The Very Short, Entirely True History of Unicorns

Gr 4-7–The idea of a single-horned animal with magical powers has been shared in many cultures throughout history. Laskow begins with ancient Greek and Roman lore, then moves on to include Biblical tales of a one-horned animal, highlights stories found in Asia where the creature could foretell the future, and shares how unicorns became the symbol of love in Europe during the Middle Ages. Laskow describes real animals that may have been the inspiration for the creature now called the unicorn, including the rhino and narwhal. The book is chronologically organized and features short, two- to three-page chapters. Laskow ends with the 21st century and the newfound fascination with colorful unicorn food and even includes a candy recipe. A short bibliography is listed at the end. The illustrations sprinkled throughout are colorful representations of unicorns found in art and literature.