Magical unicorn books that your child will love
Unicorns are trendy – when you see grown-ups in unicorn tops and holding unicorn hot drinks, you know something cultural is happening. There's even a National Unicorn Day!
But kids have been ahead of the curve for years. They've long known that these glorious, mystical horses are a source of fun and wonder AND a great excuse to crack out the glitter and sparkle.
So let's all believe in magic for just that little bit longer and settle down with a range of unicorn-tastic books – perfect for babies all the way up to aged ten.
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The Magical Unicorn Society: Official Handbook
Author: Selwyn E Phipps and Jonny Leighton Illustrator: Harry and Zanna Goldhawk and Helen Dardik
Publisher: Michael O’Mara Books Limited
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 7+After centuries of mystery, the mythical Magical Unicorn Society has published its official handbook. It's a treasure chest of unicorn lore – the where, why and what of these elusive beasts.
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Sophie Johnson: Unicorn Expert
Author: Morag Hood Illustrator: Ella Okstad
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 3-5
Every toy or animal in Sophie's sight is given a horn, and because she is a unicorn expert, she teaches them about magic, hunting and other important unicorn things. But Sophie is a little too busy teaching her “unicorns” to even notice a when a real one shows up...
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Magical Pets: A Practical Guide
Author: Anya Glazer
Publisher: David Fickling Books
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+This wonderful book by Anya Glazer is a fantastic combination of a book about finding the right pet – an important experience in a child’s life – as well as a whimsical imagining of a variety of magical beasts.
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Super Happy Magic Forest
Author: Matty Long
Publisher: Oxford
Interest age: 4-5
This anarchic and amusing picture book deserves much praise for taking commonplace story elements - pixies, goblins, unicorns and magical locations - and giving them an original twist. It's a hilarious read, with rich and vibrant illustrations.
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My Magical Unicorn
Author: Illustrator: Yujin Shin
Publisher: Campbell Books
Interest age: 0-2
Follow the bright adventures of one very cute unicorn as she spends a day in a magical world full of rainbows, castles, multicoloured trees and fun friends.
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Amelia Fang and the Unicorn Lords
Author: Laura Ellen Anderson
Publisher: Farshore
Interest age: 7-10
Reading age: 7+Anderson’s writing is as zany as ever in this third instalment of the Amelia Fang series. It's all presented completely accessibly and with tons of humour. The book reads well on its own even if children haven’t read the previous two.
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Ten Minutes to Bed, Little Unicorn
Author: Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton
Publisher: Ladybird Books
It’s ten minutes to bedtime, but Twinkle the little unicorn is showing no sign of sleepiness! This bedtime read, which features a rhyming countdown, is just the thing to help little ones wind down at the end of a busy day.
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Louie Lets Loose!
Author: Rachel Hamilton Illustrator: Oscar Armelles
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Interest age: 7-9
Reading age: 7-9Louie the unicorn lives a quiet life with his parents in Story Land, until his invite to the New York School of Performing Arts arrives. This book is a fantastically funny tale of friendship and adapting to a new school.
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Melowy: The Test of Magic
Author: Danielle Star Cortney Powell and Ryan Jampole
Publisher: Papercutz
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 7+The Melowies are five girl unicorns who live in Aura, a world where magical creatures live in harmony. When they find themselves transported out into the outside world to face their deepest fears, it is the power of friendship that can save them.
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Where’s the Unicorn? A Magical Search-and-Find Book
Author: Jonny Marx and Sophie Schrey Illustrator: Paul Moran Simon Ecob Stuart Taylor and Wan (Big Red Illustration)
Publisher: Michael O’Mara Books Limited
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 7+The seven unicorns of Rainbow Valley have exhausted all their favourite hiding places and decide to leave their magical forest in search of adventure. This immersive search-and-find book is bright and busy and will keep kids’ attention.
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Almost Everybody Farts
Author: Marty Kelley
Publisher: Sterling
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 5+Part of the joy of this book, featuring the eternally amusing subject of farting, is the skilful depiction of a variety of farting faces belonging to all the different characters. Plenty of laughs guaranteed.
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Peppa’s Magical Unicorn
Author: Peppa Pig
Publisher: Ladybird Books
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 5+This sparkly story about Peppa and her family is perfect for young unicorn fans, but, as ever, it’s a great story about friendship and family.
