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Phoebe and Her Unicorn #3
Unicorn vs. Goblins
School’s out! That means no more teachers, no more books, and lots of time to compliment Marigold Heavenly Nostrils on her good looks. In this third volume, Phoebe and her obligational best friend, Marigold, learn that summer still has plenty of surprises for the both of them.All of our old friends are back—Phoebe’s part-time “frenemy” Dakota, upon whom Marigold has bestowed sentient hair, Phoebe’s goofy parents, and even Lord Splendid Humility (but please, ignore his magnificence if you can)!Have fun as Phoebe and Marigold continue the “Phoebegold Detective Agency,” spend a week at Wolfgang Music Camp, and find themselves in more misadventures, thanks to Marigold’s enchanted sparkles! Along the way, Phoebe makes some new friends, such as Sue—her unique clarinet-playing bunkmate, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils, Marigold’s estranged sister, and Camp Wolfgang’s lake monster who enjoys tacos and Wi-Fi.When school resumes, read along as Phoebe enjoys (or suffers from) a brief case of popularity, mentally catalogs her grievances against dodge ball, and, with Marigold’s help, rescues Dakota and her hair from the queen of the goblins. Through these wacky adventures, Phoebe and Marigold learn that their friendship is the second most magical thing of all, after Marigold’s beauty, of course.Includes an introduction by Cory Doctorow and his daughter Poesy!
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2016
298 people are currently reading
1342 people want to read
About the author
Dana Simpson
61 books334 followersDana Claire Simpson grew up in Gig Harbor, Washington, drawing the entire time. She eventually graduated from The Evergreen State College, despite having spent all her time drawing, and not always for credit.
Attempts at doing real work along the way are hardly worth mentioning; the relevant fact is that, from 1998 to 2008, she drew the internet comic strip Ozy and Millie. After winning the Amazon-sponsored Comic Strip Superstar Contest in 2009, Universal Uclick signed her to a development deal for Heavenly Nostrils.
She currently lives in the Seattle area with her tech genius husband and her fairly stupid cat.
Attempts at doing real work along the way are hardly worth mentioning; the relevant fact is that, from 1998 to 2008, she drew the internet comic strip Ozy and Millie. After winning the Amazon-sponsored Comic Strip Superstar Contest in 2009, Universal Uclick signed her to a development deal for Heavenly Nostrils.
She currently lives in the Seattle area with her tech genius husband and her fairly stupid cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
July 28, 2019
Goblins kidnap Dakota (Blaart!), we meet Todd, the candy dragon (Rar!), and Marigold’s sister, Florence (Unicorn!), who is dating Lord Splendid Humility.
Phoebe is going to music camp, and makes a new friend, Sue, who is… well… kind of weird…
And Marigold makes a new friend, too, Ringo the lake monster.
I really enjoyed this book, and the appearance of the new characters. Funny and witty comic.
Phoebe is going to music camp, and makes a new friend, Sue, who is… well… kind of weird…
“I’m Sue! I play the clarinet.”
“Phoebe. I play the piano.”
“Oh, good! If you played the clarinet better than me, I might have had to kill you in a jealous rage!”
“COUNSELORRR!!!”
“I should warn you I’m sort of weird.”
And Marigold makes a new friend, too, Ringo the lake monster.
I really enjoyed this book, and the appearance of the new characters. Funny and witty comic.
April 10, 2019
You know those days where you just want to comfort read? That was me today.
This is the third Phoebe and Her Unicorn book that has had me wondering why a random comic was placed in the middle of a storyline but because I was enjoying myself so much it didn’t really matter.
In this collection Phoebe goes to music camp where she meets her weird bunkmate, Sue, while Marigold meets the lake monster. Marigold gets a letter from her sister, who has a more ‘unfortunate’ middle name than Phoebe. Todd, the candy dragon, makes both an appearance and some ice cream - BLECH! Dakota has a staring contest with a goblin. Max proved why I knew I loved him
and we met a new potential friend, Sam.
While Phoebe and Marigold are brought to life with kids in mind, if I’m any indication then there’s definitely a lot for kids at heart to enjoy as well. I could easily keep bingeing these today but am going to attempt to restrain myself for two reasons:
1. Because I acknowledge that somewhere in another dimension there could be people who don’t want to be Goodreads spammed with unicorn read after unicorn read. If those people do in fact exist, it’s probably unicorn intermission time.
2. I don’t want to get to tomorrow and know that if I had just restrained myself a little bit then I’d have more new Phoebe and Marigold to look forward to. So, although I sort of feel like Marigold, here’s me restraining myself.
P.S. The magical picture of the unicorn reading is by Ivona Design.
December 29, 2015
3, 5 sparkling stars.
This book is listed for children between 9-12 y.o.
I didn't read the previous books, so I was a little lost at the beginning thinking the Unicorn! was some kind of imaginary friend. But it happens to be her best friend/companion. I'm sure you are wondering: a Unicorn! Well, like the NoticeMeNot (HP) and the Mist (Percy Jackson) , they have...tatatán... the 'Shield of Boringness'
Those scary things like starting a new friendship, summer camp, a new school term, adults believing or not in her, and even help your 'frenemy' tour the pages... and little lessons.
If the Unicorn looks familiar, well, seems the artist get inspired for The Last Unicorn
I wonder myself why I didn't have early a unicorn shelf :)
(*Arc gentileza de NetGalley en Read Now*)
This book is listed for children between 9-12 y.o.
I didn't read the previous books, so I was a little lost at the beginning thinking the Unicorn! was some kind of imaginary friend. But it happens to be her best friend/companion. I'm sure you are wondering: a Unicorn! Well, like the NoticeMeNot (HP) and the Mist (Percy Jackson) , they have...tatatán... the 'Shield of Boringness'
Those scary things like starting a new friendship, summer camp, a new school term, adults believing or not in her, and even help your 'frenemy' tour the pages... and little lessons.
If the Unicorn looks familiar, well, seems the artist get inspired for The Last Unicorn
I wonder myself why I didn't have early a unicorn shelf :)
(*Arc gentileza de NetGalley en Read Now*)
September 3, 2018
"It's easy to compare Phoebe to Calvin and Marigold to Hobbes," says Cory Doctorow in the introduction to the third installment of Phoebe and Her Unicorn, "but Calvin was kind of a creep, especially to little girls. By contrast, Phoebe has a very well-adjusted relationship with the young dudes in her life - and still manages to be funny as heck when they come around."
On the contrary, Phoebe is nice to one boy because she has a crush on him. She's also rude as heck to a beautiful, popular girl in her class named Dakota whom she refers to as her "arch enemy" and, later, her "frenemy." This is about as generic a story line for little girls as can be, and Phoebe's attitude toward Dakota is no better than Calvin's toward Susie.
On the contrary, Phoebe is nice to one boy because she has a crush on him. She's also rude as heck to a beautiful, popular girl in her class named Dakota whom she refers to as her "arch enemy" and, later, her "frenemy." This is about as generic a story line for little girls as can be, and Phoebe's attitude toward Dakota is no better than Calvin's toward Susie.
October 7, 2020
I'm still enjoying this series, in particular Phoebe's frenemy Dakota, who is a hoot. I'm a little ticked at my oldest daughter, who when I showed her book one said "Oh, I love that webcomic!" but had never bothered to mention it to me. Ungrateful whelp.
This continues to remind me of Calvin and Hobbes, but in a sideways way--Phoebe is smart, Marigold is definitely real (though I love the "is he/isn't he" of Hobbes the pet tiger/stuffed animal), and mostly it's the interactions between Phoebe and Marigold that give off that similarity. It's always amusing with moments of laugh-out-loud hilarity, and even though I now own the first ten volumes, I ration them for days when that is what I need.
This continues to remind me of Calvin and Hobbes, but in a sideways way--Phoebe is smart, Marigold is definitely real (though I love the "is he/isn't he" of Hobbes the pet tiger/stuffed animal), and mostly it's the interactions between Phoebe and Marigold that give off that similarity. It's always amusing with moments of laugh-out-loud hilarity, and even though I now own the first ten volumes, I ration them for days when that is what I need.
May 24, 2018
This one wasn't my favorite of the series so far but I still had a great time. I can't wait to read this whole series. It's just freaking adorable.
May 31, 2022
Simpel, doch verslavend grappig ♡
February 25, 2017
The cartoon about toes is hysterical. You'll have to read it.
April 17, 2020
Pandemic or no pandemic I'm always up for reading about a girl and her hilarious unicorn. Reliably adorable and an instant mood-lifter.
October 8, 2023
I'm going through these too fast to keep up with reviewing them. And my memory for individual details isn't holding up. So I may just copy this as the review for those I've read, at least for as long as the quality keeps up. My review of the first should hold up for the rest.
Okay, one note. Phoebe's dad is totally me. He even looks like me since I've grown my hair out. It's uncanny.
Okay, one note. Phoebe's dad is totally me. He even looks like me since I've grown my hair out. It's uncanny.
December 30, 2015
A cute book. Cory Doctorow (in his intro) is right - this has an appeal to kids and adults.
But I may not have loved it as much as he did. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun book, and full of laughs. But I guess I didn’t think the laughs and insights were consistent. Is it bad that I measure a book of humor by how much I laugh out loud? There are some pretty funny cartoons that are interspersed with some that aren’t so inspired. This might be more suited for spreading out and reading cartoon by cartoon, rather than as a single read, since some of what make this collection less interesting is the tediousness of some of the themes throughout the book in how Phoebe and the Unicorn relate to each other.
Even so, it’s a good read - and I’d recommend it to someone who wants a fun read with a Calvin and Hobbes flavor.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
But I may not have loved it as much as he did. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun book, and full of laughs. But I guess I didn’t think the laughs and insights were consistent. Is it bad that I measure a book of humor by how much I laugh out loud? There are some pretty funny cartoons that are interspersed with some that aren’t so inspired. This might be more suited for spreading out and reading cartoon by cartoon, rather than as a single read, since some of what make this collection less interesting is the tediousness of some of the themes throughout the book in how Phoebe and the Unicorn relate to each other.
Even so, it’s a good read - and I’d recommend it to someone who wants a fun read with a Calvin and Hobbes flavor.
Thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for a copy in return for an honest review.
February 20, 2018
When I saw the title I was worried about the goblin aspect making this series less enjoyable. I should not have worried! We get to see Phoebe go to summer camp, start the 4th grade, meet Marigold's sister, see the evolution of Dakota's magic hair and more. . .
August 17, 2019
Utterly adorable, full of snark and kindness, so, so funny, and my favorite volume of the series so far. On to Volume 4 ASAP!
August 5, 2021
Loving this duo so much!
January 19, 2019
Лучше второй
April 7, 2019
This collection seemed to go faster than the previous two. I enjoyed it well enough, though.
In this installment, we see Phoebe go to music camp, we get to meet Marigold's sister, and Dakota has a run-in with some goblins at the local burger joint. I wasn't really a fan of the whole music-camp experience... or, rather, I wasn't a fan of Phoebe's bunkmate. She was supposed to be funny, but I don't find little psychopaths-in-the-making particularly funny. Meeting Marigold's sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils, was pretty fun, though (and once you find out why she has that last name, you'll never be able to forget). The storyline with Dakota and the goblins felt a little tacked-on and too easily resolved, but the magical-hair storyline was fun while it lasted.
The back matter in this one consists of a trail mix recipe and instructions on how to draw some supporting characters. For those who are practicing drawing Phoebe and Marigold and their friends, it's a nice touch.
Overall, this probably isn't my favourite of the books so far. But I'm definitely going to keep reading. I just love these two characters and their unusual friendship!
Quotable moment:
In this installment, we see Phoebe go to music camp, we get to meet Marigold's sister, and Dakota has a run-in with some goblins at the local burger joint. I wasn't really a fan of the whole music-camp experience... or, rather, I wasn't a fan of Phoebe's bunkmate. She was supposed to be funny, but I don't find little psychopaths-in-the-making particularly funny. Meeting Marigold's sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils, was pretty fun, though (and once you find out why she has that last name, you'll never be able to forget). The storyline with Dakota and the goblins felt a little tacked-on and too easily resolved, but the magical-hair storyline was fun while it lasted.
The back matter in this one consists of a trail mix recipe and instructions on how to draw some supporting characters. For those who are practicing drawing Phoebe and Marigold and their friends, it's a nice touch.
Overall, this probably isn't my favourite of the books so far. But I'm definitely going to keep reading. I just love these two characters and their unusual friendship!
Quotable moment:
February 4, 2017
Still a huge fan of this duo! (and also, Dana)
This one is definitely consistent with the others in the series. Full review soon. Yay unicorns!!
This one is definitely consistent with the others in the series. Full review soon. Yay unicorns!!
June 9, 2021
Another really good read from this series 😄
April 7, 2022
It was really good i love these types of books.
February 9, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Phoebe and Marigold Heavenly Nostrils are up to their usual fun and light naughtiness. Lots of unicorn gazing, sparkles, and even some .... spiders? Really cute stuff. I’m having so much fun reading these with my niece.
February 11, 2017
Love this graphic novel series. Can't wait to dig into the next one.
March 20, 2017
Ah, titles. The continuing adventures of Phoebe and Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, very few of which involve goblins.
Some do. Also Dakota, camp, bringing Marigold to show-and-tell and suffering the consequences, stealing coffee and its results, Marigold's sister Florence (when asked how she can have a sister when she has no parent, Marigold points out that Phoebe has no sister but still has parents), being accused of stealing a ball, and more, including a number of gag-a-day ones.
Some do. Also Dakota, camp, bringing Marigold to show-and-tell and suffering the consequences, stealing coffee and its results, Marigold's sister Florence (when asked how she can have a sister when she has no parent, Marigold points out that Phoebe has no sister but still has parents), being accused of stealing a ball, and more, including a number of gag-a-day ones.
February 24, 2016
Cory Doctorow said it best in the introduction: "It's easy to compare Phoebe to Calvin and Marigold to Hobbes...if Hobbes was a snarky unicorn and Calvin was an awesome little girl". And, if Hobbes could also talk to Calvin's parents and friends and teachers :-) Phoebe is an awesome, relate-able, modern 9-year-old, whose best friend happens to be a magical (and snarky!) unicorn named Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. Hilarity ensues as they go about their days together - and in this volume, we find Phoebe attending summer camp, the duo saving frenemy Dakota from some goblins, Marigold meeting up with her sister (Florence Unfortunate Nostrils - and those are some unfortunate nostrils for sure!), and Phoebe starting back at school in the fall. I truly loved everything about this: from Marigold's constant vanity to Phoebe's down-to-earth likability to her parents (who are from my own generation - gasp! I'm getting old!) to how real it all seems (like, if I had a unicorn, I can totally see how she would help but also add to my daily struggles!) Now I definitely have to go back and read the first two volumes!
April 27, 2016
In this third volume, it’s summer break for Phoebe and her best friend, a unicorn named Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. Join them for summer adventures including a staring contest with goblins, music summer camp (and rooming with a girl who is pretty sure she has never killed anyone), trying coffee for the first time and so much more!
This book is filled with hilarity for kids and adults alike. It reads more like a continuous comic strip than a graphic novel and it’s not necessary to read the other volumes first before enjoying this one!
-Kati B.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
This book is filled with hilarity for kids and adults alike. It reads more like a continuous comic strip than a graphic novel and it’s not necessary to read the other volumes first before enjoying this one!
-Kati B.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
January 12, 2016
A cute little collection of comic strips about a little girl and her friend, which happens to be a unicorn. It was fun to see them interact, but a lot of the stories felt repetitive, especially if you read this book in one session. As it was, the unicorn with its 'sparkling' personality started getting on my nerves eventually, but I guess most little girls will love it. However, I suggest to read just a snippet every now and then to keep the whole thing entertaining.
I especially liked the scenes with the goblins but was disappointed to notice that these were only a very minor part of the whole collection - I'd definitely love to read more of those nasty but also cute little creatures.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
I especially liked the scenes with the goblins but was disappointed to notice that these were only a very minor part of the whole collection - I'd definitely love to read more of those nasty but also cute little creatures.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
January 11, 2016
This is the first Phoebe and Marigold book I have read. There's something about it that doesn't allow me to fully like it. Marigold is so vain that it annoys me. However, this is a kids series, and I can see how some children would find Marigold charming. I like the use of vocabulary in this book. The author didn't dumb it down for the intended audience, though some scenarios I think are above some children.
Read it with your children. Talk to them about some of the scenes and encourage the use of the dictionary (even the one embedded in the e-reader).
Read it with your children. Talk to them about some of the scenes and encourage the use of the dictionary (even the one embedded in the e-reader).
March 17, 2016
Just when I thought this series couldn't possibly get any funnier, it goes and makes Trapper Keeper AND Backstreet Boys references!
December 20, 2022
It was a very fun 📖 I love it when Marigold says UNICORN!
March 8, 2025
Foi super engraçado e muito divertido 😝😝😝😝😝
November 14, 2023
Petty review incoming 🥰 but I'm a big kid so I'm allowed to review bomb at least once a year.
Read this one seven or eight years ago and haven't picked it up since, but a part of the foreword has been rattling around in my brain the entire time.
"It's easy to compare phoebe to Calvin and marigold to Hobbes--I did when I reviewed that first collection ('if Hobbes was a snarky unicorn and Calvin was an awesome little girl'), but Calvin was kind of a creep, especially to little girls. By contrast, phoebe has a very well-adjusted relationship with the young dudes in her life--and still manages to be funny as heck when they come around.
"I love--LOVE--how Dana finesses the way that phoebe's parents relate to marigold, too. Calvin's mom and dad rolled their eyes every time Calvin talked with spittle-flecked excitement about his imaginary friend. But phoebe's parents are cooled out by marigold's SHIELD OF BORINGNESS, which means that they can react to to her as if she were just one of phoebe's little pals, albeit a pal with a horn, hooves, and magic powers."
--cory doctorow
even if you don't like Calvin and Hobbes, I feel this is a pretty inappropriate way to express your dislike of it. Doctorow seems to be intentionally mean-spirited, and I can't for the life of me understand where this vitriol came from. It just seems cruel, and especially as a fan of Calvin and Hobbes this hurt me as a kid. I am probably blowing this foreword out of proportion, but why would you write something like this, and send it to be published? And no offense, especially to a not-super-popular comic about a unicorn for kids? As a kid, reading this foreword completely shocked me, and both the surprise and my complete confusion have kept it with me ever since. And if you're the author, why would you accept a foreword like this? She really read this and said "hell yeah! Boys stink!" Imagine the ego of the author to see your potential foreword author dunking on one of the greatest strips of all time and thinking they're right, and that it's appropriate to start your book that way. Petty version: imagine thinking your unicorn book is better than fucking calvin and Hobbes!
Talk about turning a 3 dimensional art piece into a 1 dimensional caricature. I found it--and still find it--disgraceful.
And to be clear, I would have given this book a 2.5 even if this foreword wasn't here.
Read this one seven or eight years ago and haven't picked it up since, but a part of the foreword has been rattling around in my brain the entire time.
"It's easy to compare phoebe to Calvin and marigold to Hobbes--I did when I reviewed that first collection ('if Hobbes was a snarky unicorn and Calvin was an awesome little girl'), but Calvin was kind of a creep, especially to little girls. By contrast, phoebe has a very well-adjusted relationship with the young dudes in her life--and still manages to be funny as heck when they come around.
"I love--LOVE--how Dana finesses the way that phoebe's parents relate to marigold, too. Calvin's mom and dad rolled their eyes every time Calvin talked with spittle-flecked excitement about his imaginary friend. But phoebe's parents are cooled out by marigold's SHIELD OF BORINGNESS, which means that they can react to to her as if she were just one of phoebe's little pals, albeit a pal with a horn, hooves, and magic powers."
--cory doctorow
even if you don't like Calvin and Hobbes, I feel this is a pretty inappropriate way to express your dislike of it. Doctorow seems to be intentionally mean-spirited, and I can't for the life of me understand where this vitriol came from. It just seems cruel, and especially as a fan of Calvin and Hobbes this hurt me as a kid. I am probably blowing this foreword out of proportion, but why would you write something like this, and send it to be published? And no offense, especially to a not-super-popular comic about a unicorn for kids? As a kid, reading this foreword completely shocked me, and both the surprise and my complete confusion have kept it with me ever since. And if you're the author, why would you accept a foreword like this? She really read this and said "hell yeah! Boys stink!" Imagine the ego of the author to see your potential foreword author dunking on one of the greatest strips of all time and thinking they're right, and that it's appropriate to start your book that way. Petty version: imagine thinking your unicorn book is better than fucking calvin and Hobbes!
Talk about turning a 3 dimensional art piece into a 1 dimensional caricature. I found it--and still find it--disgraceful.
And to be clear, I would have given this book a 2.5 even if this foreword wasn't here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews