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How to Catch
How to Catch a Unicorn
The #1 New York Times bestseller! Try to catch one of the world's most elusive mythical creatures―the unicorn―in this enchanting picture book for kids, the perfect Christmas gift! From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes a dazzling new adventure! Filled with zany traps, STEAM concepts, silly rhymes, and lots of rainbow unicorn fun, parents, educators, and young readers alike will delight in this colorful story as the How to Catch Kids are off in the zoo to catch this fantastical beast. Perfect for children ages 4-10, this is the ultimate unicorn gift of the year, great for birthdays, bedtime, or any occasion! Can you catch the unicorn? You'll have to use your brain, So set your traps and prep your team to pet that rainbow mane! Also in the How to Catch
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2019
141 people are currently reading
614 people want to read
About the author
Adam Wallace
176books278followersAdam Wallace is a New York Times, USA Today and Amazon Bestselling author of the How to Catch series!
Adam's passion is to bring excitement and energy and humour and joy to children (of all ages!) through his books and videos.
He spends his non-writing time thinking about writing and going to as many live music shows as he can. He's also teaching himself piano, and plays golf too.
Adam's passion is to bring excitement and energy and humour and joy to children (of all ages!) through his books and videos.
He spends his non-writing time thinking about writing and going to as many live music shows as he can. He's also teaching himself piano, and plays golf too.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
February 23, 2020
The How to Catch series is popular in our house. This is about a unicorn so the niece wanted to read this herself.
There is a group of children at the zoo and a unicorn is visiting her friends there when the children spot her. The kids begin setting traps for the unicorn and all the animals help her get free. The best, in my opinion, was when there was a rope to pull a trap shut and the snakes were on the rope so that the kids wouldn’t touch them.
It’s cute and simple. The art is like cotton candy. I do appreciate the glitter on the cover and the rainbows all throughout the book to see where the unicorn is. These books are simple, but they have a purpose and it works. It was rather boring for me, but it’s not written for me either.
The nephew loved this book. He thought it was fun. He loved the zoo setting and he thought the traps for the unicorn could have been better and more elaborate like with the tooth fairy. He gave this 4 stars and wants more. The niece thought it was sort of silly, but she liked it too. She gave this 3 stars.
There is a group of children at the zoo and a unicorn is visiting her friends there when the children spot her. The kids begin setting traps for the unicorn and all the animals help her get free. The best, in my opinion, was when there was a rope to pull a trap shut and the snakes were on the rope so that the kids wouldn’t touch them.
It’s cute and simple. The art is like cotton candy. I do appreciate the glitter on the cover and the rainbows all throughout the book to see where the unicorn is. These books are simple, but they have a purpose and it works. It was rather boring for me, but it’s not written for me either.
The nephew loved this book. He thought it was fun. He loved the zoo setting and he thought the traps for the unicorn could have been better and more elaborate like with the tooth fairy. He gave this 4 stars and wants more. The niece thought it was sort of silly, but she liked it too. She gave this 3 stars.
April 9, 2019
🦄 Happy Unicorn Day! 🦄
This was everything I want in a unicorn book! It was a fun read and the illustrations were bright and colourful, with plenty of glitter and rainbows (plus the requisite reference to unicorn flatulence).
From ice cream traps to butterfly nets, a group of kids try their best to catch a wiley unicorn through the zoo’s exhibits but this unicorn has a host of animal friends ready to help it evade capture.
I smiled my way through this book and particularly loved ’s illustrations. I enjoyed the various expressions on the kids� faces when their attempts to catch the unicorn didn’t quite go to plan. My favourite near miss resulted in a couple of kids getting soaked by some penguins. I couldn’t choose a favourite animal because they’re all amazing; they’re full of joy and adorably cheeky as they foil the kids� plan.
I really appreciated the creative substitution of the unicorn horn and star for the “i� in the book’s title. Oftentimes it’s the little extras that make a book memorable long term for me and it wouldn’t surprise me if that sparkly yellow “i� is one of the things that find its way into my spontaneous recommendation to some unsuspecting book store visitor weeks or months from now.
I’ve read this book three times (so far) and plan to read it every day until I have no choice but to return it to the library. I previously fell in love with , which I reviewed here. Now it’s a given that I need to get my hands on the rest of ’s How to Catch series.
P.S. The magical picture of the unicorn reading is by Ivona Design.
March 26, 2020
Poor unicorn.
Always being chased and never able to just hangout and have fun.
The art is awesome, the rhyming text has an easy cadence and the story is cute.
🌈🦄🌈Definitely something we will enjoy adding to our collection.🌈🦄🌈
Always being chased and never able to just hangout and have fun.
The art is awesome, the rhyming text has an easy cadence and the story is cute.
🌈🦄🌈Definitely something we will enjoy adding to our collection.🌈🦄🌈
April 12, 2019
This was okay. The rhyming text is very forced--it really adds nothing to the story and the cadence is working at cross purposes with the pacing of the story. The artwork is hyper stylized in a way that I find off putting and there is some weird text design happening where one word on every page is HIGHLIGHTED by being in a different font or color. But there isn't any method to which word it is. Fun for unicorn superfans but not one I'll be putting into my storytime rotation.
Read
September 21, 2019This book gave absolutely no information on how to catch a unicorn. At best, this is a guide on how NOT to catch one. 0/10 would not recommend.
February 25, 2020
Taj, age 5: I like this book so much and I didn’t know that I would like it so much.
Harper, age 7: I would give it 3 stars because the cover says “How to Catch a Unicorn� but it’s not telling you steps, it’s just telling a story of how they don’t catch a unicorn. But also, I like that she has glitter trails that follow her everywhere.
Harper, age 7: I would give it 3 stars because the cover says “How to Catch a Unicorn� but it’s not telling you steps, it’s just telling a story of how they don’t catch a unicorn. But also, I like that she has glitter trails that follow her everywhere.
June 3, 2019
The unicorn seemed to be attracted to every trap for not actually wanting to be caught. Kind of annoying.
March 14, 2020
It's glittery and sparkly and about unicorns. The kids here have no success in catching the unicorn with the various plans and shenanigans, but unicorn loving young readers will have fun watching them try.
December 30, 2019
Very magical. Good information about how to NOT catch a unicorn, sprinkled in with some interesting fun facts about the horned horses.
(My cousins loved this book.)
(My cousins loved this book.)
June 21, 2019
Cute pics, but the rhymes felt forced. My child wasn't impressed, but she did like the "farting glitter" bit.
August 31, 2024
How to Catch a Unicorn might be my granddaughter's favourite addition to this series. Of course, that is probably because she loves unicorns. The group of friends that are in all the books, are at the zoo and catch a glimpse of a unicorn visiting her friends. Immediately they jump into action, setting traps to try and catch it. The unicorn is pretty quick and also has the help of the animals to escape each time. There is a trail of glitter left behind and my granddaughter loved following it throughout the book. Do they catch the unicorn? Not this time. This was another cute addition to this series with great illustrations showing fun, cooperation, and expression. They are large and colourful and with the rainbows and glitter, it felt magical. The text is done in a rhyming format with a cadence that is easy to read aloud for the most part. I like how the friends work together, using their imagination to create their traps. They don't get upset when they don't catch their prey. Another winner for our family library.
July 6, 2022
Beware of this book. It causes uncontrollable giggling and endless talk of glitter farts. Your kids might trash the house setting up unicorn traps.
(A group of kids try catching a unicorn. Unicorn escapes. Lots of silliness.)
(A group of kids try catching a unicorn. Unicorn escapes. Lots of silliness.)
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December 22, 2024Read this to my niece at bedtime tonight. She loved it & I’m behind on my reading goal so I’m logging it xoxo
July 16, 2019
If you are looking for a really fun book to read to your kids–you have found it. Not only is it a catch me if you can, it also exposes the readers to different animals at the zoo too. The cunning unicorn is a real hoot! Just when the kids think they’ve caught the unicorn, it outsmarts them at every turn. The size of the book is easy for a younger kid to handle easily and I predict that this will be their go-to book for quite some time. I loved how the unicorn is never fully in sight which builds the readers anticipation throughout the book. It is a very engaging book for storytime or bedtime.
Elkerson’s illustrations are a rainbow of color and simply striking on the page. The detail is amazing. Kids will be captivated by all the pretty colors. The text is beautifully written. Its size and location on the page are very easy to follow. I’m so glad that I pick this book up at the library. It didn’t disappoint at all. There’s no way you can read this and not have the biggest smile on your face when you’re done.
Elkerson’s illustrations are a rainbow of color and simply striking on the page. The detail is amazing. Kids will be captivated by all the pretty colors. The text is beautifully written. Its size and location on the page are very easy to follow. I’m so glad that I pick this book up at the library. It didn’t disappoint at all. There’s no way you can read this and not have the biggest smile on your face when you’re done.
September 4, 2019
What my kid 😍 Loved: The colors and the unicorn on every page.
How my kid 😁🤷Felt: Happy, about the pictures, but a bit confused about the story.
To Read 👍 or 👎 Not To Read: It's a beautiful book, but the traps set by the kids at the zoo are hard to explain to the kid you are reading to because they aren't described in the book.
🌈
The book follows a unicorn visiting a zoo. The visiting children think they can catch it. Each page visits another zoo animal that helps the unicorn escape a trap set by the children. My daughter's favorite part was the last page where we see the unicorn's face for the first time.
How my kid 😁🤷Felt: Happy, about the pictures, but a bit confused about the story.
To Read 👍 or 👎 Not To Read: It's a beautiful book, but the traps set by the kids at the zoo are hard to explain to the kid you are reading to because they aren't described in the book.
🌈
The book follows a unicorn visiting a zoo. The visiting children think they can catch it. Each page visits another zoo animal that helps the unicorn escape a trap set by the children. My daughter's favorite part was the last page where we see the unicorn's face for the first time.
September 30, 2019
Definitely my least favorite of the "How to Catch..." series. Mostly because I volunteer at a zoo and I loathe the depiction of the zoo in this book. All the exhibits were bare concrete with metal gates. Has Wallace been to a zoo in the last decade?!? Zoos are not like that anymore!
I did think that the rhyming was cute but the text threw me a little since all the other books in the series are told from the perspective of the kids trying to catch the creature but this one is written as the unicorn is talking.
Shame. Unicorns are so in right now.
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
I did think that the rhyming was cute but the text threw me a little since all the other books in the series are told from the perspective of the kids trying to catch the creature but this one is written as the unicorn is talking.
Shame. Unicorns are so in right now.
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
July 28, 2019
For more reviews, check out my blog:
Overall, a fun, engaging read, perfect for young unicorn-lovers.
I most enjoyed the fun and colorful details in the illustrations. All of the trap designs were interesting and it was neat to see how the animal friends helped prevent the unicorn from getting caught.
I also thought the rhyming was good. It had a nice rhythm to it and gave the book a nice flow in my opinion.
A silly book filled with cuteness and magic.
Overall, a fun, engaging read, perfect for young unicorn-lovers.
I most enjoyed the fun and colorful details in the illustrations. All of the trap designs were interesting and it was neat to see how the animal friends helped prevent the unicorn from getting caught.
I also thought the rhyming was good. It had a nice rhythm to it and gave the book a nice flow in my opinion.
A silly book filled with cuteness and magic.
October 7, 2020
Fourth star just for all the colors and glitter and cute snacks! I also love the raised text and glitter on the cover--great texture.
A rhyming romp through the zoo, where a group of kids are hot on the unicorn's trail, but the zoo animals help the unicorn escape!
I love the kid in the unicorn shirt--he's just freaking out the whole time. Reminded me of me (not that I'm a chipper person, but I can get really excited about stuff I like).
A rhyming romp through the zoo, where a group of kids are hot on the unicorn's trail, but the zoo animals help the unicorn escape!
I love the kid in the unicorn shirt--he's just freaking out the whole time. Reminded me of me (not that I'm a chipper person, but I can get really excited about stuff I like).
July 22, 2019
My grand daughter absolutely loves this book!! I borrowed it from the library and read it to her so many times that I finally had to purchase a book for her to keep. I am a children's librarian as well and the children love this book. We can not keep it on the shelves. I do not know what the critics are thinking. It is meant to be fun and silly. It is a children's book after all and children seem to really enjoy reading it over and over.
January 27, 2020
A group of fast thinking kids try to catch a unicorn at the zoo. However, the animals at the zoo may be helping out the Unicorn. Wait and find out!
The big cats, the nocturnals, the reptiles, even the butterfly house try to help out.
My favorite trap is the petting zoo!
Very fun read and great for creative thinking! Andy's illustrations are perfect with Wallace's couplet style writing.
Great for read aloud. Would be an awesome storytime at the zoo!
The big cats, the nocturnals, the reptiles, even the butterfly house try to help out.
My favorite trap is the petting zoo!
Very fun read and great for creative thinking! Andy's illustrations are perfect with Wallace's couplet style writing.
Great for read aloud. Would be an awesome storytime at the zoo!
September 30, 2019
Colourful picture book that Miss 5 liked basically because it involved a unicorn!
Miss 5 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
Miss 5 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
May 17, 2019
The unicorn decides to visit his friends the animals at the zoo. A group of children try various traps to catch him, but fail due to the zoo animals help. The illustrations are darling, but the wording doesn’t flow easily.
August 31, 2019
It's a cute story but I was expecting more of a guide on catching unicorns versus the failed attempts you get here. This is more a narrative by the unicorn on how it evades the children. All in all my daughter will love this book when she opens it on her birthday.
October 31, 2018
*I read a digital ARC of this title from the publisher via Edelweiss.
April 18, 2019
Not what I expected. The title should really be something like .
It has some cute elements, but overall not anything unusual or impressive.
It has some cute elements, but overall not anything unusual or impressive.
April 22, 2019
Cute, but after reading it to 4 year old over and over and over again...it wears out quickly.
June 18, 2019
Things I liked:
unicorn
colorful and pretty
"farting glitter"
Things I didn't like:
rhymes
mean kids
trying too hard to push diversity (enough already, I get it)
unicorn
colorful and pretty
"farting glitter"
Things I didn't like:
rhymes
mean kids
trying too hard to push diversity (enough already, I get it)
July 9, 2019
I loved the illustrations...they were very engaging. It's a cute, whimsical story.
July 21, 2019
Trying to catch this colorful creature proves difficult throughout this fun book. Each page kept our attention as we journeyed along, trying to catch a unicorn.
September 16, 2019
This is a rhyming story with colorful illustrations. It is kind of silly but kids might like it. Reading level is K-2.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
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