The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn

Book title: The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2024
Genre: Children's fantasy book
Award to book: Caldecott Honor Winner
Book length: 39 pages
Cost: $ 18.99 US
Author: Shawn Harris
Reviewed by: Allen Klingelhoets

  I got this book from library. Text very simple for young children. The idea was there was a very small unicorn compared to everything around him. The unicorn would even get lost in long grass. The art is simple . It is water color painted images. The main idea is learning to be happy with size. The unicorn even though tiny, meets a gnome that was even smaller. The unicorn, when lost in grass, damages the gnome's car. The unicorn denies act of damaging car. The proof though is his hoof size is exact to one on car roof. The gnome had convertible. The gnome told unicorn had to pay for damage. Gnone got to gallop, and cantered and trotted to castle unicorn lived. I had fun when gnome told unicorn that he had a brother that lived under a bridge. He heard unicorn' teeth make sounds when riding to castle. The gnome explained about family. He would give his gold from his molars to help brother that lived under bridge. The unicorn was told had to pay enormous amount for wrecking gnome's car. This was explained to unicorns' parents. I do not want to give answered how situation was resolved. It was very clever. I also learned there was ghost in north tower of Unicorn castle. That think for another day or story. Key moral. We are all teeny-weeny. We are all giant. And we are all the right size.

  I really enjoyed book even though wrote in very simplistic children's style.

  A little about the author from back inner cover:
Shawn Harris is an award-winning creator of books for kids, including his authorial debut, Have You Ever Seen a Flower?, which received a Caldecott Honor. Some of his other titles include A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett, which was given the Bull-Bransom Award by the National Museum of Wildlife Art, and The Right Foot by Dave Eggers, an Orbis Pictus Honor Book and the recipient of seven starred reviews. Shawn lives in Northern California, where he also likes to write songs, surf and play racquetball.


Allen Klingelhoets
Jazma Online