3 stars
A sweet, modern twist on Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, featuring a unicorn from the woods who attends school with other unicorns for the first time.
Featuring a delightful cast of magical friends, including a fatherly troll and supportive goblin, fairy, cat, and minotaur, Haddish presents an engaging world. Though there’s plenty of magic, it’s also easy to relate to as Layla deals with new experiences, fitting in, and bullying.
Cute illustrations. While most of the characters are animals, the humanoid characters have a variety of skin tones, which is a nice change from traditional white-centric fantasies.
One aspect I especially enjoyed is that it is Layla’s knowledge and experience that saves the day at the end. It’s not her physical features used to the advantage of others. Instead, she uses her skills, bravery, and kindness to help others.
A lovely tale of uniqueness, acceptance, and friendship.