Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Painting each of the story's beats in illustrations inspired by a distinct art style, Mello creates a tale about Griso, "the last of the unicorns," on a lengthy search for "another just like him." The being appears first as a folk form, covered with spirals, interlocked hands, and other motifs--an image, per back matter, that's based on seventh-century Germanic art. Spreads that mimic Tang Dynasty murals, 18th-century Indian paintings, 20th-century surrealism, and more follow the wandering beast, and 10th-century Egyptian decoration inspires the painting in which Griso, at last, meets a mythical creature that's just as unique and weary as he is. Velvety storytelling text appears throughout, such as that which describes Griso settling down for the night: "And so he went to sleep, in the lap of the night, and then the night itself drifted off, too." Griso may be the one and only, but he's rendered in many different variations throughout this veritable unicorn tapestry, which demonstrates, with power and immediacy, each style's particular way of seeing. A list of art styles and notes concludes. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3--Griso, the last of the Unicorns, gallops across the plains in search of another unicorn. On each vibrantly illustrated page, he travels the world encountering creatures, from chameleons, to buffaloes, to sea-unicorns. As Griso meets the various creatures, he shape-shifts to resemble their likenesses; alas, he can find no one just like him! Batchelder Honor author and illustrator Mello has exquisitely presented works of art throughout history to depict Griso's travels in search of companionship. Spanning the seventh to 18th centuries, with artwork including Tang dynasty murals, medieval tapestries, African paintings, and Egyptian pyramids, Griso transforms to appear in each artistic style. Following the story is a listing of every illustration's origin, time period, and a note about the legends of unicorns throughout literature. Translated from Portuguese, the text accompanying the artwork perfectly coalesces the beautiful story. VERDICT This is an artistic masterpiece introducing readers to centuries of artistic movements, while reinforcing the strengths and merits of being one's authentic self.--Michele Shaw
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A unicorn traverses the world, searching for another of his kind. Translated from Portuguese, this Brazilian import, from a prolific master of the imaginary realm, zigzags through time and cultures to track the rare beast. When readers first glimpse Griso, his black body is edged with white and blue dots. The third-person narrative explains that "the last of the unicorns…was galloping all across the plains in search of another…just like him." A chart at the book's end notes that this portrayal is based on seventh-century Germanic art. The animal transforms in each mesmerizing spread, appearing in the color/style of the new art form: a Persian bas-relief, ancient Greek vase painting, a Tang dynasty mural. Mello trusts viewers to make these visual leaps as the shape-shifter interacts with horned whales, buffalo, and, at the height of danger, a medieval knight on a horse whose armored head bears a spike. The text unites the disparate compositions into a brilliantly cohesive story, presenting context about the time of day--e.g., bedtime--or the unicorn's feelings of terror or loneliness. While Griso's goal is unmet in one sense, in a scene set in Egypt, he does connect with another unique creature--the last of the winged horses, who is also weary, "having flown all across the plains in search of…another just like him." Claudia de Moraes' musings on unicorn sightings provide concluding inspiration. An evocative, enchanting tale of the quest for community.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
