The Naughtiest Unicorn and the School Disco

Pip Bird's The Naughtiest Unicorn and the School Disco is a giggly friendship story for 6 year olds about a disco, a quest down a mine and a best friend who gets a bit too bossy.

What happens

Mira goes to Unicorn School, where every pupil is matched with a Unicorn Best Friend Forever. Hers is Dave.

He's small and greedy, and he holds the school record for farting in class. Mira adores him.

It's the third book about the two of them, but the opening fills in everything a newcomer needs.

Two big things are happening this time. Class Red have a quest, collecting the Warming Crystals that heat the school through winter. And in three days there's a school DISCO.

Mira's friend Darcy can't wait. She takes over the head teacher's microphone and announces herself Chief Organiser of the Disco Committee (a job she's just made up).

She holds a vote on the theme, and somehow her own idea wins by LOADS. She writes the song. She invents a dance routine so tricky that two unicorns fall over.

And Dave? He pulls down the gym ropes (Mira thinks he mistook the red one for a giant strawberry lace). Then he takes a big bite out of Darcy's clipboard, party plans and all.

Soon Mira and Darcy are snapping at each other. Raheem, who has a song about the ten Rules of Safety, would just like everyone to behave.

Then Darcy goes missing in the middle of the quest. Their PE teacher has already said that any funny business means they can forget about the disco.

It's very silly and it moves fast. The children shout out daft ideas for the theme (sloths! uranium!) and there are song words to belt out.

Dave is asleep, eating or farting most of the time, and there's glittery unicorn poo as well. Your reader will probably be thrilled.

Underneath it's a story about a friend who gets carried away. Does your reader know someone who goes a bit power-mad when they're in charge? Darcy isn't bossy for the fun of it, and the book is kind about why.

What to read next

If Dave goes down well, winter arrives in The Naughtiest Unicorn at Christmas. There's thick snow at Unicorn School, a class play to learn and a teacher trying to wrestle Dave into a rainbow scarf.