The Unicorn

Fairy Realm #6

by Emily Rodda, Raoul Vitale (Illustrator)

In Jessie's last visit to the Fairy Realm she discovered a part of the Realm she had never seen before. And she helped the rainbow fairies find a lost treasure. Now the Realm is in tremendous danger. And so is the human world! The evil creatures of the Outlands are planning an attack. So Jessie must make an impossible decision. Should she try to save the human world, or the Realm? She knows she can't save both. Or can she -- with the help of the powerful unicorns? But the unicorns are such secretive creatures. Can Jessie possibly convince them to help?

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fairies, Middle Grade, Fiction, Adventure, Magic

112 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Emily Rodda (real name Jennifer Rowe) was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney in 1973 with an MA (Hons) in English Literature. Moving into a publishing career, first as a book editor, and finally as a publisher at Angus & Robertson, Rodda's first book was published in 1984.

Reviews

[Mella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fairy Realm series are wholesome lighthearted reads featuring a secret fairy realm found through a doorway at the edge of the garden. There's magic and mythical creatures and miniature horses that talk (because what else would you find in a secret fairy realm? duh.) It's reminiscent of Shirley Barber's gorgeous picture books albeit with less impressive artwork (Shirley Barber is incredibly talented). It's a good series for tween girls. I loved this series as a kid, they were imaginative and magical and I loved every minute. I'm pretty sure this series is what started my love of charm bracelets too.

The Unicorn
This time in the Realm, evil is afoot. Both Jessie and her grandmother, the former Queen Jessica wake up one morning feeling dreadfully worried - they're not sure what's wrong - but they know that something is. But is the danger in the Realm? Or closer to home? They've just made a decision to head to the Realm when the phone calls come. Granny's friend Hazel has had an accident as in the hospital. And then Rosemary (Jessie's mum) is called into work to replace a nurse who also had an accident. It's left to Jessie to visit the Realm and find out what's going on.

But when she gets to the Realm - it's worse than she expected. Valda is back. She's been banished to the Outlands twice now - but with Queen Helena dealing with a threat to the hedge in the West and her Granny at the hospital it's up to Jessie to find the one thing Valda fears - a unicorn. I enjoyed this adventure. Jessie is brave and kind and unwilling to do anything but her best for the Realm and the mortal world. I liked that Irena Bins and her family are finally dealt with - they've been so mean for so long it was nice to see them get their just deserts. The town thinks they're crazy after they come to the Winter Festival raving about unicorns and evil cousins and trolls and the Fairy Queen living next door to them. And I liked that Grey Prince (Irena's horse that she abandons) gets to live with the unicorns, in the Forest of Dreams. I enjoyed the action and drama in this one, it was a nice wrapping point for the series - even if it did go on to contain more books. Jessie's charm for this adventure was a ice crystal. I really love this series. 5 stars.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't mind this, and thought it was a good tale to round off a few unfinished characters. I wonder in a sense if perhaps the series was going to end at #6. Valda has been defeated, the Binns have gone and it wraps up very well, everyone lives happily ever after.

So it's a little strange in a way that there are other books in the series. I look forward to seeing how it moves forward from here.

I'm also not 100% sure why Jessie's mum isn't magical!

[Nilsson]

When I knew she'd have to make dealing with unicorns I have to say I was a little scared it wouldn't go well, but she handled it beautifully.

[Mikayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

re-read as an adult: I've been rating the series 3/5 for a reason. they were enjoyable children's books and making them 2/5 was too harsh but plenty of children's books are 4/5 or even 5/5 so I do have standards. this was supposed to be the series finale and was for nearly a decade, and this is how it ends? the other books had significantly more fun and enjoyable moments but I couldn't get them here. I know this book is for ages 7-10 but I have to complain a bit so here's where I'll mark spoilers.

*spoilers*
why does Rosemary still not know but the Bins family does? getting rid of the Bins family when Irena could have had a redemption arc? Jessie did nothing to defeat Valda, when I think her kindness could have saved the day. Valda seems to have been a rude child but it feels more like "she was born evil" which is unfair. I think it would have been more thematically relevant if Jessie was able to use her good heart to reach out to Valda's non-evil side, something her grandmother couldn't do. the unicorn is contrived and way too self-important, and honestly? the charm is lame. I know I am outside the target demographic but come on!

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessie loves the Fairy Realm she gets to through the secret garden at her home. She wakes with an uneasy feeling, which stays with her. She and her grandmother plan to travel to the Fairy Realm to find out what was wrong. They want to warn her friends that the threat was real.

Queen Helena, told her subjects she would take most of her army to stop, Valda, her wicked sister from breaching the hedge barrier. She left before Jessie could tell her the threat was in the outside world as well.

Jessie is shocked to see Valda is in the outside world. Valda tells Jessie to take her through the secret garden entrance to the Realm, and she threatened to harm her friends.

Jessie must work out how to save all her friends, inside the Fairy Realm, as well as in the world outside.

How can she ask the unicorns to help defend both worlds?

This is a wonderful book for imaginative children to enjoy.

[Sarah Eagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I was going to see Valda again, and that made me a little sad, since she was such a good villain in the first book. But surprise! Though I wish her ability to appear where she does was a bit better explained, how the conflict resolves felt a lot more resolute and climactic than the end she saw at the end of the first book. And I was relieved to see that the Bins conflict got some resolution too. I wasn't sure how long Rodda was going to use them.

[Tristen Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jes absolutely loved this book! The ending was super cute,
but some of the dialog verbiage, I found incredibly annoying. All in all,
A fun book for us to read, together. Cute story about one of her favorite
Things, unicorns!

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Rodda-then continues with this the final book in the Fairy Realm series, of which I have read 5 out of 6, I'll read #2 some day maybe, but anyway this is great for the youngsters and a good little series over all - book #37 from Rodda for me.

[vio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite of the series probably but still an enjoyable quick read.

[Jenee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Steven Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fav book since the first

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valda is up to her evil plans again, this time planning to get at the Fairy Realm through the human world, and using Jessie to help her by hurting those Jessie cares about.

Valda also plans to force Jessie to open the door between the human world and the Realm so Valda's forces can attack. Jessie manages to get to the Realm to get help, and Valda finds out that the forces that stand against her include her mind itself.

A very good book, rather grim at the end.

[McKenzie Dygert · Rating 4 out of 5]

well...i don't really remember this one. all i know is that it has unicorns in it and that it's kind of creepy at the end. an evil person tries to kill some people. but because it is supposed to be "G" rated, no one died. DARN!!! jk.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book (and the rest of the series) two or three stars. It is a really good book, for younger kids (7-9).
For me, I enjoyed it when I was younger, but now, it was.....interesting. Totally great series for young girls. Pretty easy read too.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valda eascaped into the human world. Jessie is trying to save Iriena and her father from Valda. Jessie also asks a unicorn for help save them. The unicorn helps defeat Valda and they both resqeue Ireina and her father.

[Dawnetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

My girls love these books. These a great beginner fantasy books, which I even enjoy reading. The plots are simple yet exciting and diverse. These are a good read.

[*Eva* · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful(runnig out of things to wright)

[Jemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a super great book, and I loved the Unicorn.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this as much as the previous Fairy Realm books. There was a lot of explaining, little action, and no fun plot twists. The unicorn does not even make an entrance until the very end.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a more adult story as it made our main character face a difficult choice. I found it very good, and will continue reading Jessie's adventures in the Realm.

[MJ]

i don't really remember, but i know i loved these when i was very young.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I normally wouldn't review a kid's book, but this one really affected my daughter. She was do emotional during the unicorn parts. I couldn't help but be affected too.

[Amber Holm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all the books and they are amazing!

[Kierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a magical book. The queens are having fights about who get to be the overall queen. The grandma is weird.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book...I love the Fairy Realm!

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

one of my daughters books she had to get the whole series

[Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love it