Unicorn legends date back far into our ancient Pagan past where they were described as having many different shapes and colors. Today, however, it is the pure white unicorn that captures our fascination.
Throughout the recent years, there have been a great number of children's picture books published that retell the many legends of the unicorn. Unicorns! Unicorns! by Geraldine McCaughrean (Holiday House, 1997) is one of these books.
Unicorns! Unicorns! retells the sad legend of Noah's Ark and how the unicorns were left behind. Unlike other versions of this legend, McCaughrean's unicorns are portrayed as thoughtful creatures who stop to help other animals escape the great flood. Because of the unicorns' selflessness, they do not reach the Ark in time to board it. In a twist of pure beauty, angels who witnessed the selfless acts changed the unicorns into the waves of the ocean.
The Unicorn and the Lake by Marianna Mayer (Children's Book-of-the-Month, 2005) is an incredible retelling of the famous legend of a unicorn's horn and a lake of poison. Mayer based her storybook on three sources: the Physiologus, the Itinerarius, and the unicorn tapestries that are part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. Mayer's research and masterful storytelling, united with Michael Hague's stunning illustrations, has created a picture book worthy of anyone's unicorn collection.
For any child who wonders where the unicorns are, I highly recommend Jane Yolen's Where Have the Unicorns Gone? (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2000). In this picture book, Yolen tells a breathless story of the unicorns leaving our modern day world in search of a wild and peaceful place to continue their existence.
Finally, for children who want to learn more about the origins and history of unicorns, I recommend John Hamilton's Unicorns and Other Magical Creatures (ABDO Publishing Company, 2005). The contents include: Unicorns, Unicorn Origins, The Symbol of the Unicorn, Hunting for Unicorn Horn, Unicorn Books and Films, The Search for Real Unicorns, Pegasus, Griffins, and Mermaids.
