I selected this title for our library for its unique perspective of a boy and a unicorn and for the mystical, lush art. Authors and illustrators fulfilled my expectations with a tender story of a boy who believes in unicorns and stands up for his convictions. The opening sentence sets the scene with a truth: the world is indeed a magical place! I love that Manolo keeps "a journal stuffed with sketches, scribbles, and samples." I keep a journal, too, mostly of the natural world, and I have been places where I felt the possibility of magical beings such as faeries and unicorns. The authors give token to the old tales of unicorns when Manolo bows his head to greet a unicorn. ( )