Dana Simpson’s ‘Unicorn Crossing’: The Fairy Blog Review

Cartoonist Dana Simpson is author/illustrator of the Phoebe and Her Unicorn book series.

Unicorn Crossing: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure is the fifth book in Dana Simpson’s New York Times best-selling Phoebe and Her Unicorn series. The books follow the adventures of nine year old Phoebe Howell, an awkward fourth grader, and her magical best friend, a unicorn named Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. The series is based on Simpson’s nationally syndicated comic strip Phoebe and Her Unicorn.

Phoebe was pretty lonely until she met Marigold. One day she was alone by a lake, skipping rocks, when one of the rocks accidentally hits the unicorn. It turns out that Marigold was trapped by the loveliness of her own reflection in the water, and the rock snapped her out of it. Grateful for being rescued, the fairy creature offers Phoebe a wish. Phoebe wished for Marigold to be her best friend. Eventually, the unicorn decides to become the girl’s best friend just because she likes her.

In Unicorn Crossing, the girls’ friendship continues to grow as they discover more about each other’s worlds. Marigold shows that even a unicorn with magic powers isn’t spectacular at everything when she throws a Halloween party for Phoebe; mean girl Dakota is still picking on Phoebe, and manages to use her popularity to turn goblin friends into a fad; and Todd the Candy Dragon and Lord Splendid Humility both make appearances. Phoebe goes through Unicorn withdrawal when Marigold visits a unicorn spa with her sister Florence Unfortunate Nostrils; and Marigold learns there’s a down side to over-using the Spell of Forgetting.

Unicorn Crossing by Dana Simpson, Andrews McMeel Publishing.

This award-winning series has something for everyone, from kids to adults. It’s funny, warm, enchanting, and completely unique. Along with the laughs, fun, and wonder, it features the charming ongoing story of a beautiful friendship between two very different beings from different worlds who love and appreciate each other for who they are, just as they are, flaws and all. And that is the true magic of this smart, funny fairy story.

Verdict: Fairytastic! I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Other books in the series are Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Unicorn on a Roll: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure, Unicorn vs. Goblins: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure, and Razzle Dazzle Unicorn: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure. Unicorn Crossing: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure is published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, and will be released March 28, 2017.

The Phoebe and Her Unicorn comic strip is available online at GoComics, where the daily strips go all the way back to the beginning of the story. Fans can follow Phoebe and Her Unicorn on Twitter and like the official Phoebe and Her Unicorn page on Facebook.