A Unicorn Is Born: A Tale of Love & Magic

by Trinie Dalton, Kathryn Ayer (Illustrator), Kathrin Ayer (Illustrations)

Ursula, a pregnant white unicorn, prepares to grace the forest with the birth of another member of her rare, wondrous species. As nature’s caretaker, Ursula is already an expert herbalist, magician, alchemist, astrologer, and psychic. Now, awaiting her first colt, she has an opportunity to embrace both the practical and mystical aspects of motherhood. Ursula’s regal intelligence balanced by earthy warmth reveals her to be the quintessential mother and a generous teacher, as she divulges secrets not only about the universality of motherhood but also of confidential, ancient unicorn lore. Ursula’s belly grows, and she delivers a brown, long-haired baby. As this visually stunning pair get acquainted, grazing meadows for snacks, practicing spells, or, later, diving off their favorite rock in a nearby stream, Ursula realizes the true infinity of nature’s power and revels in her happiness at having experienced animal magic in a completely new way.

Genres: Unicorns, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Fiction

96 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2007

About the author

Trinie Dalton is an author, editor, and curator based in Los Angeles. She teaches creative writing.

She received a BA in creative writing and poetry from University of Southern California and an MFA from the Bennington College Writing Seminars. She has taught at Columbia University, Bard College, Milton Avery Graduate School, Vermont College of Fine Arts, University of Southern California, Dornsife School of Liberal Arts, English Department Art Center College of Design, NYU, Steinhardt Department of Art and Art Professions, and Pratt Institute, Writing for Performance, Publication, and Media Department.

Trinie Dalton is the editor of “Mythtym,” a new anthology of essays, fiction and artwork which includes the writing of Dodie Bellamy, Amy Gerstler, and Rachel Kushner among others.

Trinie Dalton is known for making handmade publications of her books and including participatory elements of her projects.

Her book Wide Eyed (Akashic) was a finalist for the Believer Magazine book award.

Reviews

[RealmsQueen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funky little book. Beautiful illustrations, cute story, but it seems incomplete.

This story follows a mother Unicorn as she prepares for the birth of her first foal. Its really cute as I said, the mother unicorn travels through the woods, speaking with the animals and enlisting the aid of some for her upcoming birth. Then once the baby is born, we follow mother and child as the babe takes it first steps and begins to learn about the world aroujnd her. At least for a little while.

There is a sudden halt to the story, it ends abruptly when the baby unicorn Uma is five months old. There is no clear closure to the story, and if you are halfway interested in the story, you want to know what happens as she gets older.

Cute, but not something I am glad I purchased or would be interested in reading again.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, you may be wondering why I read a book on unicorns. Well, because it was written by Trinie Dalton, whose first book, Wide Eyed, was one of my faves of last year. It was wonderfully weird and written in a refreshingly personal style, almost like a personal zine. I was expecting this book to be more of that kind of weirdness but it's actually a pretty earnest and unironic story of a baby unicorn. Sure, it sounds silly but it does have a cool kind of otherworldly feel to it (like a Ben Marcus book) and it is full of cool illustrations and stickers too.

[Lee Klein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really nice drawings and super-gorgeous stickers. But, otherwise, content-wise, seemed to me like an overly soft story, not very imaginative (for a book about freakin' unicorns!), not delectably freakish or cutely disturbing, not particularly precisely written. Seemingly intended for elvish young hippie mothers who don't mind perpetuating gender stereotypes. But my main concern was that scenes taking place with stags out at the Romantic Honey Trails weren't dramatized in detail! Humans have never seen unicorns making love, apparently, and this book doesn't reveal their secret techniques.

[Shahna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love unicorns.

This story was a little weird. Got to admit. There is a part about liquid secreting for a horn and just the way it was worded made it sound a million times worse then it was.

BUT that is one small thing to the story. Overall it was a good story. A nice little bit of history to add to the world of unicorns.
I also really liked that it had pictures. I read so many books with so many pages, sometimes it's nice to see a picture here and there. The illustrator did a good job.

[Kaila · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Oh sure customer, I'll help you find that book. It should be right about OH HEY UNICORNS."

Cut to me flipping through a book about unicorns (with bonus intact stickers YES PLEASE) instead of helping a poor gentleman find his book.

We never did find that other, obviously inferior, book.

-------------

That was, without a doubt, the least magical book about unicorns I've ever read.

[Remus Drake · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason why I gave this book a three star is because there is alot of pregnancy "adult" references and words that are not suitable for a teenager to read. I received this book as a gift on one of birthdays and fell in love with the second part of the story as well as the artwork. As for the first part of the book, it is decent for an adult but for a person who hasn't really been in the baby boom business, it is not my favorite book.

If you like pregnancies or unicorns, or even the joy that motherhood brings then follow Ursula's story into adulthood. Just a warning for all those people who prefer the accuracy of gender for horses. A colt is a boy, filly is for a girl. Throughout the entire book the gender of Ursula's baby changes for whatever reason. If you can look past that and some adult pregnancy language and themes then I'm sure that you'll have a blast with this book.

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ursula is a unicorn expecting her first child, preparing herself by relying on her fellow animal friends and finding the perfect place to birth - and once Uma the filly is born, the two bond over their magic and awe of the nature around them. Dalton and Ayer offer young readers a cozy tale of familial love; a bit aimless and overly expansive on concepts, yet wonderfully illustrated and decently fantastical.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly pleasant. The book was pretty and our copy smells awesome too - like an old book. My younger daughter recommended that I read this book. I'm glad that I read it.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secret fact of Unicorn life with lovely illustrations.

[Megan K · Rating 5 out of 5]

so sweet so lovely and a great story with incredible illustrations

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It gets stars for the illustrations (and stickers!). The writing, of course, totally silly!

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting and odd. Basically a pointless book, though it had potential. Pretty watercolor drawings and I liked the fantasy world built, but then it just ended.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Dalton is a great genius.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. The plot wasn't a typical one for a Unicorn story, so I was pleasantly surprised by it.

[molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and information-packed story telling what the lives of unicorns are really like!