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Sugarlump and the Unicorn – Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks (book review)

April 17, 2015 By Emily 8 Comments

Sugarlump and the Unicorn / Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks

(Macmillan Children’s Books, 2013)

Sugarlump-and-the-Unicorn-cover

I asked my daughter to choose a book to review this week, and she went straight for this one.

I should have known. A rocking horse! A unicorn! Swirly writing! And glitter! On EVERY page! It was like everything she’s ever loved in books rolled into one volume.

But one look at the author, and I was glad she went for it.

As with all Julia Donaldson stories, Sugarlump and the Unicorn is solid. The rhymes work and the rhythm works. And despite Donaldson’s insistence that she never sets out to write books with lessons in them, there is a strong ‘grass is greener’ combined with ‘don’t despair’ message in this one.

Sugarlump is a rocking horse who loves rocking the children to and fro. But when they leave the house for the day, he gets lonely, and wishes he was a different kind of horse.

The unicorn grants his wish, and continues to grant his wishes as the story continues. And when Sugarlump gives up, she makes a wish for him.

The-unicorn

Recommended for lovers of horses, unicorns, wishes and glitter aged three and up. You can buy Sugarlump and the Unicorn from Booktopia here, or from Book Depository here.

 

Have you read Sugarlump and the Unicorn? What did you think?

* Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click to buy the item, I earn a little commission but you don’t pay any extra.

Filed Under: Book reviews, For children Tagged With: book review, books, Julia Donaldson, Lydia Monks, Macmillan Children's Books, Sugarlump and the Unicorn, words

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Comments

  1. Kaz @ Melting Moments says

    April 17, 2015 at 10:11 am

    This looks and sounds like a gorgeous book. We haven’t come across it. Thank your daughter for her recommendation 🙂

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 23, 2015 at 1:13 pm

      Will do! She has an eye for pink, glitter and unicorns. It’s a gift.

      Reply
  2. Pinky Poinker says

    April 18, 2015 at 9:53 am

    I’m afraid the boys in my class would groan and whinge if I read this to my class. I read to them from a novel every day but once a week we visit the library and I read a picture book. The books ALWAYS have a message and at the end I ask the class what they think the message was. Some of the answers are hilarious but occasionally they come up with something I hadn’t even thought of 🙂

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 23, 2015 at 1:14 pm

      It’s almost a shame that this is so pink and glittery, because the story isn’t overly girly. Just a horse who wants a different sort of horsey life. But yes, you’d be drowned out by the boys, that’s for sure.

      Reply
  3. EssentiallyJess says

    April 19, 2015 at 8:01 pm

    Unicorns, rhymes and glitter; what’s not to love?

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 23, 2015 at 1:14 pm

      That’s right! And a lesson at the end too. My kinda book.

      Reply
  4. Tash @ Gift Grapevine says

    April 19, 2015 at 11:17 pm

    Love the sticker on the front cover – “With glitter on every page!” No matter what the story was about, that alone would sell it for Miss T. We love Julia Donaldson books so will have to give this one a go.

    Reply
    • Emily says

      April 23, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      I know, the sticker made me laugh too! Call in the next 15 minutes, and we’ll give you glitter on every page! Ha!

      Reply

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Hi! I’m Emily

I parent. I write. I blog. I play with words and numbers in my head. Constantly. It's crowded in there.

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