They’re legendary rivals forced to team up, but will their mission end in friendship or a fiery, glittery explosion?
Dragon vs. Unicorn: Friends or Frenemies? by P. J. Hoover is a clever interactive graphic novel perfect for early readers, roughly ages 5 to 8. Illustrated with whimsical, expressive art by Lisa Wiley, the book introduces two best friends, Dragon and Unicorn, who run into common social hurdles. The 120-page book presents three short stories covering relatable conflicts, such as disagreements over clubhouse rules or sleepover plans. Its core mechanic, which has drawn praise from School Library Journal and Kirkus, allows the reader to make choices at key moments. Each decision leads the friends down a different path to resolve their conflict, a structure that actively encourages rereading to explore all the outcomes.
This book’s format is an outstanding resource for students building reading confidence or English acquisition. The narrative isenhanced by full-color comic panels, which provide essential visual support to scaffold comprehension; a student can track the characters’ emotions and the story’s action. The language is deliberately accessible, using simple sentences and minimal idiomatic expressions. While author P. J. Hoover introduces important concepts like “cooperation” and “honesty,” these words are reinforced by the strong visuals and an optional glossary. The interactive “plot-your-own-story” element is especially powerful, as it gives readers agency and models how to practice empathy and cooperation, making it a valuable addition to any classroom library focused on social-emotional learning.
