Hello, friends! Our book today is The Little Unicorn, written by Sheri Fink and illustrated by Lynx Animation Studios, the latest in the author’s Whimsical World series.

The Little Unicorn lives in an enchanted forest, filled with rainbows, lollipop flowers, and magical fairies. The forest is tied to the magic of Unicorn’s inner sparkle, which she activates by thinking of the things she is grateful for. Unfortunately, Unicorn wanders too far into the surrounding forest one day, becoming lost and afraid. After finding her way through the danger, she attempts to activate her magic, only for it to fail. Upset and alone, Unicorn has trouble thinking of what she is grateful for, and her magic begins to fade, the colors of her home along with it. All seems lost… until a good friend encourages Unicorn to believe in herself, and find that true magic never really dies.

Lovely. The sugar-sweet tone of the illustrations belies a rather beautiful and even complex story. Young readers get a valuable lesson in coping by reaching out to supportive loved ones, remembering appreciate what they have, and knowing that the magic within us never dies, it only becomes obscured when we were sad or upset. Older readers will recognize as a subtle and powerful metaphor for dealing with depression or other mental health issues. It’s subject matter I was not expecting, but was pleased to find handled gently, encouragingly, and with heart. The illustrations are unfortunately a bit generic, lacking the depth and texture that could really do their story justice; not necessarily bad, but certainly underwhelming. However, the length is good and JJ enjoyed it. A wonderful reminder for readers of all ages to never lose their sparkle, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the author in exchange for an honest review.)