This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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For my new nieces, Hannah, Sarah, Ilanah, and Aliyah —S.H.
To Sweet Loulou —L.P. The illustrations for this book were created entirely in ProCreate. Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress. ISBN 978-1-4197-6877-4 Text © 2024 Shannon Hale Illustrations © 2024 LeUyen Pham Book design by Pamela Notarantonio Published in 2024 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Abrams Books for Young Readers are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For This is an advance, uncorrected proof. details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below.
Not for resale, duplication, or Abrams® is a registered trademark reposting. Please do not quote without of Harry N. Abrams, Inc. comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
ShaNnoN HalE & LEUYen PhaM Abrams Books for Young Readers • New York
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UNicoRN has a dream. A beautiful, bewitching, bubbly dream.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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“I am a majestic unicorn, and I am also an adorable
kitten,” says UNicoRN .
“But sometimes—not all the time—but sometimes . . . This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
I long to be something else too.”
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k
“What?” asks I TT Y, thinking of all the beautiful and bewitching things. “A bird? A buffalo? A bouncy ball?”
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UNicoRN looks around. Are Gecko and Parakeet listening? Will they think
UNicoRN ’s dream is silly?
“I long to be . . .” UNicoRN whispers.
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“. . . an enchanting mermaid.” This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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k
“Ah!” says I TT Y. UNicoRN longs to be a mermaid! Sometimes. Not all the time.
k
A mermaid dream is a dream I TT Y believes she can make come true. She will do anything for UNicoRN , her best
kITTY-corN friend.
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kITTY spends hours with her crafts and scraps kit.
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Finally she emerges with two mermaid tails. One is itty-bitty, and one is unicorn sized.
UNicoRN ’s eyes get wobbly with tears. “Oh
kITTY, this is a dream come true!”
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“Not yet,” says
kITTY.
“First we need to go to the seashore.”
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But at the seashore . . .
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The sun is so sunny.
UNicoRN feels squinty.
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
The sand is so sandy.
UNicoRN feels wobbly.
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And then, he notices the deep, deep water.
kITTY claps her paws. “You’re going to feel so enchanting once you put on your tail!”
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The tail is sleek.
The tail is slippery.
It is a slim fit for UNicoRN ’s
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, majesticorhaunches. reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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“Am I enchanting yet?” asks
UNicoRN .
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
“Don’t worry,” says
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kITTY. “I’ve got this.” 2023/8/29 19:01
UNicoRN hoped that once he looked like a mermaid, he would feel enchanting. But all he feels is . . .
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k
“Concerned?” says I TT Y. “You’ll feel better once you get This is an advance, uncorrected proof. into the water.”or Not for resale, duplication, reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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“Um,
kITTY?” says UNicoRN .
He rubs his front hooves together. “Yes, UNicoRN ?” says
kITTY.
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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UNicoRN whispers, “I don’t actually know how to swim.”
“Wait . . .
YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM?”
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UNicoRN gulps. He nods.
kITTY takes a deep breath. k
“That’s OK,” says I TT Y. “Your This is andream advance, can stilluncorrected come true.” proof.
Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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First,
kITTY rolls UNicoRN into the shallow water.
Then, she hunts for spare floaties.
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She pushes a couple onto UNicoRN ’s front legs, nestles another around his neck, arranges a big one about his middle, and sticks a bitty one on his horn.
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At last, she pulls him out to sea. BubblyKittyCorn_Int_RTP_Cx1Prf.indd 31
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
“
kITTY, am I enchanting now? I can’t tell!”
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“You’re splashing and splooshing all around!” says Parakeet.
“Just take a deep breath to help you calm down,” says Gecko. This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
kITTY says, “Maybe try floating on your back?”
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UNicoRN sighs. Mermaids don’t use goggles or floaties. And they definitely don’t flail in the water. He can’t possibly look the way he’d imagined.
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But then, a marvelous feeling starts to flood UNicoRN . From horn to fins.
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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k
“Thank you, my kind, fuzzy I TT Y. You made my enchanting dream come true.” “I did? Are you sure?”
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“Yes, I’m sure.”
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kITTY swims around him, diving, twisting,
and splashing with her itty-bitty mermaid tail. And UNicoRN bobs on the waves.
This is an advance, uncorrected proof. or feels enchanting. AtNot last,for resale, duplication, reposting. Please do not quote without It’s not the to goggles or the floaties. comparison the finished book.
UNicoRN
Or even the mermaid tail.
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It’s
kITTY.
He has a best friend, and she did everything she could to make his dream come true.
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What a beautiful, bewitching, thing. uncorrected proof. This isbubbly an advance, Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.
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