Dear Unicorn

August 15, 2023
Letters fly back and forth between a child and a unicorn until the two finally meet in person. The initial double-page spread shows a light-skinned teacher facing a class of children at their easels. "Our art and pen pal units have been combined," the teacher tells them. "We'll be mailing pictures and images along with each letter." On the next page, a unicorn teacher extends the lecture--to a group of chubby young diversely hued unicorns. This teacher advises the students to ask their pen pals questions, to talk about their own lives, to be creative, and to enjoy themselves. Over the course of the school year, we see a light-skinned child called Constance Nace-Ayer (who, as her name suggests, is a little grumpy about the pen pal project, at least initially) exchange handwritten letters and artwork with a more upbeat pink unicorn named Nicole Sharp. There is plenty of wordplay and some sly, subtle indications that the pen pals sometimes misunderstand each other. At the book's climax, when the pen pals all meet face to face, Constance and Nicole are surprised to learn each other's respective species. While young readers will appreciate the cutesy illustrations, the pen pals' decision to remain friends despite their differences falls a bit flat. The story depicts this moment as a huge triumph, but what human--no matter how narrow-minded--would reject an offer of unicorn friendship? (This book was reviewed digitally.) Adorable but unlikely to hold children's attention on rereads. (Picture book. 4-6)

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August 7, 2023
Funk introduces a pair of unknowingly interspecies pen pals in this comic companion to Dear Dragon. Pale-skinned Connie is a human with purple-tipped pigtails; bright pink Nic is a unicorn with a fluffy purple mane. The assignment’s exchanges of art and letters reveal Connie to be a detail-oriented artist who vents about nearly everything. Nic, on the other hand, sticks with cheery graphics and remains unfailingly upbeat (about Connie’s team losing a soccer championship: “Wow! You made the championship! And almost won?”). The two eventually bond, and when they finally meet, each one’s surprise at the other’s form is quickly supplanted by the joy of collaboration. Digital artwork by Santoso works myriad similarities into stylistically different worlds as the creators show with a light touch two seemingly different individuals learning a relationship’s give-and-take. Human characters are shown with various skin tones. Ages 4–8.

September 1, 2023
Grades 1-3 Two teachers tell their classrooms of students--one full of humans and one full of unicorns--that their art and pen-pal units have been combined for the year, and they will be mailing pictures and letters to their assigned matches. Constance the human and Nicole the unicorn are matched, and throughout the school year, they ask each other questions about life, lessons, sports, books, and cats, and they share disappointments, recommendations, and (of course) creative paintings. They meet at the end-of-the-year Pen Pal Art Festival, where they work together to create a stellar mural. This clear partner piece to Funk's earlier Dear Dragon: A Pen Pal Tale (2016) has a handful of clever miscommunications about snowmen, dragons, and castles, and it will appeal to unicorn fans and burgeoning artists alike. The digital artwork for Constance's all-too-human negativity, pessimism, complaining, and darker-tinted paintings are tempered by Nicole's sweet, colorful, soft, and charming paintings with the requisite amount of rainbows, sparkles, and glowing optimism.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

November 1, 2023

K-Gr 3-Pen pals with a twist. Connie and Nic are paired as part of a class assignment. Each assumes their correspondent is of the same species, but in truth Connie is an elementary-age girl and Nic is a pink unicorn. Their postal exchange leads to some goofy gaffes-Connie mistakes Nic's "horn injury" to be musical instrument-related and Nic uses the colloquialism "hoofing it" literally when describing a race to Connie. The silliness stems from the dramatic misunderstandings behind it all, and despite this work's light tone, Funk manages to capture the scope of school-aged life. While this follow-up to Funk's Dear Dragon would easily anchor an elementary classroom writing activity or two, its appeal may not extend to preschool unicorn fans due to its format and illustrations. Santoso's digital artwork lacks the amplified cute factor of other popular standouts in the unicorn genre: Uni the Unicorn, Not Quite Narwhal, and Unicorn (And Horse). VERDICT Funk's fantastical pen pal mix-up will draw in older readers looking for a relatable story with magical vibes. A recommended purchase.-Sarah Simpson

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