Unicornia: A Magical Birthday

Gr 1-3–Translated from Spanish, this second installment in the “Unicornia” series has Claudia helping her friend Pippa celebrate her birthday. Claudia and Sara are excited to make Pippa’s day extra special. They’ve picked out the perfect present, and Claudia’s mom prepared a giant multitiered cake. But when Pippa’s parents can’t make it to Unicornia because of a snowstorm, Pippa cancels her party. To help lift her spirits, Claudia and Sara convince Pippa to come with them to the Enchanted Falls theme park. Can an outing to the amusement park turn her birthday around? Simple text makes this a quick read for young readers, with Vicedo’s pastel drawings accompanying most pages. The friends are drawn with white skin and different hair styles. A few conflicts are fairly minor and quickly resolved. There are several inconsistencies that may flummox children, e.g., parents stuck in a snowstorm who are later rescued by a unicorn. If Unicornia is so magical, why would they get stuck in the first place? Those who haven’t read the first book will have lots of questions about this land and why Claudia moved there. The intended audience will have to be content with stories full of glitter, unicorns, and bubbly energy.