Hello, friends! Our book today is Perfectly Pegasus by Jessie Sima, a wonderfully heartwarming follow-up to the much-beloved Not Quite Narwhal.

Nimbus, born high in the sky amongst fluffy clouds and colorful rainbows, is undeniably one-of-a-kind. Being so singular means that she has the entire sky to herself, and can use her powerful wings to soar and play. However, it can also get pretty lonely, and Nimbus often finds herself tracing the stars and dreaming of having other pegasi to keep her company. One night, spying the perfect wishing star falling to the land, Nimbus decides to venture out of her solitary sky and search for the celestial object, hoping to make her wish for companionship. Along the way, she’ll meet some new friends – and one familiar face – that will show her that her wish may have already come true…

Marvelous. While the brilliant Not Quite Narwhal dealt with the concept of feeling pulled between two communities based on one’s identities, Perfectly Pegasus deftly explores another aspect of “found families”: being in a place where one’s identity is entirely unique, and finding connection in communities that are unrelated to that identity. At the end of the day, Nimbus is truly unique (no other pegasi make an appearance), yet she finds acceptance and companionship within the narwhal-and-unicorn community that sprang up around adopted unicorn protagonist Kelp from the previous book. It’s a lovely lesson in finding family in those who love and support you, even if they are not EXACTLY like you, and it’s expressed perfectly in Sima’s entertaining, heartfelt text and delightfully sweet artwork. The length is perfect for a storytime, and JJ and I both loved this – I can honestly say that I was filled with glee when Kelp and his blended family made their return halfway through the book. Overall, a lovely story about identity and community, and we highly recommend it. Baby Bookworm approved!

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