Not a Unicorn, Hardcover

Jewel's your average eighth grader. Awkward relationship with a cute boy, ex-BFFs with a popular girl, mom issues at home. You've read it all before. Except for one thing: Jewel has a unicorn horn on her head.

(Okay, and one other thing, but it's just too weird to mention here!)

Jewel tries to stay invisible at school, looking forward to the day when she can finally leave her small town behind, making art with her fellow weirdos, and obsessively reading graphic novels with her best friends. But when she's selected to represent her school at the regional French speaking competition, she decides she's had enough of the shy life. The horn needs to come off.

What happens when you have the ability to become the girl you've always wanted to be? When you don't know your true self, how do you know your true friends? What happens when everything in your life--your biggest struggle, your greatest joy, and your dearest friends--all combine in one calamitous adventure?

With a sparkle of magic, a treasure trove of true determination, and help from all her friends both real and invisible, Jewel just might survive this year with her heart--and her head--intact.

THE ULTIMATE EMPATHY READ: The unicorn horn in this book is a perfect symbol for all the ways every young person feels strange, different, or unusual in any way. While readers' specific situations may differ from Jewel's, her struggle for self-acceptance will resonate with readers of all stripes, circumstances, and backgrounds.

A RICH, FANTASTIC FANTASY: At the heart of this book is a rich, multi-layered fantasy adventure that will have all readers thinking twice about the stories they read, the friends they have, and the superpowers they may not even know they possess.

IRRESISTIBLE MIDDLE SCHOOL DRAMA: Catty ex-friends, terrifyingly unapproachable boys, embarrassing dance proposals, inspirational teachers--this book has all the hallmarks of everyone's favorite middle grade fare.

UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS: Readers won't want to leave this world behind! The main characters and the families in this book are real, warmly drawn, and endlessly relatable. Readers will return to the book just to live in the world for a little bit longer.

RELATABLE FAMILY ISSUES: Jewel's family deals with situations that will be very familiar to most readers: high hopes for the future, never having enough money, and the distance between what we want and what we have. The family dynamics are relatable, too: Jewel's single mom works a low-paying job, and they live in an apartment with Jewel's grandma. The warmth of this family despite their difficulties will stay with readers long after they close the cover.

Perfect for: tweens, fans of unicorns, fantasy readers, parents, educators

About author(s):Dana Middleton is the author of The Infinity Year of Avalon James and Open If You Dare, Young Hoosier Book Award nominee and Oregon Battle of the Books selection. When not writing, Dana enjoys meeting students and visiting classrooms around the country, in person and online. Currently, she is mentoring at two schools in the #KidsNeedMentors program. You can find her at danamiddletonbooks.com and on Twitter and Instagram at @danakmiddleton. She lives in Southern California.