{"id":31174,"date":"2018-05-10T23:52:45","date_gmt":"2018-05-11T03:52:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=31174"},"modified":"2018-05-10T23:52:45","modified_gmt":"2018-05-11T03:52:45","slug":"review-of-phoebe-and-her-unicorn-by-dana-simpson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=31174","title":{"rendered":"Review of Phoebe and Her Unicorn, by Dana Simpson"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Phoebe and Her Unicorn<\/p>\n

A Heavenly Nostrils Chronicle<\/em><\/p>\n

by Dana Simpson<\/p>\n

Andrews McNell Publishing, Kansas City, 2014. 222 pages.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written in 2016.<\/p>\n

I was sent some later volumes about Phoebe and Her Unicorn<\/em> and realized at last what I\u2019d been missing. I\u2019d even had this first volume checked out, but never cracked it open.<\/p>\n

This time, I read the Introduction by Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn<\/em>, and I knew I needed to read this. He mentions that in the early pages of his book, he wrote, \u201cUnicorns are immortal. It is their nature to live alone in one place: usually a forest where there is a pool clear enough for them to see themselves \u2013 for they are a little vain, knowing themselves to be the most beautiful creatures in all the world, and magic besides . . .\u201d <\/p>\n

He continues:<\/p>\n

A little vain . . . Marigold would be an appalling monster of ego, utterly self-concerned and completely unlikable, if it weren\u2019t for her sense of humor and her occasional surprising capacity for compassion \u2013 both crucial attributes when bound by a wish granted to a nine-year-old girl in need of a Best Friend to play invented superhero games with, to introduce to slumber parties and girl-talk gossip and to ride through the wind after being called nerd and Princess Stupidbutt one time too many. For Phoebe is a remarkably real little girl, as bright and imaginative as Bill Watterson\u2019s Calvin, as touchingly vulnerable as Charles Schulz\u2019s Charlie Brown. And if these strike you as big names to conjure with, I\u2019ll go further and state for the record that in my opinion Heavenly Nostrils<\/em> is nothing less than the best comic strip to come along since Calvin and Hobbes<\/em>. Simpson is that good, and that original.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And yes, he\u2019s right — Phoebe and her Unicorn<\/em> is in the tradition of Calvin and Hobbes<\/em>, this time with a nerdy and precocious little girl \u2013 so perhaps I related a little more than to Calvin.<\/p>\n

However, Phoebe\u2019s Unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, is not an imaginary friend. She\u2019s real, and people can see her, but unicorns are protected by a SHIELD OF BORINGNESS. (This word should be printed in a fancy font.) As Marigold explains, \u201cThe SHIELD OF BORINGNESS is a bit of spellcraft that allows unicorns to remain a myth. Those humans who have seen us don\u2019t find it important enough to mention.\u201d<\/p>\n

It helped me enjoy the book more once I realized this is a comic strip collection. There is an ongoing story, but most of the strips end with a joke. And they\u2019re good jokes! (Okay, I like the unicorn puns about Phoebe being pointless.) It helped me enjoy reading them more when I realized what I was reading.<\/p>\n

There is an ongoing story. But there are also comic-strip traditions in play. For example, Phoebe is a fourth grader at the start of the book. Then she has a lovely summer off and goes back to school \u2013 and starts fourth grade.<\/p>\n

And like other great comic strips, there are profound observations behind the jokes. This is a lovely book about a nerdy little girl who wants to be awesome, about a unicorn she rescued (by hitting her with a rock and breaking her out of the cycle of gazing at her own reflection) who granted a wish by becoming her best friend, and about a unicorn who is well aware that she is the loveliest thing on the planet.<\/p>\n

Tremendously fun!<\/p>\n

ampkids.com<\/a>
\ngocomics.com\/phoebe-and-her-unicorn<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Fiction\/phoebe_and_her_unicorn.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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