NOT A UNICORN

Growing up with a unicorn horn hasn’t been easy for 13-year-old Jewel Conrad; she just wants to be normal.

So when she finds a doctor in California who might be able to remove it, she jumps at the chance. There are only two problems: She hasn’t told her mother yet, and Carmen, the real live unicorn who follows her around, is getting distressed over Jewel’s deep unhappiness with her appearance. The novel’s textured representation includes an examination of how Jewel’s poverty affects her relationship with the world, including living with a single mom in low-income housing in Georgia; sharing a bedroom with her disabled grandmother; and her willingness, born out of desperation, to consider free surgery in exchange for being part of a doctor’s experimental trial. Healthy and fulfilling friendships are contrasted with more shallow, toxic ones as well as some bullying issues at school. The first-person perspective excels at showing Jewel’s internal thoughts and misconceptions. Her hobbies of drawing and reading graphic novels are woven naturally throughout the story as a whole, adding to the richness of characterization. The tension slowly builds to an adventurous climax and a heartwarming ending. Ultimately this is an ode to being different that does not gloss over the difficult aspects of standing out, especially in middle school. Main characters follow a White default.

For anyone who needs a reminder that they are perfect just as they are.