Author: J.C. Phillipps
Illustrator: J.C. Phillipps
© Date: 2023
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Pages: 226
Chapters: Yes
Illustrations: Yes, graphic novel
Publisher Recommended Age: 7-10
Bonus Activities at End of Book: Yes, how to draw characters
Summary from Publisher’s Website: Calling all unicorn lovers! Pacey and Slasher (the world’s grumpiest unicorn) are flying high with dragons in this graphic novel series with plenty of attitude, humor, and heart! Perfect for anyone who loves—or hates—unicorns!
The battle begins for Rundalyn, the land of unicorns! To protect everyone, Pacey and Slasher MUST collect the pieces of the magic horn before the evil Alpha Unicorn does. Piece of cake, right? And everything goes to plan . . . until Pacey’s sister, Mina, gets taken by a DRAGON—hold on, there are dragons in Rundalyn?!
Pacey isn’t afraid of some dragons . . . but she IS afraid of some heights. (Hey, it’s scary being up high!) With flying dragons taking little sisters, how are Pacey and Slasher going to save Mina? And with the Alpha Unicorn on their tail, can they still get the magic horn first? Find out in the fourth adventure of the Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker series!
Note: This review is done from memory. I originally read this a short bit ago.
Page Pig Thoughts: This is a story of hope for the peaceful living of many creatures. The heroes continue finding inner courage and strength to continue their mission to save everyone from the dominating unicorns. Many creatures learn to work together for common goals. The pain caused by the grumpy unicorns and their evil king, Arkane, is sad to read about. These are not the sweet, healing the injuries of others sort of unicorns. Thankfully there is always hope that weaves through the story.
I particularly enjoyed Jonky and the goblins in this story. Usually goblins are grumpy troublemakers. But these ones live in a garden of peaceful harmony. Jonky and his camouflage techniques made me smile, I appreciated his innocence and sweetness. Too bad there aren’t statues of him that I could use as a lookout in my garden, he would always make me smile.
Page Pup reread these several times, I guess because they are graphic novels, not really sure. Something was appealing though.
Family Unit:
- Pacey is the older sister of Mina. They live with their mother and father.
- Slasher the unicorn is the younger brother of Arkane the evil unicorn king and Lark the lost unicorn. Isolina was their mother.
- Zella is Loomi’s aunt. They are mogs.
- Ahn Ammee is the matronly leader of the goblins. Jonky is a young goblin that lives in the goblin garden.
Conflict/Social Issues:
- Arkane making a plan to take advantage of Merfolk.
- Goblins live in harmony with other creatures in the garden. The goblins would like to go back to safely living in Rundalyn again, which means that the unicorns would have to change their ways.
- Lark has a profound fear of her own brother and it prevents her from being comfortable being herself and using her own magic.
- Unicorns raid a peaceful mog village to take them back to Kelhorn castle as slaves.
- Beladoon has been patiently waiting until Rundalyn is safe for giants again. He says Rundalyn will be safe when unicorns no longer rule.
Positive Items:
- Beladoon the giant lets Lark the unicorn live with him, even though unicorns are the reason that he is not able to safely live in Rundalyn.
- Goblins letting two unicorns live with them because they help tend the garden. If they can learn a new way of life and put their past behind them, maybe that gives hope for everyone else doing the same.
- Zella and Pacey continue to find their inner strength and bravery when they need it most.
- Slasher is understanding of Lark’s fears. He tries to encourage her by letting her know that she is not alone anymore.
Items of Interest:
- Pacey has been learning how to use the magic from the tiny piece of Arkane’s horn that she wears on a necklace.
- Mina gets scooped up in a giant bucket.
- Merwyn the mermaid is riding around in a tub on a gorg (a giant fish thing) searching for the doorway back home. Being in the bright light of day has blinded her because she is used to being in the Dark Caverns.
- Arkane the evil unicorn king happens to cross the path of Merwyn. They discover that they have common enemies, Slasher and Pacey. Since she can’t see him or feel his horn, Arkane tricks Merwyn into thinking that he is just a horse.
- Pacey conquers her fear of heights to ride a dragon. She guides the dragon’s directions using a laser pointer, kinda like a cat.
- The goblins live in a secret garden underneath the desert. They have permanently shrunk themselves so that they can fit in the garden bubble. The goblins would like to return to the green valleys and hills of Rundalyn.
- Loomi and Aunt Zella the mogs find the goblins, and are permitted to search for pieces of Arkane’s horn.
- Loomi the young mog and Jonky the young goblin become friends.
- Pacey and Slasher find Mina in Beladoon the giant’s home.
- Beladoon the giant happens to have Lark the lost unicorn and sister of Slasher living with him. Lark the lost unicorn has been hiding out at Beladoon’s because she doesn’t want her evil brother, Arkane, to find her. Arkane pushed her into the deep abyss over a toy, so she fears what he would do now. She doesn’t use her magic out of fear that she will be found.
- Arkane finds a tiny piece of his horn in Merwyn’s tub on top of the gorg.
- Out of fear of being discovered, Lark locks Pacey, Mina, and Slasher in a prison. They manage to get the key and escape.
- Merwyn decides that her biggest enemy is Pacey Packer, and she would like to create a merfolk army to defeat her. Arkane likes the sound of an army, so he alters his plans to have Merwyn as a fish dinner.
- Zella has a moment of personal crisis because she does not feel like a hero. She is upset because the two unicorns that have been living with the goblins fed the piece of unicorn horn that they found to a sandeater. Zella does not see how she can keep her promise to Eldermog to return with the horn piece.
- Pacey has a moment of personal crisis because she feels like the mission to retrieve the horn is too big for her. The magic of the horn enables her to talk to Zella via water reflections. They both rekindle their determination for the mission.
- Boosted with new energy, Pacey rides another dragon, lets Slasher and Mina hop on, finds the piece of horn that she was seeking, and has Slasher scoop it up to proceed on their way.
- Boosted with new energy, Zella and Loomi summon the sandeater and get it to vomit. The piece of horn comes out, but all of the vomit covers the unicorn that fed the horn to the sandeater in the first place.
- Arkane and Merwyn arrive back at Kelhorn castle. Since they are inside, Merwyn is able to take off her blindfold, she is surprised to be surrounded by unicorns.
- Arkane feels comfortable and confident back home. He tells Merwyn that she will be taking a treaty back to the Merfolk because they have a common enemy. She reluctantly agrees.
- Lark’s has an anger spell that destroys Beladoon the giant’s favorite bucket. He was using the bucket to collect water and make ice to keep the giant eggs cold until the time comes when giants can safely live in Rundalyn again.
- When Pacey has to take a bathroom break, their dragon ride flies off. She momentarily feels hopeless, but she trusts Slasher and lets him use her piece of unicorn horn. He creates a door back home.
- The book ends with unicorns raiding the mog village and taking them all away. Fortunately when the unicorns arrive, Eldermog sends Zella running with her piece of retrieved unicorn horn. But the last picture is Eldermog trying to comfort Loomi while they are squished in a net with other mogs.
Other Books in Series (At Time of Posting):
- Book One – Pacey Packer: Unicorn Tracker (review)
- Book Two – Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker: Horn Slayer (review)
- Book Three – Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker: Mermaids vs. Unicorns (review)
- Book Four – Pacey Packer, Unicorn Tracker: Dragon Rider
