In the magical Emerald Kingdom, Dan the dragon lives in Cloud City. At the bottom of the Marbled Mountain is Sparkle Land, the place that Fran the unicorn calls home. There are similarities between the two in that they are both clever, kind and happy. But they have never met. One day a terrible storm rages across the land and Dan and Fran and both blown far from home. Though they each look strange to one another, they soon realize that what makes them different makes them special and by working together they will be able to get back home.
Charly Froh’s THE DRAGON AND THE UNICORN (The Magic of Friendship) is a simple story set in the author’s fantasy world, the Emerald Kingdom. This is a place which combines numerous distinct lands each with their own unique inhabitants. The reader is introduced to each character in turn. Dan, amongst the pagodas and cherry blossoms of Cloud City, is shown to be smart by playing chess. Fran, gambolling through the lush meadows of Sparkle Land, is seen creating magic potions. When the storm hits they are both thrown outside of their comfort zones into an unfamiliar space. Both characters are injured and discover that friendship is the magic that will get them home. The moral of the story may be familiar but it’s a valid one. The narrative is relayed with clear prose brightened by the occasional burst of rhythmic lyricism and a modicum of alliteration. The phrasing and the layout of the text on the page allow the words to really come alive when read out loud.
The cute, big-eyed characters illustrated by Zuzana Svobodova are intriguing. The unicorns more elaphine, with just a hint of the feline, than the more common horse/pony hybrids. The dragon all fuzzy fur in place of scales. There is some effective mirroring in the drawings of the dragon and unicorn as each struggle to find their feet after the storm. This highlights their similarities just ahead of the words making the comparison more obvious.
Charly Froh’s THE DRAGON AND THE UNICORN tells a familiar story in a satisfying manner aided by impressive illustrations. The characters of Fran the unicorn and Dan the dragon are instantly appealing and younger readers will enjoy getting to know them. A promising first visit to the Emerald Kingdom.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader