A Unicorn Named Rin
by Crystal Z. Lee
Publisher: Balestier
Release Date: April 22nd, 2021
Genre: Children's Books, Illustrated, Own Voices
Synopsis:
The royal phoenix is missing from the Tang dynasty palace! Princess Pingyang is worried. Can Rin the unicorn find Fan the phoenix? Together with her friends—dragon, tiger, and tortoise—Rin embarks on a journey to mystical lands in China. Along the way, Rin discovers the value of teamwork and the warmth of friendship.
A Unicorn Named Rin celebrates the wonder and beauty of Chinese history
and culture. This exquisitely illustrated picture book makes an ideal read for
children 3-8 years old:
- Easy-to-read vocabulary enables confidence in early readers
- Whimsical illustrations encourage imagination in all unicorn lovers
- Storyline fosters dialogue around collaboration, empathy, and kindness
My Take:
This children's book surprised me in both good and not-so-good ways. For the not-so-good ways first, while most words were simple for younger children to read, there were some larger words that I completely unexpected and thought to myself "No way, will an elementary school kid know this word," words such as harmonious, harmonization, and auspicious. Furthermore, I felt that the story did not have a good flow to it. I understand the premise was a magical creature that flew away or got lost and the other magical creatures tried to find it, but the story felt very choppy. The names of all of the creatures along with what types of creatures they were, were repeated way too much in the story. I was surprised that to see that Rin got so emotional over the lost friend after only looking in two places as well.
That said, I did really enjoy the Chinese names and words that were incorporated throughout the story. I feel that I liked the illustrations better than the story and that the story could be told with just the illustrations and the same message would have gotten across to the reader.
I was surprised to see the Glossary in the back of the book of Rin's Map. Again, I feel like this is something that's above an elementary school kid's understanding, but as an adult, I really appreciated this look into the facts about the Chinese history behind the story.
I would rate this book 4 stars because though it was choppy and a bit advanced, I love the illustrations and the premise. I will gift my copy to my 11-year-old niece.
Favorite Quotes
"I'll help you, Rin," says Baiju. "That's what friends are for."
"Patience, my friend. Let's not give up," he says.
"As distant as the heavens and seas, no matter how far apart. A good friend stays close like a neighbor, living in my heart."
BOOK LINKS:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57744820-a-unicorn-named-rin
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2SPsJga
Bookdepository:https://www.bookdepository.com/Unicorn-Named-Rin-Crystal-Z-Lee/9781913891138?ref=grid-view&qid=1621012114566&sr=1-1
B&N:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-unicorn-named-rin-crystal-z-lee/1139186250?ean=9781913891138
Crystal Z. Lee is a Taiwanese American bilingual writer. She has called many places home, including Taipei, New York, Shanghai, and the San Francisco Bay Area. She was formerly a public relations executive who had worked with brands in the fashion, beauty, technology, and automotive industries. 'Love and Other Moods' is her first novel.
AUTHOR LINKS
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20927312.Crystal_Z_Lee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystal.z.lee/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Z.-Lee/e/B08NT9ZJTG%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
