The Night of the Unicorn Dance (Unicorn Seekers 3)

By Author / Illustrator

Cerrie Burnell, Lucy Fleming, Kayt Bochenski

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Scholastic

ISBN

9780702323959

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

06-06-2024

Synopsis

The final book in the magical Unicorn Seekers series by BBC disability ambassador, Cerrie Burnell! Elodie Lightfoot and her friends live in the most magical place in South London, where unicorns from all over the world come in search of The Secret Unicorn Society's help. When shell-shaped hoof-prints start appearing in the sand near the local volleyball court, they suspect another unicorn is in trouble. This time a Surf Dancer has come to warn them, a unicorn in her glory is in grave danger! Elodie and the Unicorn Seekers must race through the winding canals of Venice to save Delphi from a terrible fate.

A beautifully-told adventure story with magic, excitement and, of course, unicorns! The captivating final book in the much-loved Unicorn Seekers series, by TV personality Cerrie Burnell is sure to leave children completely enchanted Gorgeous black and white illustrations throughout

Praise for Book 1: Map of Lost Unicorns: "With a cast of excellent friends including an autistic boy, this satisfying tale has the perfect balance of thrilling plot, unicorn lore and swirling magic. The delightful illustrations and the inclusion of diary entries from Unicorn Seekers throughout history mean the reader is wholly drawn into this mysterious and secret world. It is perfect for fans of magical adventures that crackle with mystery." BookTrust. "Great fun for readers who love a bit of magic." Books for Keeps

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Reviews

The Night of the Unicorn Dance is the third title in the Unicorn Seekers series and although it is fine to read it without having read the other books, like I have, there is lots of referencing previous events and I think you will appreciate it more knowing the whole story.

The Unicorn Seekers of South London are a group of children, their parents, and a dog, and are like a magical Secret Seven or Fantastic Five who together communicate with, seek out, and protect unicorns who require help or are in danger. In this adventure a young member of the Surf Dancer type of unicorn approaches the society to help rescue her sister, who is in danger from the mysterious House of Handbags in Venice. Their mission entails attending a masquerade ball, inserting themselves into a long-running feud, and travelling across Europe with a mischievous unicorn foal in tow.

Burnell is a lovely writer, she draws you into the story, setting a scene, evoking senses, creating anticipation, tension, and humour with ease and includes lots of charming descriptions and appealing detail. I especially liked the inserted letters, historical diary pages, and blog posts that move the story along in an intriguing way.

I can see parallels with writers from E. Nesbit to Eva Ibbotson in this chapter book full of danger, adventure, and enchantment. This is a joy to read especially for those readers who want to go to the next level from books like Unicorn Academy.

192 pages / Reviewed by Natalie J McChrystal Plimmer, librarian