Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Book 4; A Unicorn's Tale

Murphy, Kelly. Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Book 4; A Unicorn's Tale. New York : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Childrens, 2011.

Plot: Despite Aunt Phil's insistence, Nathaniel cannot stop believing his parents are alive. He also cannot stop his aunt from moving, especially when a distressed farmer calls her to remove a large water monster from his well. After a successful transportation, Aunt Phil, Nathaniel, Cornelius (a dodo), and Greasle (a gremlin) find themselves called to assist a sick unicorn. While Aunt Phil insists the needs of the creature comes first, Nathaniel frets about missing any possible information on his parents. He also notices some unusual weather and noises in the unicorn's forest. Aunt Phil, however, realizes something wonderful is about to happen. The unicorn will soon give birth. Yet, the celebration quickly ends when a malicious relative arrives with a proposition threatening the unicorn, the forest, and the future of beastologists.

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Reading Level: Grades 4-9

Similar Titles: Into the Land of Unicorns, Wizard at Work, The Magician's Boy

Personal Thoughts: Overall, the title offers and enjoyable read. The characters, story, and themes offer a refreshing view of the "fantasy apprentice" plot by utilizing traditional myths and turn of the century adventure elements within the story.

However, Aunt Phil tends to threaten the otherwise stable tale. Despite her title as a mentor, seems poorly suited for her role. She is the guardian of Nathaniel, but he often takes a secondary role to her work. As she continues to act for the creatures, she pelts her lessons to Nathaniel with heavy-handed, out of place anti-war and anti-hunting themes. Additionally, she dismisses his concerns concerning his parents, his friend, and his situation. She simply fails to act like an adult. For example, when confronted by the villain, who states she has forty-eight hours to give into his demands, she chooses the least responsible response. Aunt Phil immediately tries to solve the problem by herself, eventually pressing Nathaniel to assist her. While this may add to the drama of the story, it also weakens her as a believable character. The villain was a legal target (he admitted to kidnapping and theft), so local or international authorities could have assisted. Instead, she makes a juvenile plan with the forced help of an elementary student, leading to a no-win situation.

Still, in spite of the presence of a useless adult, the story offers a solid blend of excitement, lore, and drama.

Side Note: Jerome wants to pet the unicorn.