Goldilicious

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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that kids who liked the first Pinkalicious book will probably like this third book in the "licious" series. Also, anyone who wants to open a discussion on imaginary friends may find it helpful.
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What's the Story?
A young girl and her imaginary unicorn roller skate, fly kites, and play games together. Her brother joins them, and they have even more adventurous fun together. When nightime comes, the unicorn seems to have disappeared into the sky, and the girl is forced to go in without her ... only to find a happy surprise when she goes to bed.
Is It Any Good?
This is the same cute, pig-tailed Pinkalicious character that readers will find in the first two Pinkalicious books. Simply drawn and very pink, she's nearly always smiling and seems confident in her way of seeing the world. In this case, it is a starry magical world of unicorns, flowers, clouds, and lots of pink and purple. Her unicorn, called Goldilicious presumably because of her profuse mane and tail of flower-strewn golden locks, changes from being a solid white animal to a more translucent one depending on who's in the room. Later, she merges with the clouds and shows up as a constellation of stars.
The story makes several strong points though it's not so clever as the illustrations, and loses its focus at times. The strongest, most captivating scenes, both artistically and verbally, are those when Pinkalicious plays with Goldie. And though the lesson is not crystal clear, parents and kids should find plenty to capture their attention, and discuss, in its very magically majestic pages. Kids who like this book should definitely read Pinkalicious, and maybe Purplicious by the same author. Pages are filled with pinkness ... and flowers and lace, which will appeal to most Pinkalicious fans. Others may find the pastel tones and two-dimensional illustrations a little flat.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Parents and kids can talk about why Pinkalicious can see the unicorn while no one else can. What is an imaginary friend? Have you ever had one?
At first Peter can't see the unicorn, then in the middle he seems to. Why did that happen? What changed?
Why didn't Pinkalicious play along with Peter when he pretended the worm was a cinnamon stick, or when he said the unicorn had turned into a mermaid? What did Pinkalicious say? Do you see a difference between pretending and imagining?
Is a unicorn a real animal? Where else have you seen them?
How did Pinkalicious respond when her parents told her it was time to go to bed? How did she change the way she answered? Why? What would you have done?
Book Details
- Author: Victoria Kann
- Illustrator: Victoria Kann
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date: May 26, 2009
- Number of pages: 40
- Last updated: September 16, 2015
Our Editors Recommend
For kids who love picture books and fantasy
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