#534 of 1001 · January 16, 2022

For a tale that blends bright fantasy with environmental awareness, try Lynne Cherry’s The Dragon and the Unicorn. The story opens in an ancient land, deep in the heart of the Ardet Forest. There Valerio the dragon and Allegra the unicorn frolic together in joy and harmony. One day, King Orlando arrives in the realm and begins to fell the enormous trees to build himself a castle. He places a bounty on the heads of the two mythical beasts, driving them into hiding. When his daughter, the princess Arianna, enters the forest, she begins to understand the natural splendor that will be lost forever if her father continues on his rapacious path. With an eloquent story and lush watercolor paintings framed by narrative borders, Cherry uses an imaginary framework to elucidate the very real damage humans are all too capable of wreaking upon nature, and the potential within all of us to effect positive change. #dragon #unicorn #forest #castle #king #princess #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks