HOW TO SAVE A UNICORN

Another magical rescue mission with friends old and new.

In this follow-up to How to Heal a Gryphon (2022), Giada Bellantuono, a 13-year-old from Italy, is living in New Jersey for a yearlong strega apprenticeship with her friend Massimo “Moss” Calamoneri and his magical parents. She and Moss are studying to become magical vets. They have animal familiars that only they can communicate with—Giada’s is black cat Sinistro, while Moss has Ofelia, a white dove. Giada goes on house calls, but Moss’ Crohn’s disease has kept him home lately as his family works on a treatment plan. Alessia, Giada’s best friend from Italy, who’s apprenticing with a family in Chicago, comes to town, seeking to humanely capture a lost unicorn. Giada and Moss tag along, but they show up to find the unicorn has been taken. Always prioritizing others’ well-being, Giada insists they go in search of the unicorn. Their adventures lead them to meet gryphons called Jersey Devils and take them to New York City, where they encounter gargoyles and underground populations of some of Giada’s former foes. Cannistra weaves another enchanting tale centering a passionate, tenacious protagonist who gains strength from her steadfast friends. The journey proffers lessons in adapting to change and approaching events and people with an open mind. Amid a diverse supporting cast, Moss is biracial with a mother who is cued Black, and a father who reads white.

Tremendous fun for fans of magical creatures.