A glitter-dispensing unicorn causes the goat's expression of consternation on the sparkly cover of Bob Shea's latest humorous picture book.
The title page, too, emphasizes the goat's emotions, which children will quickly recognize as envy: the goat (whose mood is as blue as his hair) stands in the rain while a pocket of sunlight emanates from the unicorn. Thinking he's "pretty cool" as the goat rides his bike to school, he's shown up by "show-off" Unicorn, who literally flies above him. The goat makes marshmallow squares for his friends, while Unicorn causes it to rain cupcakes. Unicorn tops the goat's dance moves with some "serious prancing" that takes first prize. The goat takes out his frustrations by aping the unicorn. He places a plunger on his forehead and, in a series of vignettes, hops on one leg and sticks out his tongue, chanting, "Look at me! I'm Unicorn! I think I'm so-o-o cool!"
But while the unicorn must count on magic to manufacture his greatness, the goat's natural gifts attract the unicorn. The goat can make cheese--the key ingredient to a "fan-tas-tic" pizza that wows the unicorn ("I can only eat glitter and rainbows," confesses Unicorn). The goat finds himself in the unlikely position of buoying the unicorn's spirits. And in the end, it's the goat who hatches a plan to put both of their talents to good use. A universal tale of envy turned to admiration and, ultimately, friendship. --Jennifer M. Brown, children's editor, Shelf Awareness