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Phoebe and Her Unicorn #5
Unicorn Crossing
Phoebe and Marigold are back for a fifth installment of the award-winning series. Join in on their latest adventures—and experiments—in being themselves!
Time flies in this fifth volume of Phoebe and Her Unicorn! Follow the lovable duo as they experience somewhat-spooky Halloween parties, ecstatic snow days, and looming summer reading assignments.
Although the journey of growing up can sometimes be difficult, along the way Phoebe and Marigold discover something more enduring than goblin fads, unicorn spa vacations, and even a Spell of Forgetting—their one of a kind friendship.
Time flies in this fifth volume of Phoebe and Her Unicorn! Follow the lovable duo as they experience somewhat-spooky Halloween parties, ecstatic snow days, and looming summer reading assignments.
Although the journey of growing up can sometimes be difficult, along the way Phoebe and Marigold discover something more enduring than goblin fads, unicorn spa vacations, and even a Spell of Forgetting—their one of a kind friendship.
175 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2017
237 people are currently reading
914 people want to read
About the author
Dana Simpson
61 books336 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 185 reviews
July 28, 2019
First Halloween, then Dakota makes having a goblin a trend, and winter comes.
Marigold is going to a unicorn spa, so Phoebe is going through unicorn withdrawal.
Not much happens in this book, but there are some cute and funny moments, like this:
Marigold is going to a unicorn spa, so Phoebe is going through unicorn withdrawal.
Not much happens in this book, but there are some cute and funny moments, like this:
April 19, 2019
Phoebe and Marigold carve pumpkins and Marigold plans a Halloween surprise for Phoebe. Todd the candy dragon provides the Halloween candy again this year and Dakota makes goblins cool when she starts hanging out with Blaartholomew. Marigold goes to the spa with her sister, resulting in unicorn withdrawal for Phoebe.
Naturally my favourite scenes were book related, especially when Marigold casts a Spell of Forgetting on herself so it feels like she’s reading a well read book for the first time. I need to learn how to do that spell! While I wasn’t a fan of the increased focus on nose picking I did enjoy the increased time spent talking about books.
This is the first collection where I’ve noticed a few pages repeated from previous collections. I wasn’t as wowed by this collection but am hopeful the next one, Phoebe and Marigold’s first graphic novel, will shake things up a bit. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.
March 23, 2017
+Digital copy gently provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review+
Is Halloween time in Phoebe and Marigold world, costumes and candy, and awkward parties.
I like this strip because Unicorn!, hehe, actually because there are BOOKS
readings and re-readings,
searching answers in books, cool movies and geek parents,
and nerd friends,
and parents could reference bullying and homework, standarized test, and about enjoy childhood.
Fluffy and entertaining.
Is Halloween time in Phoebe and Marigold world, costumes and candy, and awkward parties.
I like this strip because Unicorn!, hehe, actually because there are BOOKS
readings and re-readings,
searching answers in books, cool movies and geek parents,
and nerd friends,
and parents could reference bullying and homework, standarized test, and about enjoy childhood.
Fluffy and entertaining.
June 6, 2022
Dit zijn echt de lekkerste, luchtige tussendoortjes!!!!
Voor alle leeftijden ♡
Voor alle leeftijden ♡
October 8, 2020
I love these as I'm reading them, but if I read them too close together, the plots start to blur--I think this is the one where Phoebe's parents dress up like Neo and Trinity for a Halloween party? That was pretty great. This series is a great mental break.
February 1, 2017
I have always liked all the books of Phoebe & her unicorn Marigold I have read, but I dunno why, this one has been so far my favorite. Their stories have beem kept short, around one page or so, and have explored different topics, such as halloween, school, exams, bullying, magic pets, game of thrones and harry potter, homework and so on. I have found that the stories have much more wit and sarcasm, and can be enjoyed as much for adults as for kids, and there are lots of geeky comments and references to be found along the lecture (and in details such as a "firefly2 t-shirst, for instance! :))
I would recommend it to anyone who likes unicorns, short stories and comics :)
I would recommend it to anyone who likes unicorns, short stories and comics :)
April 8, 2018
Spending another year with Phoebe and Marigold is a pleasure as always. And as Marigold says in one of the strips, "Reading is magic!" Also loved the strip in which Phoebe and Marigold write a poem together in honor of their friendship in alternating stanzas. Highly recommended!
April 19, 2017
Great storylines in this one!
May 4, 2019
I don't know if I'm getting unicorn fatigue, but I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as some of the previous installments. Maybe it's just that there aren't as many memorable moments in this one, or as many continuing stories (there seem to be a lot of standalone panels). It's not terrible, by any means, but it just doesn't seem quite as magical as some of the previous titles.
Simpson really isn't holding back with the advanced language, either. There was a small glossary at the back of the previous book, but the glossary here is three pages long! Determined young readers won't have a problem with the language, but I worry that more reluctant readers might be turned off by coming across so many unfamiliar words.
All in all, it's still a highly enjoyable comic, and I'll definitely be continuing with the series!
Quotable moment:
Simpson really isn't holding back with the advanced language, either. There was a small glossary at the back of the previous book, but the glossary here is three pages long! Determined young readers won't have a problem with the language, but I worry that more reluctant readers might be turned off by coming across so many unfamiliar words.
All in all, it's still a highly enjoyable comic, and I'll definitely be continuing with the series!
Quotable moment:
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.
April 4, 2017
Love these graphic novels. They are so cute and fun to read.
November 24, 2019
More sparkly humor and dazzling friendship from Phoebe and her BFF unicorn. This is the fifth book in this series of comics, though they can be read in any order.
January 30, 2018
Gah, this series is too cute for words. This is truly an "all-age" comic - there are layers to the punchlines/humour that make it funny for kids and equally amusing to adult readers. Some aspects that I like in particular:
○ That Phoebe acts like a real *kid*. Sometimes the humour calls for her to be a bit precocious, but it's never irritated or distracting.
○ How Simpson balances Marigold's faults (she's vain, full of herself, etc.) with her other wonderful qualities (she's caring and a great friend). She's a character who could easily be very annoying, but Simpson makes her so endearing.
○ The bold and bright art - it captures to life and joyfulness of this series perfectly.
I see this compared to Calvin and Hobbes a lot, and while there are some shallow similarities (a kid who has a giant animal as a best friend), this is really its own thing. I love both, but for very different reasons.
○ That Phoebe acts like a real *kid*. Sometimes the humour calls for her to be a bit precocious, but it's never irritated or distracting.
○ How Simpson balances Marigold's faults (she's vain, full of herself, etc.) with her other wonderful qualities (she's caring and a great friend). She's a character who could easily be very annoying, but Simpson makes her so endearing.
○ The bold and bright art - it captures to life and joyfulness of this series perfectly.
I see this compared to Calvin and Hobbes a lot, and while there are some shallow similarities (a kid who has a giant animal as a best friend), this is really its own thing. I love both, but for very different reasons.
April 27, 2019
I originally started reading the Phoebe and Her Unicorn books as a way to connect with my 9 year old niece, but honestly, they are just fun little palate cleansers. Adorable illustrations and smart writing plus some great life lessons. Now, to mail this to my sweet niece so she can read it and add it to her collection. 🦄💕✨
April 20, 2017
Unicorn Crossing is the fifth book in the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series. It is about the adventures of a girl named Phoebe and her unicorn. What a twist!
But seriously. The Phoebe and Her Unicorn series is not just good reads, but great ones. Dana Simpson has crafted characters in a similar vein to Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes, in that their adventures are more exploratory and less conflicted. There are a few small story arcs concerned with such growing up issues as lying and jealousy, but for the most part, Phoebe and Her Unicorn affords the reader a chance to sit in on two friends having a wonderful time together, day after day.
Unicorn Crossing offers much the same as the first four installments, and though this sameness is not a detriment to the strips, readers may find themselves itching for new elements, or at least elaborations on the old characters we know and love. Take Phoebe's parents, for example. I love her parents in all their cool nerdiness, but I found myself wanting to know more about them, especially Phoebe's mom. What sort of relationship do she and Phoebe have beyond Marigold, the unicorn. We get little tastes of that relationship in the other books, but in this latest one, not so much.
However, as with the last book I read (I Am Pusheen the Cat), I'm aware that this book is written for a different demographic from my own, and that what I'm wanting from it may be outside the expectations of that intended demographic. The extended story lines and fleshed-out characters I crave may speak to my sensibilities as an adult reader, whereas an elementary schooler would think these books just fine without.
And indeed, I also think Unicorn Crossing is just fine without lengthier plots and more involved character development. On its own, it's captivating and warm and funny and magical. As with Pusheen, it's a chance to smile and just enjoy a simpler world for a little while. And the fact that it makes me want more from it, I think, speaks to how good it is. Every children's book I've thoroughly enjoyed--from Roald Dahl to Lemony Snicket to others--always left me wanting more, and, just as importantly, kept me entertained through my adult years. I have a feeling that those growing up with Phoebe and Her Unicorn will experience something very similar.
At times it can feel a little too cute for my taste, but overall, a delightful read. Check it out if you ever need a break from seriousness.
But seriously. The Phoebe and Her Unicorn series is not just good reads, but great ones. Dana Simpson has crafted characters in a similar vein to Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes, in that their adventures are more exploratory and less conflicted. There are a few small story arcs concerned with such growing up issues as lying and jealousy, but for the most part, Phoebe and Her Unicorn affords the reader a chance to sit in on two friends having a wonderful time together, day after day.
Unicorn Crossing offers much the same as the first four installments, and though this sameness is not a detriment to the strips, readers may find themselves itching for new elements, or at least elaborations on the old characters we know and love. Take Phoebe's parents, for example. I love her parents in all their cool nerdiness, but I found myself wanting to know more about them, especially Phoebe's mom. What sort of relationship do she and Phoebe have beyond Marigold, the unicorn. We get little tastes of that relationship in the other books, but in this latest one, not so much.
However, as with the last book I read (I Am Pusheen the Cat), I'm aware that this book is written for a different demographic from my own, and that what I'm wanting from it may be outside the expectations of that intended demographic. The extended story lines and fleshed-out characters I crave may speak to my sensibilities as an adult reader, whereas an elementary schooler would think these books just fine without.
And indeed, I also think Unicorn Crossing is just fine without lengthier plots and more involved character development. On its own, it's captivating and warm and funny and magical. As with Pusheen, it's a chance to smile and just enjoy a simpler world for a little while. And the fact that it makes me want more from it, I think, speaks to how good it is. Every children's book I've thoroughly enjoyed--from Roald Dahl to Lemony Snicket to others--always left me wanting more, and, just as importantly, kept me entertained through my adult years. I have a feeling that those growing up with Phoebe and Her Unicorn will experience something very similar.
At times it can feel a little too cute for my taste, but overall, a delightful read. Check it out if you ever need a break from seriousness.
May 11, 2021
I'm disgusted by you, Dana Simpson.
How dare you compare this worthless piece of filth to 'Calvin And Hobbes', the name that shouldn't even be used from your mouth. I would've gave you and your ridiculous book a chance, but the forward I saw in one of your books made me want to rip it into a thousand pieces and use it to wipe my dogs butt. I hate this book with a BURNING PASSION.
Bill Watterson will be better then you and your stupid, useless vector art pictures will ever be.
Calvin and Hobbes is a breathtakingly unique concept, a book that is treasured for the love, humor, worry, passion and sadness spilled into the pages. His book is genius, and if I could read one thing for the rest of my life, it would be that. Your art is messy and you REUSE THE SAME PANEL OVER AND OVER like we're all too stupid to notice.
Not only do you compare, but you say you're book is BETTER, and Calvin and Hobbes is boring.
And yet here you are, sitting and your trashy high and mighty throne, using and pushing down other authors to lift yourself up.
I wish to never set sight on another one of these books again.
Grow up, Dana Simpson.
And while you're at it, keep the name Bill Watterson out of your immature mouth.
(As for this review, you are JUST the type to be sneaking on Goodreads and acting like you aren't reading your own reviews- Yet here you are. Hopefully this well help you GET A CLUE.)
How dare you compare this worthless piece of filth to 'Calvin And Hobbes', the name that shouldn't even be used from your mouth. I would've gave you and your ridiculous book a chance, but the forward I saw in one of your books made me want to rip it into a thousand pieces and use it to wipe my dogs butt. I hate this book with a BURNING PASSION.
Bill Watterson will be better then you and your stupid, useless vector art pictures will ever be.
Calvin and Hobbes is a breathtakingly unique concept, a book that is treasured for the love, humor, worry, passion and sadness spilled into the pages. His book is genius, and if I could read one thing for the rest of my life, it would be that. Your art is messy and you REUSE THE SAME PANEL OVER AND OVER like we're all too stupid to notice.
Not only do you compare, but you say you're book is BETTER, and Calvin and Hobbes is boring.
And yet here you are, sitting and your trashy high and mighty throne, using and pushing down other authors to lift yourself up.
I wish to never set sight on another one of these books again.
Grow up, Dana Simpson.
And while you're at it, keep the name Bill Watterson out of your immature mouth.
(As for this review, you are JUST the type to be sneaking on Goodreads and acting like you aren't reading your own reviews- Yet here you are. Hopefully this well help you GET A CLUE.)
April 4, 2017
This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.
I received a copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Phoebe and Marigold are back at it again in another super adorable book. This time around we see all of the seasons go by in quick succession, a year in the life of our favourite little girl and her hilarious unicorn pal. While this wasn't my absolute favourite Phoebe book I really enjoyed it a lot.
There are quite a lot of adorable situations throughout the book though I think the first one, about Halloween costumes, was my favourite of the entire book, and maybe of the series in general. We also see goblins become a fad, learn some new unique horn lore, and watch Phoebe adjust to life without Marigold when Marigold goes away on vacation. There's a lot of great situations in this collection
I absolutely love Simpson's art and sense of humour. This series continues to be one of my favourites and I always recommend it to people looking for gifts for their young girls. It's a super fun series, definitely check it out!
I received a copy of this book from Andrews McMeel Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Phoebe and Marigold are back at it again in another super adorable book. This time around we see all of the seasons go by in quick succession, a year in the life of our favourite little girl and her hilarious unicorn pal. While this wasn't my absolute favourite Phoebe book I really enjoyed it a lot.
There are quite a lot of adorable situations throughout the book though I think the first one, about Halloween costumes, was my favourite of the entire book, and maybe of the series in general. We also see goblins become a fad, learn some new unique horn lore, and watch Phoebe adjust to life without Marigold when Marigold goes away on vacation. There's a lot of great situations in this collection
I absolutely love Simpson's art and sense of humour. This series continues to be one of my favourites and I always recommend it to people looking for gifts for their young girls. It's a super fun series, definitely check it out!
July 10, 2018
'Unicorn Crossing' by Dana Simpson is the 5th collection of comics in the Heavenly Nostrils series. Even 5 volumes in, this is still a consistently fun series to read.
This time around there are snow days and camping trips. There is dreaded summer reading homework. A big section of the book is about Halloween and the choosing of pretty funny costumes. Phoebe's nemesis Dakota is around, like a perpetual thorn in her side. Included this time around is a glossary for some of the words used.
Phoebe and her unicorn are fast friends still, even though it seems so unlikely that they would be. And Phoebe still feels very much like a real girl. I like the addition of the glossary and not dumbing down the language. It encourages some language development in younger readers, and this is a really fun series for younger readers.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
This time around there are snow days and camping trips. There is dreaded summer reading homework. A big section of the book is about Halloween and the choosing of pretty funny costumes. Phoebe's nemesis Dakota is around, like a perpetual thorn in her side. Included this time around is a glossary for some of the words used.
Phoebe and her unicorn are fast friends still, even though it seems so unlikely that they would be. And Phoebe still feels very much like a real girl. I like the addition of the glossary and not dumbing down the language. It encourages some language development in younger readers, and this is a really fun series for younger readers.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Andrews McMeel Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
March 6, 2017
I started reading this series when I picked up my eight year old daughter's library book. I continued reading this series when I found myself laughing out loud at the exploits of Phoebe her unicorn friend, Heavenly Nostrils. It is slyly clever and I'm pretty sure some of the humor is aimed at the adults reading this (even though it is all appropriate for kids). Funny and full of witty insight, this is definitely a series my daughter and I will continue to read. Received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
March 30, 2017
The best sick day reading.
July 12, 2017
LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!! I'm always laughing out LOUD!!
April 19, 2019
It's a girl named Phoebe and she has a unicorn. That alone should make you want to read it.
June 3, 2019
Cute addition to the series. I love Phoebe's Dad's t-shirt collection. SO many sly references in there LOL.
January 1, 2020
Continuing to enjoy the series (yes, I know I am not in the expected age bracket.)
February 22, 2020
It was good but it didn`t have anything to do with unicorn crossing only one page did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2021
It is funny it is cute with their friendship
April 15, 2021
In which Marigold throws a Halloween party and wears dad shorts.
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February 25, 2022Oh my...
September 8, 2024
Lekker makkelijk en leuk
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June 17, 2025Heel fijn boekje! Ooit het eerste deel gelezen en nu deel vijf, maar niet het gevoel dat ik dingen mis. Ik denk dat mijn bovenbouw klas deze ook heel leuk gaat vinden.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews