Book Review of Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows
The Children’s Book Review
Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows
Written and Illustrated by Jessika von Innerebner
Ages 3+ | 32 pages
Publisher: Dial/Penguin | ISBN: 9781984814302
What to expect: Unicorns, Honoring Feelings, Emotions, Humor
Unicorns are always, always, always happy. Glitter and bows! Smiles and sparkles! Kevin the unicorn is determined to keep exactly to code: Smiles and happiness at all times. That’s what being a unicorn is all about. When he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, he pastes a smile on and keeps going. Then, unfortunately, the day only gets less…unicorn-worthy. But Kevin remembers that he has to “keep smiling” or else everything won’t be as unicorn as it’s supposed to be.
Then even more bad stuff happens—crashing through birthday cakes and being chased by dogs—and suddenly Kevin LOSES IT. This is the absolute worst day EVER. That’s when Kevin’s friends step forward and admit they, too, aren’t having such great weeks either donuts on unicorn horns and glitter in eyes are really awful!). Kevin and his friends realize it’s not always glittery and wonderful: sometimes life isn’t great. We can admit, understand it, and move on! There’s no need to cover our feelings here; Kevin does a great job showing us that. He’s still an amazing unicorn; he’s just had a bad day!
What a fun surprise in the unicorn picture book genre! Jessika von Innerebner, author and illustrator of IT’S NOT ALL RAINBOWS, hits the horn on the unicorn’s head: it’s okay to have feelings! It’s okay if everything isn’t perfect! And Kevin is hilariously drawn with frazzled pink hair and truly excellent, expressive eyes that show us just how hard he’s trying to keep it all together, until he just can’t anymore. We know exactly how he’s feeling, and kids will too. What a great way to talk about feelings with young readers who might be grappling with big emotions they don’t quite understand.
With the rising movement of accepting and owning one’s feelings to be our better, more authentic selves, IT’S NOT ALL RAINBOWS is an excellent addition to a classroom or home library. Own your feelings like Kevin the Unicorn, kids!
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About the Author-Illustrator
Jessika von Innerebner is a self-taught artist who landed her first illustration job at 17 and has been coloring her way through studios like Disney and Atomic Cartoons ever since. Jess is the illustrator of several picture books and chapter books, but It’s Not All Rainbows is her author-illustrator debut. She and her illustrator husband live in Canada.
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Denise Mealy reviewed Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows. Discover more books like Kevin the Unicorn: It’s Not All Rainbows by reading our reviews and articles tagged with Unicorns, Feelings, and Humor.
