Young readers will want to pay close attention to the illustrations in Bethanie Deeney Murguia’s charming new picture book about a unicorn disguised (maybe) as a horse. But then, to see a unicorn, you have to be watching pretty carefully anyway, right?
The story opens at sunrise, with a lizard who is waiting for the white horse in the stable to wake up. And maybe this is just a horse in a red hat; a horse who’s having a bad hair day; a horse who wants to keep the sun out of its eyes. I mean, really, if it was a unicorn, would it want to hide its glorious horn under a hat?
Still, discerning young readers will notice some very unusual things happening as this four-legged creature trots out and about. Are those flowers springing up under its hooves? Are those butterflies following in its wake? And is that a rainbow over its head? And, wait! Is that a magical palace with peaks that look, well, remarkably like unicorn horns?
With clever illustrations and a whimsical, conversational tone that’s perfect for storytime and read-alouds, Do You Believe in Unicorns? is sure to entrance readers of any age who may want a little more magic in their everyday lives. In Murguia’s world, all magic takes is believing.
