If you are looking for some reading material to give your child hours of reading pleasure, getting lost in a fantasy world where Sam and Tuck take some amazing adventures, I must recommend this series.

The books are beautiful, with wonderful illustrations that draw us into the book, making it easier to visualize the scenes as they unfold, offering a little something extra to keep children involved, maybe even putting themselves in Sam and Tuck’s place.

Sam has a big heart and a need to help others, drawing Tuck into her adventures. Verny the Wyvern and Barloc the Unicorn are a couple of their best friends and volunteer to help them go Beyond The Portal to find discover answers about the disappearance of her biological mother.

Not only will they get the answers they are searching for, but they will help others who are in desperate need of it. All of them will be surprised at the outcome, learning that things are not always as they appear and helping others comes back to you. I love watching them grow and develop into more complex characters that are willing to accept what is, to go above and beyond what is expected of them, doing it with love and compassion.

I highly recommend the Unicorn Island series by Donna Galanti. Children will have hours of fun on Sam and Tuck’s adventures, playing on Unicorn Island, solving mysteries and making new friends of the supernatural kind. Their imaginations will blossom, maybe believing in magic and legends that are sure to supply hours of entertainment. I hope I conveyed my love of this series without spoiling anything for anyone.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island: Beyond The Portal by Donna Galanti.

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With family, friendship, and magic, and exciting adventure unfolds, which will keep readers hooked until the last page.

Sam's mother has been missing since she was a toddler, and now, that her father has returned, she's determined to locate her mother, too. When she discovers a book, which holds the key to unlock the portal through which her mother disappeared, she and Tuck embark on a journey, which packs more than they expected.

This is the third novel in the series, and while I didn't read the first two, it wasn't difficult to sink into this one. These are not really stand-alones, though, since the stories do build on each other to a certain degree.

First off, I do enjoy the cover. Not only do the pink coloring, unicorns, and stars catch the eye, but there are silver, glistening words and stars...superficial? Probably but it does invite with a special touch. The first pages were a bit to chew through. The author does a super-quick summary of Sam's general family/friend developments from the first novels to help with memory (or new readers like me), but it turns into a hodge-podge of names, which had both my daughter and me re-reading it four or more times to get the names figured out...and we wonder if that was really necessary. But after that, this tales soars off into fun and imagination.

There's a lovely balance of family, friends and adventure in these pages, giving it heart while building up the action and excitement. It keeps a nice pace the entire way through (never too quick nor too slow) and holds several surprises. Sam and Tuck are a great pair, who work together well even when they don't agree completely. It's an inspiring friendship, but then, Sam has quite a bit of support in her corner thanks to her varied family, too. Then, there's her magical friends, which add a nice touch of imagination.

The illustrations are colorful and brighten up the tale. It is a treat to hit each one and get a glimpse of the scenes, since they do bring the world and characters even more life.

I would recommend this one more for the lower end of the middle grade audience or those who are transitioning from chapter books into the middle grade novels. The font is larger, making it easier to read, and the tale stays lighter for that age end. There are a few more difficult words thrown in to ease into higher reading levels, but the general level is very age appropriate. At the end of the book, there are several sections, which add more information to various topics hit during the story (each two pages). Readers get a deeper dive into information surrounding themes like horseback riding, mythical purposes of unicorn horns, colic and more.

So summed up, this is a lovely read to end off the series. It holds adventure, heart, imagination, and even a little information. I received an ARC and found this to be an exciting adventure. ( )

Unicorn Island is a magical story that has everything a young mind could want in an adventure, with plenty of fantasy and fact to inspire…the young and the old alike.

Foggy Harbor has begun to feel like home since Sam made a friend and discovered a magical island full of unicorns and other magical creatures. Now…their immortality is threatened and she searches for a cure, finding a secret from her past that links her to the future of the herd.

Sam had learned her Uncle Mitch’s legacy was to protect the herd and keep the secret of the island that was hidden by a fog bank. He was training Sam and her friend, Tuck, to be unicorn protectors.

When Donna Galanti mentioned elephants evolution and tusks (yes, I am talking real elephants), I had to check it out and see if it was real. I urge you to do the same.

Love. Selflessness. Devotion. Courage.

“…Science and magic together can create wondrous things…”

I loved this wonderful adventure into the magical world of Unicorn Island, with fabulous characters and magical creatures that work together to save the unicorns and the island. Not only does it have a gorgeous cover, but it holds factual tidbits at the end of the story to inspire young minds.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island: Secret Beneath The Sand by Donna Galanti.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com ( )

Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti is a beautifully written coming of age fantasy for a young girl looking for her place in the world…and she finds it in the most unlikely place. It was easy to like Sam and when she looks out at the view from her attic bedroom window in Foggy Harbor, I felt like I would enjoy living there too. I love when an author gives me more than I anticipated and leaves me with a smile on my face.

At the end of the book, Donna Galanti shares some history on unicorns, wyverns, veterinarians, the pirates of the Carolina’s and Ocracoke and Assateague Islands, where the wild horses roam free.

I loved this wonderful story and am so glad there is more to come.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com ( )

This is the first book in a series and sets the scene as well as the characters up nicely for upcoming adventures.

Sam is shipped off to her uncle's for the summer, since her mother has a concert tour in Europe, but Sam doesn't know her uncle well...only that he was grumpy. When she arrives, he wasn't expecting her and would like her to leave but can't get ahold of her mother. Sam does her best to deal with the situation and soon runs into a boy in town. They quickly become friends. When the two discover a trap door leading to a secret room in the basement, they learn that there's a lot more to Sam's uncle and the fog surrounding the house than they thought.

Sam is quite a normal girl, and it's easy to connect with her when she's shipped off to an uncle she doesn't know. Her bravery and desire to be kind despite his grumpiness make her even easier to cheer for. Her new friend is the kind of person, who's ready for adventure and has a good heart. Their friendship is enjoyable, and they make a great duo.

The tale itself moves along at a steady pace with enough descriptions to bring the world color and life. The text is fairly simple, making it perfect for the younger end of the middle grade range. I wondered about the 200+ pages, but the font is fairly large, meaning there isn't an overwhelming amount of text on each page. Add the multiple illustrations to the mix, and it's a quick, easy read.

This is the beginning of a series, and the author uses this book to set the stage for the upcoming adventures. It took awhile for the adventure to really get going (after a bit more than a third of the book), but once it does, it dives into magic pure. I did find that the island and its creatures were much too easily accepted by Sam and her friend, and a few other moments happened without much depth or thought. It made some things to simple and a little hard to believe. But it's a cute tale, which magic and unicorn fans are sure to enjoy. ( )