BEATRIX AND THE UNICORN

A lonely servant finds solace in the presence of a gorgeous tapestry on a castle wall.

Young Beatrix feeds the geese, scrubs the floors, and waits on nobility. Sweeping the great hall provides “her only glimmer of joy”: viewing a shimmering tapestry that depicts a soft, huggable unicorn who “smile[s] at her like a friend.” To escape her loneliness, she journeys into the dark forest late one night in search of the mythic creature. There, she helps a frightened rabbit, bandages a wounded dog, welcomes a kitty who’s been trailing her quietly, and feeds hungry birds and beasts. Soon Beatrix falls into an exhausted slumber and meets the unicorn, whose “rumbly purr” assures her, “Brave girl. Kind girl. Sharing, caring girl. You are loved.” Her sadness at awakening from her dream quickly transforms into delight as she glimpses the pup’s beautiful eyes, strokes the rabbit’s soft ears, and happily embraces the cat. Prolific author/illustrator Judge’s golden artwork suggests medieval inspiration, the decorative border reminiscent of illuminated texts, the noblewomen wearing hennin and escoffion. Judge’s tapestry recalls the Unicorn Tapestries in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s castle-esque Cloisters, but with a welcome adaptation—her unicorn glows with freedom and joy. That the kitty has been by Beatrix’s side all along underscores an important truth: Friendship is always near. Human characters are tan-skinned.

A resonating reminder that showing kindness to others—especially animals—is the greatest magic of all.