The Best Books About Or Featuring Unicorns
“What are the best books about Unicorns?” We looked at 121 of the top Unicorn books, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 16 titles, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Unicorn” book lists, are ranked below by how many lists they appear on. The remaining 100+ titles, as well as the lists we used are in alphabetical order at the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 16 Unicorn Books Of All-Time
16 .) A Unicorn Named Sparkle written by Amy Young
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Everyday Reading
When Lucy sees an ad in the newspaper for a unicorn, she sends in her twenty-five cents and waits four to six long weeks for her very own unicorn to arrive. She imagines the flowers that she’ll braid into his beautiful pink mane, and she even picks the perfect name for him: Sparkle. But when Sparkle arrives, his ears are too long, his horn is too short, he smells funny–and oh, he has fleas. Lucy isn’t pleased, but in the end she warms up to Sparkle and realizes that even though he wasn’t exactly the unicorn she wanted, he might be just the one she needs.
15 .) Do You Believe in Unicorns? written by Bethanie Murguia
Lists It Appears On:
- Everyday Reading
- Working Mother
Is believing in magic the key to seeing a unicorn? If you keep your eyes open to wonder, the possibilities are endless. Is that a horse wearing a hat? It’s definitely not a unicorn in disguise — that would be ridiculous, right? It’s probably just a horse that’s having a bad hair day. Or trying to keep the sun out of its eyes. Or perhaps this horse just really likes hats! If you follow it long enough, maybe it will take off its hat and you’ll finally know for sure. Or will you? It’s all a matter of perspective in this cheerful, cheeky story about seeing magic in the everyday.
14 .) Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book) written by Ben Clanton
Lists It Appears On:
- Everyday Reading
- Working Mother
Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do they love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.
13 .) The Unicorn Rescue Society: The Creature of the Pines written by Adam Gidwitz
Lists It Appears On:
- Read Brightly
- Romper
Elliot Eisner isn’t exactly excited about starting at a brand-new school in a brand-new town; he’d much rather stay at home and read a book. But things take an unexpected turn when he finds out his weird new teacher, Professor Fauna, has planned a field trip for Elliot’s very first day. Along with a new friend–brave, outspoken Uchenna Devereaux–Elliot gets caught up in a secret group of adventurers, The Unicorn Rescue Society, whose goal is to protect and defend the world’s mythical creatures. Together with Professor Fauna, Elliot and Uchenna must help rescue a Jersey Devil from a duo of conniving, greedy billionaires, the Schmoke Brothers.
12 .) The Unicorn’s Tale written by R. L. LaFevers and Kelly Murphy
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes And Noble
- Romper
Nathaniel Fludd, world’s youngest beastologist-in-training wants to exchange Book of Beasts with Obediah Fludd for his parents. Aunt Phil wants to rescue dragon in well, and heal unicorn Luminesse in forest. How can he choose between love and duty?
11 .) Unicorn Princesses: Sunbeam’s Shine written by Emily Bliss
Lists It Appears On:
- Chapters
- Romper
Welcome to an enchanted land ruled by unicorn princesses! Cressida Jenkins, a unicorn-obsessed girl who is sure that unicorns are real, is invited to visit, and readers will be thrilled to journey to the Rainbow Realm along with her! In each story, Cressida is called to help a unicorn princess and her sisters in a magical adventure. In the first story, a blundering wizard-lizard casts a spell that accidentally robs Princess Sunbeam of her magic yellow sapphire. Without it, she loses her powers–the ability to create light and heat. The only way to reverse the spell is for a human girl who believes in unicorns to find the yellow sapphire and reunite Sunbeam with her gemstone. Sunbeam ventures into the human world and enlists Cressida’s help, who is thrilled to visit the Rainbow Realm. But finding Sunbeam’s sapphire isn’t quite as easy as she thought it would be . . .
10 .) Phoebe and Her Unicorn written by Dana Simpson
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes And Noble
- Chapters
- Read Brightly
It all started when a girl named Phoebe skipped a rock across a pond and accidentally hit a unicorn in the face. Improbably, this led to Phoebe being granted one wish, and she used it to make the unicorn, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, her obligational best friend. But can a vain mythical beast and a nine-year-old daydreamer really forge a connection? Indeed they can, and that’s how Phoebe and Her Unicornunfolds.
9 .) That’s Not My Unicorn written by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Chapters
- Everyday Reading
The 50th title in the internationally best-selling That s not my… series. This sparkly, touchy-feely book features a magical unicorn to talk about, and a little white mouse to spot on every page. Babies and toddlers will love turning the pages and touching the textured patches as they try to find their unicorn.
8 .) Twelve Dancing Unicorns written by Alissa Heyman and Justin Gerard
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes And Noble
- Book Riot
- Romper
Once upon a time, a king owned twelve enchanting unicorns that he locked up with golden chains. But every morning, he’d find the beautiful creatures peacefully asleep in their corral—with their chains shattered. Puzzled, he promised a reward to anyone who could reveal the unicorns’ secret. With the help of a magic cloak, a little girl sets out to discover the truth . . . and help the special unicorn that she loves the most. This charming variation on “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” stars a delightfully spirited heroine and twelve magical unicorns.
7 .) I’m a Unicorn (Little Golden Book) written by Mallory Loehr and Joey Chou
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Read Brightly
- Romper
- Working Mother
In this sweet story, gorgeously illustrated by Disney artist Joey Chou, a unicorn tells the readers all about herself (“My horn can make water clean, or heal a hurt”) and her magical life (“I frolic in the forest, I prance in the fields”). Sure to delight little ones who love the magic of fairy tales and beautiful creatures!
6 .) The Unicorn Quest (The Unicorn Quest #1) written by Kamilla Benko
Lists It Appears On:
- Chapters
- Goodreads
- Read Brightly
- Readings
Claire Martinson still worries about her older sister Sophie, who battled a mysterious illness last year. But things are back to normal as they move into Windermere Manor . . . until the sisters climb a strange ladder in a fireplace and enter the magical land of Arden.
5 .) Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great written by Bob Shea
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes And Noble
- Book Riot
- Everyday Reading
- Romper
Hi, I’m Goat. Things were just fine around here until UNICORN showed up. So what if he can fly? Or make it rain cupcakes? And turn stuff into gold? Big deal. I can do some cool stuff too, like… Hey! What are you doing? Why are you opening the book? He’s just going to tell you how great he is. Blah, blah, blah. Go ahead. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you. Dopey Unicorn.
4 .) You Don’t Want a Unicorn written by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Liz Climo
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Everyday Reading
- Read Brightly
- Readings
Be careful what pet you wish for in the newest picture book from fan-favorite author Ame Dyckman and rising-star illustrator Liz Climo. When a little boy throws a coin in a well asking for a pet unicorn, he has no idea what kind of trouble he’s in for. Unbeknownst to him, unicorns make the absolutely worst pets: they shed, they poke holes in your ceiling, and they make a big mess. With a knowing wink from Ame Dyckman, creator of Wolfie the Bunny and cheerful illustrations from Rory the Dinosaur creator and Tumblr star Liz Climo, this rollicking story shares all of the ways a pet unicorn can ruin your life, and is sure to have readers in stitches.
3 .) Thelma the Unicorn written by Aaron Blabey
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Chapters
- Everyday Reading
- Read Brightly
- Working Mother
From the best-selling author of Pig the Pug comes this joyful book about learning to love who you are… even if you don’t have sparkles. Thelma dreams of being a glamorous unicorn. Then in a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma’s wish comes true. She rises to instant international stardom, but at an unexpected cost. After a while, Thelma realizes that she was happier as her ordinary, sparkle-free self. So she ditches her horn, scrubs off her sparkles, and returns home, where her best friend is waiting for her with a hug. From award-winning author Aaron Blabey comes this joyful book about learning to love who you are…even if you don’t have sparkles
2 .) Not Quite Narwhal written by Jessie Sima
Lists It Appears On:
- Book Riot
- Chapters
- Everyday Reading
- Read Brightly
- Romper
- Working Mother
In the tradition of Uni the Unicorn and Gaston, this heartwarming and adorable debut picture book tells the story of a young unicorn who was born under the sea to a family of narwhals. Growing up in the ocean, Kelp has always assumed that he was a narwhal like the rest of his family. Sure, he’s always been a little bit different—his tusk isn’t as long, he’s not as good of a swimmer, and he really doesn’t enjoy the cuisine. Then one night, an extra strong current sweeps Kelp to the surface, where he spots a mysterious creature that looks just like him! Kelp discovers that he and the creature are actually unicorns. The revelation leaves him torn: is he a land narwhal or a sea unicorn? But perhaps, if Kelp is clever, he may find a way to have the best of both worlds. Told with heartwarming illustrations and spare, sweet text, Jessie Sima’s debut picture book is about fitting in, standing out, and the all-encompassing love of family.
1 .) Uni the Unicorn written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Brigette Barrager
Lists It Appears On:
- Barnes And Noble
- Book Riot
- Chapters
- Chapters
- Everyday Reading
- Read Brightly
- Readings
- Romper
An original picture book about a unicorn from bestselling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Plant a Kiss). In this clever twist on the age-old belief that there’s no such thing as unicorns, Uni the unicorn is told there’s no such thing as little girls! No matter what the grown-up unicorns say, Uni believes that little girls are real. Somewhere there must be a smart, strong, wonderful, magical little girl waiting to be best friends. In fact, far away (but not too far), a real little girl believes there is a unicorn waiting for her. This refreshing and sweet story of friendship reminds believers and nonbelievers alike that sometimes wishes really can come true.
The 100+ Additional Best Books About Or Featuring Unicorns
# | Books | Authors | Lists |
17 | A Brush of Darkness (Abby Sinclair, #1) | Allison Pang | Goodreads |
18 | A Pony for Jean | Readings | |
19 | A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Time Quintet, #3) | Madeleine L’Engle | Goodreads |
20 | Acorna: The Unicorn Girl (Acorna #1) | Anne McCaffrey | Goodreads |
21 | Ariel | Steven R. Boyett | Goodreads |
22 | Baby Unicorn: Finger Puppet Book | Victoria Ying | Book Riot |
23 | Be More Unicorn: How to find your inner sparkle | Readings | |
24 | Beasts of Olympus: The Unicorn Emergency | Read Brightly | |
25 | Bella’s Birthday Unicorn | Chapters | |
26 | Birth of the Firebringer (Firebringer, #1) | Meredith Ann Pierce | Goodreads |
27 | Black Beauty | Readings | |
28 | Black Unicorn (Unicorn, #1) | Tanith Lee | Goodreads |
29 | By Fire, by Moonlight (Unicorns of Balinor, #4) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
30 | Claire and the Unicorn Happy Ever After | B.G. Hennessy and Susan Mitchell | Book Riot |
31 | Dark Moon (Firebringer, #2) | Meredith Ann Pierce | Goodreads |
32 | Dark Whispers (Unicorn Chronicles, #3) | Bruce Coville | Goodreads |
33 | Drink, Slay, Love | Sarah Beth Durst | Goodreads |
34 | Elegy Beach | Steven R. Boyett | Goodreads |
35 | Elora of Stone (Legend of Rhyme, #1) | Jaime Lee Mann | Goodreads |
36 | Gnomes of Coyul: The Crystal Staff | Ben Ditmars | Goodreads |
37 | Goldilicious | Victoria Kann | Everyday Reading |
38 | Here There Be Unicorns | Jane Yolen and David Wilgus | Book Riot |
39 | Hope – The Ambit of Light. (The Unicorns of Wish, # 4) | Deby Adair | Goodreads |
40 | I Am a Unicorn! | Michaela Schuett | Everyday Reading |
41 | Into Coraira (Legend of Rhyme #2) | Jaime Lee Mann | Goodreads |
42 | Into the Dream (The Secret of the Unicorn Queen, #4) | Suzanne Weyn | Goodreads |
43 | Into the Land of the Unicorns (Unicorn Chronicles, #1) | Bruce Coville | Goodreads |
44 | Journey To Osm | Sybrina Durant | Goodreads |
45 | Legend of the Blue Unicorn | Britt Brundige | Goodreads |
46 | Lily the Unicorn | Dallas Clayton | Book Riot |
47 | Luna the Unicorn: A Magical Dream Journey | Tracey Thomas and Marina Saumell | Book Riot |
48 | Many Waters (Time Quintet, #4) | Madeleine L’Engle | Goodreads |
49 | Moonsilver (The Unicorn’s Secret #1) | Kathleen Duey and Omar Rayyan | Barnes And Noble |
50 | Moonspell (The Secret of the Unicorn Queen, #6) | Gwen Hansen | Goodreads |
51 | My Mom Is Magical | Sabrina Moyle | Everyday Reading |
52 | Night of the Shifter’s Moon (Unicorns of Balinor, #7) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
53 | Noni the Pony | Readings | |
54 | One Horn to Rule Them All: A Purple Unicorn Anthology | Lisa Mangum | Goodreads |
55 | Otherworlds: The Lost | Katherine L. Walker | Goodreads |
56 | Parley After Life – DIY Guide to Death and other Taxes | Robby Miller | Goodreads |
57 | Rampant (Killer Unicorns, #1) | Diana Peterfreund | Goodreads |
58 | Reckless (Mirrorworld, #1) | Cornelia Funke | Goodreads |
59 | Rider (Spirals of Destiny #1) | Jim Bernheimer | Goodreads |
60 | Search for the Star (Unicorns of Balinor, #5) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
61 | Second Twin (Legend of Rhyme, #4) | Jaime Lee Mann | Goodreads |
62 | Secret in the Stone (The Unicorn Quest, #2) | Kamilla Benko | Goodreads |
63 | Secrets of the Scepter (Unicorns of Balinor, #6) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
64 | Shadows Over Balinor (Unicorns of Balinor, #8) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
65 | Someday, Narwhal | Lisa Mantchev and Hyewon Yum | Working Mother |
66 | Song of the Wanderer (Unicorn Chronicles, #2) | Bruce Coville | Goodreads |
67 | Sophie Johnson: Unicorn Expert | Readings | |
68 | Spud & Charli | Readings | |
69 | Stay Well Soon | Readings | |
70 | Stuff Unicorns Love | Readings | |
71 | Sun Blind (The Secret of the Unicorn Queen, #2) | Gwen Hansen | Goodreads |
72 | Sunchaser’s Quest (Unicorns of Balinor, #2) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
73 | Swept Away (The Secret of the Unicorn Queen, #1) | Josepha Sherman | Goodreads |
74 | Teagan of Tomorrow (Legend of Rhyme, #3) | Jaime Lee Mann | Goodreads |
75 | The Black Unicorn (Magic Kingdom of Landover, #2) | Terry Brooks | Goodreads |
76 | The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm Illustrated Chapter Book: Full Color Illustrations | Sybrina Durant | Goodreads |
77 | The Chronicles of Amber (The Chronicles of Amber, #1-5) | Roger Zelazny | Goodreads |
78 | The Dark Gods (The Secret of the Unicorn Queen, #5) | Josepha Sherman | Goodreads |
79 | The Final Test (The Secret of the Unicorn Queen, #3) | Dory Perlman | Goodreads |
80 | The Firebringer Trilogy | Meredith Ann Pierce | Goodreads |
81 | The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia, #7) | C.S. Lewis | Goodreads |
82 | The Last Hunt (Unicorn Chronicles, #4) | Bruce Coville | Goodreads |
83 | The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1) | Peter S. Beagle | Goodreads |
84 | The Little Unicorn That Had No Horn | James McDonald | Goodreads |
85 | The Little White Horse | Elizabeth Goudge | Goodreads |
86 | The Magical Unicorn Society Official Handbook | Selwyn E. Phipps | Working Mother |
87 | The Maze, the Manor, and the Unicorn | Mary Catelli | Goodreads |
88 | The Outsorcerer’s Apprentice (YouSpace, #3) | Tom Holt | Goodreads |
89 | The Road to Balinor (Unicorns of Balinor, #1) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
90 | The Son of Summer Stars (Firebringer, #3) | Meredith Ann Pierce | Goodreads |
91 | The Third Wish: Dream’s Honour (The Unicorns Of Wish, #3) | Deby Adair | Goodreads |
92 | The Thirteenth Unicorn | W.D. Newman | Goodreads |
93 | The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Shadow (The Twelve Kingdoms, #1) | Fuyumi Ono | Goodreads |
94 | The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind (The Twelve Kingdoms, #2) | Fuyumi Ono | Goodreads |
95 | The Twelve Kingdoms: Skies of Dawn (The Twelve Kingdoms, #4) | Fuyumi Ono | Goodreads |
96 | The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Seas (The Twelve Kingdoms, #3) | Fuyumi Ono | Goodreads |
97 | The Unicorn and the Moon | Tomie dePaola | Book Riot |
98 | The Unicorn Girl | M.L. LeGette | Goodreads |
99 | The Unicorn Hunter | Del Henderson | Goodreads |
100 | The Unicorn of the West | Alma Flor Ada and Abigail Pizer | Book Riot |
101 | The Winter Horses | Readings | |
102 | Today I’ll Be a Unicorn | Dana Simpson | Book Riot |
103 | Troll or Derby | Red Tash | Goodreads |
104 | Una the Unicorn Who Loves to Dance | Amelia Gatacre | Book Riot |
105 | Unicorn (And Horse) | David W. Miles and Hollie Mengert | Book Riot |
106 | Unicorn Academy: Isabel and Cloud | Readings | |
107 | Unicorn Academy: Scarlett and Blaze | Readings | |
108 | Unicorn And Horse | Romper | |
109 | Unicorn Bait (Unicorn Bait #1) | S.A. Hunter | Goodreads |
110 | Unicorn Handbook (The Powerpuff Girls) | Read Brightly | |
111 | Unicorn Keep | Angelia Almos | Goodreads |
112 | Unicorn Of Many Hats | Romper | |
113 | Unicorns of Udithia | Bethany Silver | Goodreads |
114 | Unicorns Sticker Book | Chapters | |
115 | Unicorns: Magical Creatures From Myth and Fiction | Mia Di Francesco | Goodreads |
116 | Valley of Fear (Unicorns of Balinor, #3) | Mary Stanton | Goodreads |
117 | Warrior Beautiful (Riders of Paradesos, #1) | Wendy Knight | Goodreads |
118 | Wendell the Narwhal | Emily Dove | Working Mother |
119 | Wish Again: Dream’s Truth (The Unicorns Of Wish, #2) | Deby Adair | Goodreads |
120 | Wish: Dream’s Beginning (The Unicorns Of Wish, #1) | Deby Adair | Goodreads |
121 | Zombies Vs. Unicorns | Holly Black | Goodreads |
9 Best Unicorn Book Sources/Lists
Source | Article |
Barnes And Noble | 6 Magical Books About Unicorns for All Ages |
Book Riot | 19 Sparkly And Wonderful Books About Unicorns for Babies |
Chapters | Top 10 Unicorn Books |
Everyday Reading | Unicorn Books: 11 Magical Picture Books |
Goodreads | Best Unicorn Books |
Read Brightly | 10 Magical Books About Unicorns for Children and Tweens |
Readings | Blog: The best new books for unicorn fans |
Romper | 10 Children’s Books Featuring Unicorns: Yep, They’re As Magical |
Working Mother | 8 Books About Narwhals and Unicorns That Will Totally Enchant Your |