by Lita Judge
Illustrations by the author
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division
2026
40 pages
ISBN: 9781665963916
Masterful Storytelling and Magical Illustrations
Beatrix and the Unicorn is evocative of beloved fairy tales with the magic we expect from a classic: a lonely young servant lives in a castle where she toils each day scrubbing and cleaning, the dining hall with its massive table weighted with pies, breads and meats, the great hall with tapastries woven with golden threads--her favorite by far is the unicorn--what a beautiful creature Beatrix thinks. It is the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. If only it was real and not a cloth hung on a stone wall.
One night, Beatrix decides she must find a unicorn. Only then, will she be fulfilled and never lonely again. She sneaks into the night venturing into a forest where she saves a scared rabbit and scoops it up. Later, she encounters a hurt dog. She bandages its leg with her cap. As she continues her search, she gets tired and stops to rest. The castle cat has followed her. Attentive littles will notice the cat on almost every page though Beatrix does not notice him. Beatrix gives her food to her faithful new companions and soon settles in for a nap. She dreams of the unicorn who visits her.
The magical creature assures her that she is not alone; many love her. Upon waking, Beatrix is saddened it was only a dream but a magical one that imparted wisdom and solace. The unicorn touched her with the knowledge to love precious creatures who love her back; she realizes she will never be lonely or alone again.
Glorious illustrations make this my favorite picture book so far this year. The ornate border around the earlier pages are reminiscent of classic fairy tale books. The border disappears when Beatrix has her dream and never reappears once Beatrix is cognizant of the love surrounding her .
The Caldecott committee is likely to have this lovely picture book on its list of favorites, it not book of the year. Kudos to Lita Judge for sharing her talents and inviting all of us to believe in unicorns and magic once again.
Highly, HIGHLY recommended ages 2 and up. A must-have, must-read. Sure to become a classic!
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