Unicorn Boy - by Dave Roman (Paperback)

About the Book

"The first few years of Brian Reyes's life were unremarkable--nothing weird about this kid, no sir. Then, one day, a bump appeared on his head, and it grew...and grew...and grew until it was a full-blown, sparkling, singing unicorn horn. That's absolutely the last thing a shy kid like Brian wants, but destiny waits for no unicorn boy. Luckily, Brian has his reassuring pal Avery to keep him grounded as weird occurrences start stacking up, like Brian's breakfast muffin talking to him, or a bizarre black cat offering him a business card. But when shadowy creatures from another realm kidnap Avery, Brian has to embrace his fate to rescue his best friend"--

Book Synopsis

Go on a magical journey with this quirky, young reader's graphic novel about a boy who sprouts a unicorn horn and uses his newfound powers to help those in need!

The first few years of Brian Reyes' life were unremarkable--nothing weird about this kid, no sir. Then, one day, a bump appeared on his head, and it grew...and grew...and grew until it was a full-blown, sparkling, SINGING unicorn horn. That's absolutely the last thing a shy kid like Brian wants, but destiny waits for no unicorn boy.

Luckily, Brian has his reassuring pal Avery to keep him grounded as weird occurrences start stacking up, like Brian's breakfast muffin talking to him, or a bizarre black cat offering him a business card. But when shadowy creatures from another realm kidnap Avery, Brian has to embrace his fate to rescue his best friend.

In the pages of Unicorn Boy, Dave Roman has created a cast of charming oddballs reckoning with normal, every day problems--like heroic destinies and the fate of all magic in the universe. Readers of Narwal and Jelly, Grumpy Unicorn, and InvestiGators will endear themselves to these lovable characters.

Review Quotes

Winner of The Week Junior Book Awards' 2025 Best Graphic Novel of the Year
On ALA's 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List

"Underlying themes of self-love, friendship, and acceptance, and the responsible use of great power, make this superhero-adjacent series opener ideal for readers seeking an upbeat blend of magic and character growth." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

"With the humor of Meggie Ramm's Batcat and the layered hero's journey of Ben Hatke's Things in the Basement, this is a true hero of a tale." -School Library Journal, starred review

"The story zigzags between characters and mini-challenges, providing thrills even as Brian's quest and Avery's fate seem dire. Gentle throughlines emphasize the value of devoted friendship and the joy of understanding oneself through storytelling." -Kirkus

"Roman's art style is fluid and lovable...middle grade fans of The Kao's Magical Boy graphic novels and the upbeat, equine weirdness of Centaurworld should hoof it over to this title immediately. " --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

About the Author

Dave Roman is the author/illustrator of the Astronaut Academy series (winner of Maryland's Black-Eyed Susan Book Award) and writer of the graphic novels Teen Boat! Race for Boatlantis (with John Patrick Green) and Agnes Quill: An Anthology of Mystery. He has contributed stories and art to Goosebumps Graphix: Slappy's Tales of Horror, Nursery Rhyme Comics and the Flight series. Roman is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, a former editor at Nickelodeon Magazine, and is currently the editor for First Second's Science Comics and History Comics ongoing series of nonfiction graphic novels. He lives in NYC and draws a webcomic called Starbunny, Inc.