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If I Had a Unicorn
Have you ever given any thought to what the perfect magical pet would be? Giants are far too big, and dragons are way too hot, but what about a unicorn? It might eat all your ice cream for breakfast, but if you get upset about that, it will feed you cotton candy! It can sprinkle star dust on grumpy siblings, carry you to soccer practice on a rainbow, and make sure you dream nothing but sweet and fluffy unicorn dreams.
In this playful tale, a little girl finds out firsthand what it’s like to have a magical creature as a pet.
In this playful tale, a little girl finds out firsthand what it’s like to have a magical creature as a pet.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2020
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 14, 2022
What if you had a unicorn as a pet? A little girl explains just how a unicorn is the perfect pet and what they could do to have fun together. There is fun rhyming text, places where the words are filled in with pictures, and lots of imaginative fun in this book. This is just one of the four (currently) written in this series and each is just as enjoyable as the last. The illustrations are simply perfect, just adding to the fun. I definitely recommend this series!
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!
Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL
March 10, 2021
A little girl wishes for a pet unicorn and thinks about all the fun things they could do together. Now to read the sleepy sloth and dinosaur books by the same author.
November 27, 2020
If I Had a Unicorn by Gabby Dawnay might just be the cutest book I’ve read all year.
This book is the third installment in the “If I Had A� series by Gabby Dawnay, preceded by If I Had A Dinosaur and If I Had A Sleepy Sloth. If I Had A Unicorn follows our adorable main character, a young Black girl who dreams of having a pet unicorn. She imagines all the fun things she and the unicorn would do. The lyrical text paired with the eye catching illustrations create an entertaining story from start to finish.
I also love how some of the illustrations stand in for the words in this story. This is a great mechanism for early readers to engage in the story, even if they don’t recognize the words. Alex Barrow’s illustrations are just so fun, they draw you in immediately. I truly can’t imagine how this book could be any cuter.
Though race is never mentioned, I love that our main character and her family are black, and that her friends all have different skin tones. This is a great book to add some melanin to your library through Black joy and happiness.
I will warn you though, there is a bit of potty humor in this one; but lets be honest…you can’t have unicorns without a little unicorn poop.
I would like to thank Thames & Hudson for providing me with a review copy of this book. It was an absolute joy to read, and I will absolutely be picking up the rest of the series for my little one’s library.
Have you read If I Had a Unicorn, or any of the books in the series? Which is your favorite?
This book is the third installment in the “If I Had A� series by Gabby Dawnay, preceded by If I Had A Dinosaur and If I Had A Sleepy Sloth. If I Had A Unicorn follows our adorable main character, a young Black girl who dreams of having a pet unicorn. She imagines all the fun things she and the unicorn would do. The lyrical text paired with the eye catching illustrations create an entertaining story from start to finish.
I also love how some of the illustrations stand in for the words in this story. This is a great mechanism for early readers to engage in the story, even if they don’t recognize the words. Alex Barrow’s illustrations are just so fun, they draw you in immediately. I truly can’t imagine how this book could be any cuter.
Though race is never mentioned, I love that our main character and her family are black, and that her friends all have different skin tones. This is a great book to add some melanin to your library through Black joy and happiness.
I will warn you though, there is a bit of potty humor in this one; but lets be honest…you can’t have unicorns without a little unicorn poop.
I would like to thank Thames & Hudson for providing me with a review copy of this book. It was an absolute joy to read, and I will absolutely be picking up the rest of the series for my little one’s library.
Have you read If I Had a Unicorn, or any of the books in the series? Which is your favorite?
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November 29, 2021
This just kept taking delightful turns.
First off, the illustration style is so cute, and I love that the unicorn has a bit of a bumpy texture on the front and back covers!
The unicorn tapestry endpapers are GORGEOUS and I want them hung on my walls. At least as a border or in frames.
The "This unicorn belongs to: ___" page is great, and I adore how the girl and unicorn are peeking over the corner on the copyright page.
I did not expect the first page to be a bit of a rebus, where you have to name the creatures in the pictures to complete the rhyming text. The rebus element disappears afterward, until.... I got way too much of a kick out of that surprise as a childfree 29-year-old woman, haha.
I too would eat desserts with my unicorn all day. The chaotic romp through the grocery store was unexpected and fun.
I thought the juxtapositions of the neighbor's sad garden and the thriving unicorn garden was a little sad, they could've shared some magic. And the sibling's room being magicified and girlified in a way they didn't want wasn't quite cool either. A giant mountain of cotton candy doesn't actually fix that...
I liked all the creatures coming back for movie night at the end. Apparently the family cat has retained its Cheshire makeover!
Even the advertisement for other books at the end was cute.
Again: These endpapersssss!!
First off, the illustration style is so cute, and I love that the unicorn has a bit of a bumpy texture on the front and back covers!
The unicorn tapestry endpapers are GORGEOUS and I want them hung on my walls. At least as a border or in frames.
The "This unicorn belongs to: ___" page is great, and I adore how the girl and unicorn are peeking over the corner on the copyright page.
I did not expect the first page to be a bit of a rebus, where you have to name the creatures in the pictures to complete the rhyming text. The rebus element disappears afterward, until.... I got way too much of a kick out of that surprise as a childfree 29-year-old woman, haha.
I too would eat desserts with my unicorn all day. The chaotic romp through the grocery store was unexpected and fun.
I thought the juxtapositions of the neighbor's sad garden and the thriving unicorn garden was a little sad, they could've shared some magic. And the sibling's room being magicified and girlified in a way they didn't want wasn't quite cool either. A giant mountain of cotton candy doesn't actually fix that...
I liked all the creatures coming back for movie night at the end. Apparently the family cat has retained its Cheshire makeover!
Even the advertisement for other books at the end was cute.
Again: These endpapersssss!!
November 16, 2023
In “If I Had A Unicorn '' by Gabby Dawnay and Alex Barrow is a short story taking the readers on many adventures with a unicorn and what they would do if they had a pet unicorn. The story is short and simple but it kept my two littles very entertained with all the bright colors, the mystical creatures that are shown, and all the illustrations. The art is made from simple shapes but each page is different and has its own theme to it. I rate this book a 5 star because the art is pleasing to look at and the story isn't hard to follow along with. My littles loved to ask questions about the pictures and loved when I asked them questions too. This book helped us communicate when they were not necessarily interested in what the words were saying but more of what the pictures laid out.
February 2, 2021
Of course out of all the new Children's books we got in today at work, the two that immediately caught my eye were "If I Had A Unicorn" and "Butts Are Everywhere"...cuz unicorns...and butts...how can you go wrong?!
This book was super cute and colorful and the only disappointment was when I got to the end and closed the book and the back cover said "From the creators of the best-selling If I Had A Dinosaur"!!! What?! Now I have to actively search out this children's book as well!
This book was super cute and colorful and the only disappointment was when I got to the end and closed the book and the back cover said "From the creators of the best-selling If I Had A Dinosaur"!!! What?! Now I have to actively search out this children's book as well!
February 21, 2023
Inspired by a medieval tapestry of a unicorn in captivity, a little girl imagines what would happen “IF I HAD A UNICORN.� Together they remake the garden, her sister, and breakfast and if sad, the magical pet administers cotton candy. Told in jaunty, imaginative rhyme by Gabby Dawnay, with visual as well as verbal jokes, a child will call for it on repeat. Alex Barrow’s art demands repeat viewing as well.
September 2, 2020
From the bright cover to the gorgeous end papers to the cheerful imaginative story inside, this is a delight. The little girl wonders "if I had a unicorn" and her imagination takes off. The playful illustrations show the unicorn causing all sorts of mischief. A fun read aloud with snappy text and colorful illustrations.
November 23, 2020
3 1/2 stars
From the moment I opened this up and recognized the endpapers (tapestry!), I knew that this would be a great book. I want to try this out in storytime! I have a sneaky feeling that some of the mommies will not approve. Ha! I loved the simple, bright graphic style of the illustrations. Very fun all around.
From the moment I opened this up and recognized the endpapers (tapestry!), I knew that this would be a great book. I want to try this out in storytime! I have a sneaky feeling that some of the mommies will not approve. Ha! I loved the simple, bright graphic style of the illustrations. Very fun all around.
February 4, 2021
The first page threw me for a loop with its rebus-style text. And then it immediately shifted back into jolly rhymes. It was different. And then at the very end, the rebus-style came back with a lovely rainbow unicorn poo.
Once I got into the rhythm of the joys of having a unicorn for a pet, this was great fun. It was certainly refreshing to see more diversity in a unicorn book.
Once I got into the rhythm of the joys of having a unicorn for a pet, this was great fun. It was certainly refreshing to see more diversity in a unicorn book.
January 10, 2021
A funny and cute book about a child who dreams of all the things she can do with a unicorn. I like all the trouble the child imagines along with the traditional unicorn activities. Also this is the first unicorn book I have read with BIPOC characters!
September 17, 2020
Cute story and illustrations. I love the inclusion of the Bayeux Tapestry.
September 30, 2020
This would make a good read aloud. And I have to give props to any book that sneaks in some classic art.
December 7, 2020
Love the endpapers and the illustrations are cute and colorful, but didn't care for the story (that it's in verse didn't help). No real effort made to incorporate unicorn lore.
December 28, 2020
Sweet and simple. I love the rhyming. It has a good pace and I liked the illustrations. I think this would be a fun book for kids to read.
February 25, 2021
A little girl wishes for a unicorn and thinks of all the wonderful things they could do together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 27, 2021A child dreams of their adventures if they had a unicorn.
April 1, 2021
Good rhymes, one LOL, and I like the beginning where the pictures of various magical creatures stand in for text - super fun for interactive reading! Would be a good Storytime book.
April 11, 2021
A simple, imaginative and colorful story that invites readers to imagine life with a unicorn friend.
April 26, 2021
A young girl wishes for a pet unicorn.
January 13, 2022
4 for illustrations, 2 for story.
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April 26, 2022A girl spells out all she would do if she had a unicorn for a pet. fun and cute. Preschool and u
November 29, 2022
Preschool and school-age
January 18, 2023
So cute 🦄
October 25, 2023
Love the old-school (but new) illustrations and rhyming text, but fair warning: potty humor here (rainbow poop).
Themes: unicorns, stories that rhyme
Ages: toddler-1st grade
Pub year: 2020
Themes: unicorns, stories that rhyme
Ages: toddler-1st grade
Pub year: 2020
September 11, 2023
meh. 04/04/23 Tue
November 28, 2022
What if you had a unicorn as a pet? A little girl explains just how a unicorn is the perfect pet and what they could do to have fun together. There is fun rhyming text, places where the words are filled in with pictures, and lots of imaginative fun in this book. This is just one of the four (currently) written in this series and each is just as enjoyable as the last. The illustrations are simply perfect, just adding to the fun. I definitely recommend this series!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
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