Publishers Weekly
★ 01/11/2021
This picture book by collaborators Hale and Pham (Real Friends, the Princess in Black series) unfolds on a field of bright white space, a wide-open world tailor-made for a cast of vivid and strong personalities, all rendered in can’t-miss colors. Accordingly, a pink puffball kitten who feels “so perfectly unicorn-y” ties a paper horn to her head, where it points “up, up, up to the sky.” Looking in the mirror, she sees a marvelous horned steed with a luxuriant purple mane. But two household naysayers—a bright green parakeet and an orange gecko—insist that their reality is immutable. “You’re never going to be a unicorn, funny-foo,” says Parakeet. “You meow in your sleep, miffy-mew,” adds Gecko. Then a unicorn appears, confides to Kitty that he admires her “fuzzy ears and silver whiskers,” and, donning a pink cat-ear headband, declares himself a “kitty-corn,” too. What ostensibly starts out as an almost criminally cute tale of pretend play transforms into something much more: a celebration of claiming and naming one’s identity and having it affirmed by others—even if it’s a community of two. “I knew that another kitty-corn like you would see,” says the unicorn. “Yes,” says Kitty, “I see you.” Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Mar.)
Shelf Awareness
"A breathtakingly adorable picture book. . .capture(s) the poignance of the struggle to find oneself."
The Horn Book Magazine
"There’s poignancy... A paean to self-perception, self-actualization, and finding one’s people amongst the neigh-sayers."
Booklist
"This newest Hale-Pham collaboration features appealing characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and clever plot twists."
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Hale and Pham bring the charm and whimsy of their Princess in Black series to this picture book, conveying the same message of self-love and confidence with the candy-colored art and a wide-eyed, bushy-tailed feline who is the dream of cat meme makers everywhere."
From the Publisher
**STARRED REVIEW** "What ostensibly starts out as an almost criminally cute tale of pretend play transforms into something much more: a celebration of claiming and naming one’s identity and having it affirmed by others." —Publishers Weekly
"This newest Hale-Pham collaboration features appealing characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and clever plot twists."—Booklist
"Hale and Pham bring the charm and whimsy of their Princess in Black series to this picture book, conveying the same message of self-love and confidence with the candy-colored art and a wide-eyed, bushy-tailed feline who is the dream of cat meme makers everywhere." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"There’s poignancy... A paean to self-perception, self-actualization, and finding one’s people amongst the neigh-sayers."—The Horn Book Magazine
"Unicorn fans will definitely identify with Hale’s protagonist and respond well to Pham’s bright cartoons... Likely to cause some imaginative prancing among unicorn and kitty lovers." —Kirkus Reviews
"A breathtakingly adorable picture book. . .capture(s) the poignance of the struggle to find oneself."
—Shelf Awareness
Kirkus Reviews
2021-01-27
Is Kitty only a kitten? Or might she be a noble unicorn?
Inspired by the unicorn on her poster, Kitty crafts a perfect horn and admires herself in the mirror. She feels “unicorn-y.” Her friends disagree. “ ‘You’re not a unicorn, putty-pie,’ says Parakeet. / ‘You’re curled up like a cat, fluffy-fry,’ says Gecko.” So Kitty uncurls to prance and gallop, but her detractors point out her tiny tail. With some effort she plumps it up. They tell her she will never be a unicorn because she meows like a cat; this, of course, prompts her to let out a loud “NEIGH!” Parakeet and Gecko are having none of it, each time varying their mild name-calling. As the sun dips low, Kitty’s sure her long shadow looks like a unicorn’s—until a real unicorn clops into view. Gecko and Parakeet are impressed, and Kitty feels insignificant. But this unicorn has a secret…a pair of fluffy, pink kitty ears the same pink as Kitty’s. They can be kitty-corns together, best friends. Unicorn fans will definitely identify with Hale’s protagonist and respond well to Pham’s bright cartoons, laid out as spot illustrations that pop against the mostly all-white backgrounds. The way Kitty’s friends dismissively poke fun with their name-calling may give some readers pause, but the be-true-to-the-inner-you message and the expressive characterizations add appeal. (This book was reviewed digitally with 12-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 51.2% of actual size.)
Likely to cause some imaginative prancing among unicorn and kitty lovers. (Picture book. 3-7)
