What’s a good unicorn book or gift for a child?

A good unicorn book matches the child’s age: flap books for babies, rhyming picture books to read aloud from about 2 to 7, and illustrated chapter books from about 5. To make it a gift, add one unicorn thing they can do or keep, or choose a personalised unicorn book that puts the child in the story.

We make a personalised unicorn book of our own, and we’ll come to it. First, here are the unicorn books we’d look at for each age, with BookTrust’s age band wherever it gives one, and a few gifts that go well alongside. For everyone else on your Christmas list, there are more ideas in personalised Christmas gifts for kids.

The short version

1. Babies and toddlers: a unicorn book with flaps or felt to touch.
2. From 2 to 7: a rhyming or funny unicorn picture book you read aloud.
3. Ages 5 to 9: an illustrated chapter book from a unicorn series.
4. Add one unicorn thing they can make, wear or do.
5. For a keepsake, a personalised unicorn book with your message printed in the front.

Unicorn books by age

We’d sort unicorn books by who’s doing the reading. If they’re under five, that’s you, reading aloud. From about 5, you’ll want short chapters and pictures on most pages, so they can have a go at some of it themselves.

Babies and toddlers

Go for something they can touch and lift. Where’s Mr Unicorn? by Ingela P Arrhenius has felt flaps and a mirror at the end, and its publisher, Nosy Crow, says it’s for babies and toddlers. At this age the unicorn matters less than the flap. Pick one they can grab and open themselves, and you’ll be reading it a lot.

Ages 2 to 7: picture books to read aloud

This is where you’ll do most of the reading. These are the ones we’d pick from, with BookTrust’s age band for each:

• Sugarlump and the Unicorn by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks (2 to 9). A rhyming story with glitter on every page.
• How to Grow a Unicorn by Rachel Morrisroe, illustrated by Steven Lenton (2 to 7). Sarah buys a packet of unicorn seeds for her grandma and gets far more than she bargained for. A good one for grandparents to give.
• Oscar the Hungry Unicorn by Lou Carter, illustrated by Nikki Dyson (2 to 7). He’s so hungry he eats his own stable, and it gets worse from there.
• Sophie Johnson: Unicorn Expert by Morag Hood, illustrated by Ella Okstad (2 to 7). Sophie’s too busy teaching her pretend unicorns to notice a real one.
• Unicorn Moonicorn by Nick Sharratt and Phoebe Tinkler (4 to 7). Flaps to lift and a rhythm made for reading out loud.

One tip before you give a rhyming book: read it through once yourself and find where the beat falls. Your first bedtime with it goes much better when you’re not tripping over the rhymes.

Ages 5 to 9: first chapter books

Each of these is a series, so if one lands, you’ve got the next few birthdays sorted. You’ll see BookTrust’s age bands in brackets, for the book it reviews from each series.

• The Naughtiest Unicorn by Pip Bird, illustrated by David O’Connell (5 to 14). Expect unicorn school, a quest, glitter, rainbows and, yes, poo.
• Unicorn Academy by Julie Sykes, illustrated by Lucy Truman (5 to 14). Bite-sized chapter books about friendship and jealousy, with plenty of magic and sparkle.
• Unipiggle the Unicorn Pig by Hannah Shaw (5 to 9). Princess Pea is meant to choose a Royal Unicorn, and falls for a pig with a horn instead.
• Secret Beast Club: The Unicorns of Silver Street by Robin Birch, illustrated by Jobe Anderson (5 to 9). Two friends have to rescue a lost unicorn foal.

Ages 9 and up

For older readers, the unicorns get fierce. Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman (9 to 14) is the first in a series, with ferocious unicorns and an exhilarating plot. BookTrust notes it also explores grief, bereavement and depression, so if you’re buying for a younger reader, read the blurb first.

BookTrust’s list of magical unicorn books (2026) has a book from each of these and plenty more, so you can check an age band before you buy.

Unicorn gifts that go with the book

We’d pick a gift that gives them something to do with all that unicorn love, and give it alongside the book.

• Unicorn pyjamas, given with the book on the same evening, so it’s that night’s bedtime story.
• A letter from a unicorn, on fancy paper and tucked inside the front cover. Write it as the unicorn, and tell them what you’ve seen them do this year.
• Seeds and a small pot to go with How to Grow a Unicorn. They plant something real while the story does the magic.
• A plain horn headband and a pile of ribbons, so they decorate their own costume.
• One toy unicorn, hidden somewhere new each morning in the week before Christmas, with a clue on a card to help them find it.
• A unicorn jigsaw or an easy board game for the quiet bit of Christmas afternoon.

If you’re putting together a Christmas Eve box, unicorn pyjamas and a unicorn picture book make a lovely pair.

My Secret Unicorn, our personalised unicorn book

My Secret Unicorn is the personalised picture book we make, for ages 0 to 9. It’s a problem-solving adventure where your child rescues a hurt unicorn and finds out their own horse is magical.

There are 8 children and 6 horses or ponies to choose from, so your child is the hero. The book was inspired by Missy, a real horse in Colin’s care. And Teddy hides on every page, so you’ve got a spotting game on top of the adventure.

Say you’re buying for Arlo, who’s five and draws unicorns on everything. Pick the child in the book who looks most like him, then the horse or pony he’d most like to ride. Then use the message at the front, which we print for free. Something like ‘For Arlo, who always knew. Love, Grandad.’ says plenty. If you’re stuck for words, here’s what to write in a book for a child.

You might also come across an older book from another publisher with My Secret Unicorn in its title. That one isn’t ours, and you’ll find the personalised picture book we make on our My Secret Unicorn page.

Unicorn mad, or horse mad too?

If the unicorn love is really horse love with sparkles, add a pony story or two to the pile. You could pick a present for a horse-mad child as well. Our own My Secret Unicorn sits between the two, because the magic starts with their own horse.

How The Kids Book Company helps

Whichever you choose, softcover or hardcover, we print your copy of My Secret Unicorn to order, just for that child.

Every title, My Secret Unicorn included, also has a free personalised digital edition through the Free Book Project. You can make it in under five minutes, with no credit card. We send the PDF to the email you sign up with, ready to read on a tablet, phone or computer.

Create their free book.

Related questions

What age are the Naughtiest Unicorn books for?

BookTrust lists the Naughtiest Unicorn book it reviews as a chapter book for ages 5 to 14. It’s funny and illustrated, so it suits newer readers who want something that feels like a proper chapter book. We’d happily read it aloud to younger ones too.

What’s a good unicorn book for a 7 year old?

At 7, we’d look at an illustrated chapter book from The Naughtiest Unicorn, Unicorn Academy or Unipiggle the Unicorn Pig, all of which BookTrust lists from age 5. If they’d still rather be read to, Sugarlump and the Unicorn runs to age 9. For a book with them in it, My Secret Unicorn is made for ages 0 to 9.

What are some popular unicorn books?

BookTrust’s magical unicorn list is a good place to start, and it gives an age band for every title. Sugarlump and the Unicorn, How to Grow a Unicorn and Oscar the Hungry Unicorn are on it for reading aloud, and The Naughtiest Unicorn and Unicorn Academy for newer readers.

What do you get a child who loves unicorns?

A unicorn book you can read together, plus one thing to do with it. That could be pyjamas for that night’s story, a craft set, or a letter from a unicorn tucked inside the cover. For something they’ll keep, choose a personalised unicorn book with your message printed in the front.