Nobody Rides the Unicorn

Having been used by the King to trick a unicorn into imprisonment, Zoea poor orphan girl with nothing but a golden singing voicedecides to set him free again, and he leads her to the land of the unicorns where she finds happiness.

Gr 1-4-In this pleasantly written story, a poor orphan is called before the King of Joppardy and commanded to go to the forest and sing to attract a unicorn. Zoe doesn't realize that the king and his advisor, the cunning Doctor Slythe, plan to kill the creature in order to make a goblet and eating utensils from its horn. When Zoe realizes that she has been tricked, she sets the animal free. The king then banishes her and demands that "no one in Joppardy shall speak to this little nobody!" Remembering the words to a song that she had heard in her dreams, she searches for and finds the home of the unicorns, where her friend greets her and invites "Nobody" to climb on his back and enter this secret valley. The fascination with unicorns, which is so prevalent in fantasy, is successfully captured through the illustrations and text, and Zoe's song/poem is rich in imagery. There is a misty quality to the soft-edged artwork. Muted colors and the almost fuzzy, cottony look of the unicorn help to create a mythical, mystical atmosphere. The varied perspectives from extreme close-ups to panoramic views effectively create varied moods. A fine introduction to fantasy.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Impressionistic artwork creates a dreamy, surreal backdrop for this story of an orphan girl who beguiles a unicorn. The king of Joppardy learns from Doctor Slythe that he must obtain the horn of a unicorn in order to protect him from harm. The two deceptively persuade a waif named Zoe--"nobody's child"--to lure a unicorn with her gentle voice, but when she learns of the king's plans, she sets the unicorn free and is banished from the kingdom. She then makes her way to the "secret valley of the unicorns," where her kindness is rewarded. Though Mitchell's (Maudie and the Green Children) prose is pedestrian in places, particularly Zoe's song to the unicorn ("His mind is peaceful as the grass./ He is the loveliest one of all/ And he lives behind the waterfall"), it also contains flashes of pure poetry ("The air was torn by trumpets," signals the legendary beast's capture). It's Lambert's (Bedtime) otherworldly illustrations that lift the book to a higher level. His sophisticated use of mist-filtered light and shadow, and his seamless blend of old-world elegance and hints of modern life, make this a cautionary tale with a sense of immediacy (a red car winds its way up to a medieval castle; the heroine and king wear contemporary clothing). Mysterious visual themes are interwoven; a giraffe and a boatman with four geese make intermittent appearances. The enigmatic, lush imagery will haunt readers long after the somewhat forgettable story has ended. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.