This is a very sweet story about being average. Unicorn is magical, beautiful, and extraordinary; horse is brown, average, and ordinary. Horse spends most of the book lamenting the fact that he has to share a pen with Unicorn who seems to outshine Horse in every way. The art is adorable as Hollie Megert captures Horse’s jealousy and Unicorn’s obliviousness in obvious but hilarious ways that children and adults will enjoy. The writing is witty and heartfelt, communicating that being oneself, even if one is ordinary, is enough to be fulfilled in life.

Adorable. Unicorn and Horse live together in the same paddock. Unicorn eats pink cupcakes. Horse… does not.

A wonderful story with beautiful illustrations about envy, valuing who you are and realizing we are all sometimes unicorns and all sometimes a bit of horse. ( )

Unicorn and Horse share a pen in this entertaining picture-book examination of jealousy, and the possibility of friendship between two very different individuals. While Unicorn has every conceivable charm and appeal - a sapphire horn, silver coat, rainbow mane, white teeth - his more pedestrian pen-mate is just a plain, brown horse. While Unicorn sings and dances, and eats pink cupcakes, Horse huffs, stands in the rain, and munches on hay. Horse cannot stand the happier, more popular Unicorn, until the day he (Unicorn) is kidnapped, and a choice must be made: ride to the rescue, or ignore the colorful equine's plight...

A sweet story of overcoming jealousy, and learning to accept yourself and others is paired with bright, colorful artwork in Unicorn (and Horse). With the current crop of unicorn-themed picture-books - Uni the Unicorn by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey, You Don't Want a Unicorn by Ame Dyckman, to name just a few - this new title from author David Miles and illustrator Hollie Mengert is sure to find an appreciative audience. I'm not familiar with the publisher - Familius Publishing, based in Sanger, California - but according to their website they publish books whose intention is to promote happy families. Given that this is so, it's difficult not to read this one as a tale of sibling rivalry, and how that dynamic is replaced with a healthier, less resentful relationship. However you choose to interpret the story, this is just an engaging little book, with fun, expressive artwork and a heartwarming conclusion. Recommended to all young unicorn (and horse) fans, and to anyone looking for picture-books about jealousy. ( )