Group dynamics can sometimes be a challenge, especially when young children (or a child and a unicorn) who are friends introduce a third party to the mix, and author/artist Amy Young does a good job capturing the process whereby such a group negotiates the right way to interact. Like its predecessor, A New Friend for Sparkle pairs an engaging, warmhearted story with cute illustrations. Fortunately, girl, boy and unicorn find a way to play together that makes everyone feel good. But when his attempts to join the fun, by dancing to Cole's drumming, once again leads to trouble, it turns out that this time it is Lucy who is feeling left out. When Lucy's friend Cole comes over to play, Sparkle feels left out at first, and makes his presence known in a way that is disruptive. She lives in Spring Lake, Michigan, with her husband.Lucy and her unicorn companion Sparkle return in this follow-up to their initial picture-book adventure, A Unicorn Named Sparkle. Since then, she has written and illustrated many picture books.

Her first picture book, which she wrote and illustrated, was Belinda the Ballerina. Publishers Weekly About The Author Amy Young was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and though she trained and practiced as a lawyer, she has always wanted to be an artist.

Her message to readers is clear: self-awareness and finding a soul mate dont always come easily. Kirkus She had to admit: sometimes he made her smile and sometimes he made her laugh, writes Young (Dont Eat the Baby!), whose storytelling and watercolor cartooning are spot-on in their comic timing. And Young hits all the visual beats, creating something likable and appealing.A tale about coming to love someone-or something-for who they are and not what one hopes them to be: a pleasant addition to the odd-couple shelf. Review Quotes The pencil, pen, and watercolor illustrations, done in a simple, loose style, offer expressive, playful character poses. Lucy isnt pleased, but in the end she warms up to Sparkle and realizes that even though he wasnt exactly the unicorn she wanted, he might be just the one she needs. But when Sparkle arrives, his ears are too long, his horn is too short, he smells funny-and oh, he has fleas. She imagines the flowers that shell braid into his beautiful pink mane, and she even picks the perfect name for him: Sparkle. Book Synopsis When Lucy sees an ad in the newspaper for a unicorn, she sends in her twenty-five cents and waits four to six long weeks for her very own unicorn to arrive. About the Book A picture book about a little girl who desperately wants a beautiful unicorn as a pet, but winds up with a less than desirable one instead.

Amy young a unicorn named sparkle