The lively art (sharply drawn lines contrasting with planes of citrus-hued color) and font-color cues underscore the contrast between modest blue-gray Goat and the fab white Unicorn with his bright orange mane and tail and perpetual surrounding cloud of rainbows, stars, and sparkles. The casual tone and slightly snarky humor of Shea’s narration will also resonate with many upper primary and middle graders. Youngsters who have themselves been one-upped by a new kid will sympathize with Goat and find it satisfying to learn that Unicorn has his own perceived shortcomings.
Goat imagines a future of kick-butt crime-fighting for the newly bonded duo but acquiesces to Unicorn’s simple suggestion to instead play together in the park. ” Goat’s perspective changes when Unicorn raves over Goat’s goat-cheese pizza, confesses that his single horn really isn’t that useful, and admires Goat’s cloven hooves. In a series of small illustrations that evoke similar spreads in Mo Willems’ Pigeon books, jealous Goat mocks Unicorn: “Dopey Unicorn! Thinks he’s so great! How can anyone be friends with that guy?! Look at me! I’m Unicorn! I think I’m so-o-o cool! Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Goat’s bike-riding pales in comparison to Unicorn’s flying skills, as does his baking ability-Goat’s marshmallow squares come out “almost right” while Unicorn can make it rain multicolored cupcakes. Goat had it pretty good until annoyingly amazing Unicorn moved into the neighborhood. An ideal choice for fans of silliness.- Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.īulletin for the Center. Shea's cartoon illustrations are perfectly suited to expressing the characters' varied emotions while keeping the story very tongue-in-cheek, with lots of giggle-worthy details. All it's good for is pointing" -and they become fast friends. However, when an unlikely scenario involving goat-cheese pizza brings the two together, Goat discovers that Unicorn isn't so full of himself after all-"Just look at your fantastic horn" "Eh, it's just for show. "Dopey Unicorn! Thinks he's so great!…Look at me! I'm Unicorn! I think I'm so-o-o cool!" the goat cries, in full-on Willems's Pigeon mode, while sporting a plunger in mockery of Unicorn's horn. He seems to best Goat in every way, including making it rain cupcakes. Nothing has gone right for Goat since Unicorn arrived. School Library Journal - K-Gr 2-Rainbows, smiling cupcakes, and flying unicorns in one picture book can be a recipe for a cutesy-wootsy disaster, but not so in this hilarious friendship story. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (07/13) ill., 27 cm.Įnvy turns to admiration and finally to friendship for Goat and Unicorn.
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