Michael Hague's World of Unicorns

by Michael Hague, John Strejan (Paper Engineering), Rodger Smith (Paper Engineering)

Text and pop-up-pictures present some of the lore associated with the mythical unicorn.

Genres: Picture Books, Fantasy, Fairy Tales

12 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Michael Hague is renowned as the illustrator of many children's classics, including editions of The Wizard Of Oz, Peter Pan, The Hobbit, and The Velveteen Rabbit. He also illustrated The Book of Ghosts, Where Fairies Dance, The Book of Wizards, and The Book of Fairy Poetry as well as wrote and illustrated the graphic novel in The Small. Michael lives with his wife, Kathleen, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Reviews

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Hague is one of my favorite contemporary illustrators. I love the rich detail, his choice of color and style reminiscent of the Golden Age of chidren’s Illustrators. He reminds me a little of Dulac and Rackham, though not as dark as the latter.

I came across this book at an antique book fair and couldn’t resist. I also flipped through Hague’s books on Pirates, Wizards and Dragons. Those are compilations of excerpts, and the illustrations didn’t have the same lavish detail as this book. Plus, Unicorns! And fairies! And toadstools with faces! It’s not a very long book, and the text is functional at best, a brief paragraph per page with something about unicorns. I didn’t actually care about the Pop Up element when I bought the book, I was just interested in the illustrations. But the pop up element is well done. Pull two tabs to slide out, and a little 3-D alcove forms. Turn the page, and a unicorn flies up off the page. This is one I’ll have to show my niece next tine I see her—she’s a unicorn fan.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prolific children's author and artist Michael Hague joined forces with paper engineers John Strejan and Rodger Smith in this pop-up book from 1986, highlighting the beauty and enchantment of unicorns. In six two-page spreads, various pop-up scenes—art by Hague, paper engineering by the Strejan / Smith team—are paired with a narrative describing some of the magical qualities of these mythic equines, from the flowers which spring from their steps to the healing power of their horns. Born from flowers and protected by the fairies, the unicorn brings a sense of safety and well-being to all who surround him...

I've been on something of a unicorn kick recently, and after reading and enjoying the 1999 picture book, Michael Hague's Magical World of Unicorns , which pairs various quotations about unicorns with Hague's artwork, I discovered this earlier, similarly-titled book. As it happens, many databases combine the two books (I had to separate them out, on two sites that I use), under the mistaken impression they are the same. However that may be, I am glad that I sought this one out, as I found it quite charming. I am not a pop-up aficionado (even as a child I didn't gravitate to the form), but I think that element of the book holds up fairly well, given that it is almost forty years old at this point. The paper elements aren't as complicated as what one would find in a Robert Sabuda or Matthew Reinhart title, but are still quite engaging, and the artwork itself is vintage Hague—enjoyable for me, even if rarely a personal favorite. There isn't really much of a story here, just some discussion of how unicorns live in Fairyland, but the overall reading and viewing experience with Michael Hague's World of Unicorns was a pleasure. Recommended to young unicorn fans, and to anyone who enjoys pop-up books and paper engineering.

[Emily Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

World of Unicorns by Michael Hague’s is a beautifully illustrated, three-dimensional book, that titillates the imagination and entices the reader into the realm of fantasy. I was very young when I first received this book and although not having yet mastered the art of reading, I was able to devise my own stories aided by the three-dimension, enchanting illustrations which inspired and ignited my imagination. Due to his factual fiction writing style and his excellent use of description and imagery, Hague’s has the ability to lure even the non-believing into the realm of fantasy.
This book can be used for all age ranges, for KS1 the children could use their knowledge of adjectives to describe the images. For EYFS the children could be asked to draw their own unicorns. KS2 could use the stories’ theme of legends to research their own legends. The multi-sensory aspects of this book would also be an ideal tool for enhance the understanding SEN children.

[Ami Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a beautiful pop up book that describes the life and powers of a unicorn.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This pop-up book celebrates the mythical creature of the unicorn.

The artwork in this book is amazing. It was a childhood favorite of mine, and I would flip through it over and over again.