Margaret's Unicorn

Product Information

While looking out to sea, Margaret sees a roiling mist that isn't mist, it's cloud, only it's not clouds, it's a herd of passing unicorns.

The illustrations are so beautiful and lovely and I just fell in love with this story for the illustrations alone! There’s a bit of an ache, as you sense that the unicorn herd will come back for the lost baby when they migrate through the area as the days grow long again; but the ending is so beautifully written, it left me with a smile instead of a tear. The illustrations really make this such a magical book for me and I’m sure many children and adults will love looking at each of the pictures and taking in all the different things you can see!Two minor disappointing details, the text for one illustration tells you they are picking up and feeling a horse chestnut but the whole page illustration shows you a sweet chestnut tree and sweet chestnut, which looks very different and one is edible and the other isn't. The unicorn joins in with Margaret's daily life and they both grow accustomed to their new life together. As the author's “About” blurb said she still looks for unicorns, it also seems to contradict her own personal belief. Margaret takes it upon herself to care for the little creature, even though she knows saying goodbye will be hard. A little girl finds and takes care of a lost baby unicorn in this beautiful and utterly transporting picture book.

The story is very touching and would be great for a child who is adjusting to a new environment/situation, struggling to make friends, or simply loves unicorns / stories with a touch of magic.

I found it absolutely delightful, appreciating both the sensitively told, ultimately heartwarming tale, and the charming, expressive artwork. I loved the use of color and light here - the setting feels like the Scottish Highlands to me - and I thought Smith's changing depiction of the unicorn - speckled as a baby, and pure white when grown - was beautiful. They vanish as quickly as they'd appeared, but accidentally leave behind a baby, tangled in the weeds.

Then one misty day, watching a cloud of seeming unicorns fly by, she discovers a baby unicorn in the grass, apparently left behind by the herd. She also both wrote and illustrated Imelda and the Goblin King, which the Wall Street Journal described as 'enchantingly illustrated. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products.The setting of the story, in fact, looks decidedly Scottish, with its hills full of thistles and heather.