November 6, 2023
The titular hero of this fanciful story by Harris (Have You Ever Seen a Flower?) lives in a castle with his siblings, Fancy Annie and Prince Butterscotch, and parents. Fresh chalk-pastel drawings and a confident narrative lay out the tiny pink being’s miseries in a time when “it was common to see a unicorn.” It’s bad enough that everything in the castle is too big for him, but the unicorn’s larger siblings also use him as a chess piece and exclude him from swimming in the moat. “A gumball would make a bigger splash than you. You’re so teeny-weeny, you’d get lost in the lawn,” Fancy Annie taunts. Then the small unicorn actually does get lost in the lawn, where he meets a diminutive, extremely assertive pink gnome who accuses him of having damaged her sports car, and demands repayment instead of apology (“Sorry doesn’t feed the bullfrog,” she says). The unicorn feels he is much too small to have made such an impact—or is he? Sly wit, distinctive characterizations, and a free hand with fairy tale elements fuel this unbridled exploration of relative influence and size. Ages 3–7. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.
Starred review from December 1, 2023
Size is relative, even if your relatives are particularly huge. The teeny-weeny unicorn has it tough. Everything in his kingdom, from the food to the rugs to the toys, is ginormous--at least, in his opinion. Maybe that's why the unicorn's siblings like to use him as a pawn in their chess games. When his siblings refuse to go swimming with him in the moat ("a gumball would make a bigger splash than you," his brother sneers), the unicorn runs off in a huff into the tall grasses of the castle's lawn. There, he meets a particularly teeny gnome who is furious with him. Without realizing it, our hero somehow managed to smash the gnome's sporty roadster with his "giant" hoof. Despite the unicorn's protestations that he's far too tiny to have crushed the car, the even smaller gnome insists on full repayment. Payment is forthcoming, and at last our hero's small stature works to his benefit. As the book nears its conclusion, the lesson appears to be particularly pertinent for those young readers just beginning to discover both their vastness and their insignificance at the same time. "We are all teeny-weeny. We are all giant. And we are all just the right size." Facial expressions and visual gags complement the text perfectly, all thanks to Harris' particular skill with chalk pastel. The female gnome has a bushy white beard that obscures her features; only a long pink nose is visible. At last! A unicorn book as charming as the species it highlights. (Picture book. 3-6)
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
January 1, 2024
The title page of this adventure features both a unicorn and a rainbow, but things quickly shift from cutesy to a more absurd and sidelong tone. The unnamed teeny-weeny unicorn is the smallest member of his family. This is obviously a relatable condition for the potential reader or listener, but this unicorn really is small -- about the size of a chess piece, too small to jump over a taco. His siblings, Fancy Annie and Prince Butterscotch, are condescending and mean. But size is relative, and when our hero inadvertently steps on and squishes the sports car belonging to an even tinier, tough-talking gnome (who then demands a settlement of $250,000), he realizes that in gnome terms he's a giant. The debt gets sorted out, but even better, the teeny-weeny unicorn gets a day alone at his family's palace home playing games by himself -- and the realization that he's a perfect size just as he is. The illustrations, in oil pastel, feature a dynamic relationship between text and images and hefty lashings of pink. Harris (Have You Ever Seen a Flower?, rev. 7/21) again uses the smearing potential of pastels to great effect in showing the teeny protagonist accelerating from walking to trotting to cantering to galloping. This original take on unicorn life and troubles elicits a wry grin on every page. Sarah Ellis
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from January 1, 2024
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* In a faraway land, a teeny-weeny pink unicorn lives in a large palace--well, extra-large for him. There, his regular-sized brother and sister use him as a pawn when they play chess, and they never let him cannonball off the drawbridge. Sick and tired of being left out due to his size, he runs away from home but quickly gets lost in the lawn. To his surprise, he is chastised by an even teenier garden gnome, who claims that the unicorn's giant hoof has crushed her brand-new red roadster. Feeling guilty "but also a little proud," the unicorn gallops home with the gnome to make amends. The story's end reveals a more confident, empowered little unicorn and the observation that "We are all teeny-weeny. We are all giants. And we are all just the right size." The book's tone is absolutely original, using the magical lilt and glittering language of a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, interspersed with surprising and cheeky modernizations. Harris' chalk pastel artwork, which has previously received a Caldecott Honor (Have You Ever Seen a Flower? 2021), is no less beautiful here as it uses a mix of full-bleed spreads and spot art from inspired angles to tell the tale of our pink Lilliputian hero. A delightful, buoying romp.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
January 1, 2024
The title page of this adventure features both a unicorn and a rainbow, but things quickly shift from cutesy to a more absurd and sidelong tone. The unnamed teeny-weeny unicorn is the smallest member of his family. This is obviously a relatable condition for the potential reader or listener, but this unicorn really is small -- about the size of a chess piece, too small to jump over a taco. His siblings, Fancy Annie and Prince Butterscotch, are condescending and mean. But size is relative, and when our hero inadvertently steps on and squishes the sports car belonging to an even tinier, tough-talking gnome (who then demands a settlement of $250,000), he realizes that in gnome terms he's a giant. The debt gets sorted out, but even better, the teeny-weeny unicorn gets a day alone at his family's palace home playing games by himself -- and the realization that he's a perfect size just as he is. The illustrations, in oil pastel, feature a dynamic relationship between text and images and hefty lashings of pink. Harris (Have You Ever Seen a Flower?, rev. 7/21) again uses the smearing potential of pastels to great effect in showing the teeny protagonist accelerating from walking to trotting to cantering to galloping. This original take on unicorn life and troubles elicits a wry grin on every page.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
September 20, 2024
PreS-Gr 3-The unicorn is frustrated by his size and how he gets bossed around by his older siblings, but he charmingly acknowledges his vulnerability. He then accidentally discovers a power he didn't realize he possessed, which causes him some trouble. But when he's in trouble, he learns a heartwarming lesson about who to turn to for help. Part fairy tale, part pep talk, this story highlights the importance of family members having one another's back. Classic themes and challenges are captured in fresh, new ways to keep young readers entertained and engaged. Every child will instantly relate to the challenges the teeny-weeny unicorn faces because of his size. But Harris offers a very sweet reminder that all is well, just as it is. The teeny-weeny unicorn's expressive eyes will captivate young readers who will fly through the pages to see what happens next. This story is a fresh addition to fairy-tale classics; paired with Cinderella or the Three Billy Goats Gruff, the book offers many opportunities for higher order thinking questions. Students will easily be able to draw comparisons and see the contrasts in how different families treat each other or how demanding trolls and gnomes can be. VERDICT This book will be a hit with most elementary students for the story, but there are also SEL connections relating to self-esteem and equity topics.-Darby Wallace
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