The Unicorn Shore

The Unicorn Shore Series (A Junior Novel Series)

Magic, courage, and the power of belief await in this heartwarming and whimsical early chapter book series for ages 6–9.

When nine-year-old Marigold discovers a shimmering shell on her grandmother’s beach, she’s swept into the magical world of the Unicorn Shore—a hidden realm where unicorns, ancient riddles, and forgotten stories stir beneath the waves.

In Book 1, The Secret of the Shell, a lonely 9-year-old Marigold has always believed the magical stories her grandmother tells, but nothing could prepare her for the moment she found a unicorn-shaped shell on Grandma Pearl’s beach that transported her to an enchanted land of magical unicorns. There, she must solve a mystery to save the unicorns from fading as belief in magic dwindles, and face the Stormcaller, a forgotten figure of legend who threatens to break the connection between the worlds.

In Book 2, Eclipse’s Secret,  Marigold returns to the Unicorn Shore, determined to find Eclipse, who has vanished without a trace. All he left behind is a note and an enchanted map. With her unicorn friends, Marigold follows a trail of ancient symbols into an unknown part of the realm. There, they face the rising threat of Shadow Magic and uncover a secret buried for centuries—one that reveals who Eclipse truly is, and why an unknown enemy has tried so hard to keep it hidden. But the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous the shadows become.

In Book 3, The Ring of Mischief, Marigold keeps her promise to her little sister Sophie and brings her to the magical Unicorn Shore for Eclipse’s coronation. But when a powerful tremor cracks open a hidden crystal cavern in the hills near the castle, Marigold and the unicorns rush off to investigate. Sophie wants to go along but Marigold insists stay safe in the castle. Determined to prove she’s more than a tagalong, Sophie teams up with Rose—a daring young Pegasus unicorn. Together, they sneak into the cavern and discover a mysterious ring humming with strange energy. When they bring it back to the castle, they accidentally unleash a wave of Trickster Magic. Suddenly, mischievous sprites begin playing pranks and turning the coronation celebrations into chaos. Now, Sophie and Rose must stop the mayhem before it spreads across the entire unicorn realm.A Note to Parents:

A Note to Parents:  The Unicorn Shore books are a part of a junior novel series for readers aged 6–9. The series features small black-and-white, pencil-drawn chapter header illustrations only. This is intentionally designed to create a gentle visual anchor that complements the story to support advancing readers as they transition from heavily illustrated early chapter books to text-only novels.

Junior novels offer an ideal next step up from early chapter books. They are mostly text-based stories that challenge young readers with richer vocabulary and longer narratives, helping to develop their reading skills and attention span. With a Lexile range of approximately 360L to 400L, The Unicorn Shore series also supports reluctant older elementary readers by offering a longer story with a more accessible Lexile range.

Rooted in themes of courage, teamwork, sisterhood, forgiveness, and the contrast between light and shadow, this series is well suited for strong 1st-grade readers, as well as on-level 2nd and 3rd graders. If your young reader still relies heavily on illustrations for context and pacing, this would be an excellent book to read aloud together.