If you’re anything like me, you can’t get enough of stories about magical creatures, like The 20 Best Middle-Grade Books and Series With Dragons.
And if you’re into magical creatures, maybe you’d like to go to a magical school? See my 10 favorite books and series that will transport you into the magical school of your dreams.
But if you’re like Pip Bartlett, you know that “nothing is as cool as unicorns.” So here are 10 books for unicorn lovers—and the first one stars Pip Bartlett herself.
P.S. Wouldn’t you love to have your very own unicorn? Follow me on Instagram and you might just win one!
10 Magical Middle Grade Books with Unicorns
1. Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Unicorn Training by Maggie Stiefvater and Jackson Pearce
Some things Pip and Tomas will find when dealing with unicorns: Show-offs, stampedes, mystery, a unicorn who’s afraid of everything. Some things Pip and Tomas will not find when dealing with unicorns: peace and quiet.” Pip can talk to magical creatures, but then so can you. The difference is, when they talk back, Pip can understand them. But that doesn’t help as much as you might think when she’s faced with a scaredy-cat unicorn and an upcoming competition.
This is Book 2 in the series after Pip Bartlett’s Guide to Magical Creatures and if you haven’t read that one yet, start there—there’s a “Unicorn Incident”(!)
2. The Unicorn Quest By Kamilla Benko
Claire Martinson still worries about her older sister Sophie, who battled a mysterious illness last year. But things are back to (sort of) normal as they and their parents move into Windermere Manor, home of the girls’ mysterious great aunt Diana. Then Sophie climbs a strange ladder in a fireplace, so naturally Claire has to follow her…only to wind up in a magical-but-scary land. The girls make it back home, but then Sophie disappears in the night. Claire will have to summon all her courage to climb back up the ladder, find her sister, and uncover the unicorns’ greatest secret.
3. Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti
When Sam arrives in Foggy Harbor, population 3,230, all she can see is a small, boring town that’s way too far from home. And knowing that she’s stuck there all summer with her grumpy Uncle Mitch only makes things worse.
But when Sam discovers a hidden trapdoor leading to a room full of strange artifacts, she realizes Foggy Harbor isn’t as sleepy as it seems. With the help of a new friend, Sam discovers an extraordinary secret beyond the fog: an island of unicorns whose fates are intertwined with hers. (Amazon description)
4. Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: The Unicorn’s Tale by R.L. Lafevers
Nathaniel Fludd is the world’s youngest beastologist-in-training. He has a pet gremlin, for pete’s sake. All Nate really wants is to track down his missing parents, but when a unicorn falls mysteriously ill, Nate’s Aunt Phil makes it clear where beastologists’ duties lie: with the beasts who need them. But not only do they have to keep the creatures alive, they have to keep them safe from a villainous man. Also, there are dragons.
5. Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! By Mariko Tamaki
Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life’s questions. Soon, Minli sets off on a journey to find the Old Man on the Moon so she can change her family’s fortune. She encounters many magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.
6. The Road To Balinor by Mary Stanton
Arianna wakes up in the hospital after a bad accident. She can’t remember much and what she does remember doesn’t seem quite right. As she slowly recalls things about her past she finds that her “horse” Chase can speak thoughts to her—and so can her dog, Lincoln! When her foster parents insist on selling Chase to the bratty neighbor girl, Arianna tries to run away with Chase and Lincoln—only to find herself transported into the world of Balinor, where she must reclaim her birthright as Princess.
7. Into The Land Of Unicorns by Bruce Coville
On a wintry night Cara and her grandmother are chased into St. Christopher’s church by an unknown man. Clutching her grandmother’s “special” amulet, Cara escapes into Luster, the Land of the Unicorns. Soon she is traveling across a beautiful but dangerous world to bring her grandmother’s message to the oldest unicorn of all.
Don’t think you’ll pick up this book and just read a couple of pages…the story is exciting from the very first page and you won’t want to put it down. This is the Book 1 of The Unicorn Chronicles and the series gets better with every book!
8. The Unicorn In The Barn by Jacqueline Ogburn
For years people have claimed to see a mysterious white deer in the woods around Chinaberry Creek. It always gets away. One evening, Eric Harper thinks he spots it. But a deer doesn’t have a coat that shimmers like a pearl. And a deer certainly isn’t born with an ivory horn curling from its forehead. When Eric discovers the unicorn is hurt and being taken care of by the vet next door and her daughter, Allegra, his life is transformed. He’s thrust into a world of magical creatures just as his world at home starts to crumble. (Amazon description)
9. The Order of the Unicorn (The Imaginary Veterinary, 4) by Suzanne Selfors
At Dr. Woo’s Worm Hospital, Pearl and Ben are greeted with some bad news. A human has been spotted in the Imaginary World! Together, Pearl, Ben, and Dr. Woo travel to the Tangled Forest. It’s an amazing, colorful, and wild place. Ultimately, the responsibility falls to Pearl to find a lost unicorn. But in a land of fire-breathing insects and flesh-eating flora, is she up for the challenge?
This book includes bonus writing, art, and science activities to help you learn more about the mythological creatures featured in the book. Enjoy doing them on your own or with friends!
10. The Magical Unicorn Society Official Handbook by Selwyn E. Phipps
A beautifully illustrated official guide to everything unicorn-related, from the Magical Unicorn Society.
It’s a treasure trove of unicorn lore―the facts, the fiction, the where, why and what of these elusive creatures. Discover where unicorns really live around the world, how to find them, and what they eat Learn how to look after them, what powers they have, how to tempt them, train them, and even ride them, and so much more.
What other books with unicorns do you love? Follow me on Instagram and let me know. I love learning about new books. Plus, you might win the Great Unicorn Giveaway of 2021!
For the record, the unicorn in this picture is not the prize. My magical maltipoo, Snowball, wanted me to make sure you knew that. The book she recommends is another good one, though!