Unicorn Academy series by Julie Sykes

Illus. by Lucy Truman. Nosy Crow, 2019
Ariana and Whisper. ISBN: 9781788004565. 112pp., pbk.
Imagine a school where you meet your own unicorn and have amazing adventures together! That's what happens for the girls at Unicorn Academy on beautiful Unicorn Island. There are 12 books in the series (some still to be released), the latest being Ariana and Whisper.
Written for younger independent readers, the series appeals to those for whom unicorns remain a fascination and who dream of having their own one day, a fascination that shows no signs of abating. Such series are very popular with younger readers just starting their reading journey through novels as they associate with and invest themselves in the characters, putting themselves in their shoes and truly immersing themselves in the experiences. They form relationships with them that mean they are eager to read and re-read each one in the series, honing their skills and understandings of reading as they do so. So this is a series that will have a strong following because it features all those characteristics that hook these emerging readers in. Worth the investment, not just for themselves but the reading pathways that keen readers will then follow.
Barbara Braxton