. Each type of unicorn is given its own fact page with gorgeous illustrations and then there is a short story that goes along with that type of unicorn and you get to read about their powers and special abilities in action. The way the book showcases each type of unicorn is very immersive, it really made me feel like maybe, just, maybe magic was real, as all of the five senses were showcased in either the story or the fact page about the unicorn. I loved at the back of the book the quiz helping you figure out which unicorn you’d bond with and the page referring you to a website where you can join the unicorn society. My personal favorite unicorn was the Shadow Night and the story about the young girls who want to be astronauts when they grow up. (Currently, my daughter says this is what she wants to be, so I was thinking about her and her love for anything unicorns as I read this section.) I think this book would work as a read aloud for children ages 5-7 or as an independent read for ages 8-12. The font in the book might be a little hard for some readers to decipher, especially with each page having illustrations behind the words, but I would still highly recommend this for any unicorn enthusiast. I plan on purchasing this book and the others in the series… I think there’s 4 books total for my daughter’s birthday.
Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

My daughter and I loved this book! The illustrations were beautiful. My daughter is younger, so we glossed over the longer stories, but loved reading about the descriptions of all the unicorns. This book truly triggered amazing imagination for her, and we talked for so long about where we might have seen the different types of unicorns, if they have secret meetings in our house, how when she plants flowers if might mean a baby is born, and so much more. I absolutely love how this book helped create special opportunities for us to talk and imagine together! I think this is a great book for kids to grow with as well, to enjoy the biographies of the unicorns and then enjoy the stories as they get older.

This was such a fun book to share with my 7 year old daughter. The artwork was absolutely beautiful, and the stories told and lore made it so much more magical. Would 100% purchase this to flip through again and again with my daughter.

Thank you Independent Publisher's Group and NetGalley for this copy!

I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations are gorgeous, but I wish there were more throughout the book. This is like an encyclopedia for unicorns. It gives lots of information about each type of unicorn, from what it looks like to how it feels to what magic it has. It’s very immersive, showcasing some of the five senses.

I loved the concept but would prefer it to be less wordy and have more images. This book has multiple short stories that go with each type of unicorn. I loved this idea, but I think this one big book could’ve been broken down into a series of smaller books. Then, we could’ve gotten more illustrations in a picture book format with each short story. I think it would’ve been more visually engaging that way. I could see a young child getting bored with such a wordy book. Plus, in my opinion, the short stories were pretty long for a children’s book.

But overall, I thought this was a creative, beautiful book with fun little stories about unicorns. It’s very cozy, magical, and whimsical. At the end, there is a “quiz” to find out which unicorn would bond with you best. They also have a website where anyone can sign up to be a member of this unicorn society, sign up for emails, and download a membership badge. I really enjoyed this interactive element. I think kids would get a kick out of becoming a member of this society. This entire book is a lot of fun. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

A very cute reading option for unicorn loving kiddos, around age 9, and unicorn loving adults! The illustrations are very pretty and I enjoyed each of the different stories about the young and old unicorns.

Thank you Independent Publishers Group for the arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This was so freaking cute and beautifully, illustrated. Very magical indeed!!! This was a delightful compilation of short stories about unicorns. The detailed illustrations and all of the information provided about the different kinds of unicorns were flushed out.

This was such a cute read! This was a delightful compilation of short stories about unicorns. I loved the detailed illustrations and all of the information provided about the different kinds of unicorns.This is the perfect book for anyone who has a fascination with unicorns.

This is an absolutely delightful children's novel of short unicorn stories. As someone who was obsessed with magical horses for more than a decade, I thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations, scientific aspect of discovery, and the short stories themselves. My only criticism is that I wish *all* of the different species and subspecies were given a chance to shine. I hope this gets a sequel that covers those unused unicorns mentioned in this volume. I think this book could work both as a bedtime story for very young children, or even as a gateway book into scientific exploration for slightly older kids. Each story was unique and magical in its own way, spanning a range of time periods and diverse protagonists. I love that there were some bonus materials included at the end as well, and the illustrations between the stories were gorgeous as well. 10/10 would recommend to any child who loves unicorns or even adults who had their unicorn phase.

I thought this book was adorable. It was a selection of short stories all about unicorns. The general design of the book was so pretty - the illustrations were so cute and colourful.

This lovely little book is ideal for anyone who loves unicorns.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.