Reviewed with Kathleen Duey's True Heart .Gr. 2-4. Books in the early-chapter-book Unicorn's Secret series tell the story of Heart Avamir, who ran away from her caregiver in order to protect a unicorn mare and her colt. Along the way she has made friends with a group of gypsies, and in Sunset Gates , the fifth book, she accompanies them while trying to learn more about her own life. She knows that some information she needs is in a book, but learning to read while on the road is practically impossible. She eventually gets assistance from an old enemy turned friend, who not only teaches her to read but also helps her travel to the mountain where she thinks answers may lie. In True Heart , the sixth book of a projected eight, Heart attempts to reunite with the gypsies, but it's difficult to keep the unicorns safe as she travels to a festival where the gypsies are to appear. By the end, though, Heart has made friends with a young lord and acquired a bit more reading skill and another book. Duey continues to write in short, simple sentences while telling a story with texture and excitement, and it's a nice twist for children struggling with reading to find a heroine sharing their difficulties.

With the fifth and sixth books, the fantasy series finally hits its stride; Heart's quest to rescue her unicorn friends and find her family takes a few interesting turns, and she makes a friend of a former enemy. Accompanied by a few black-and-white sketches, the short chapter books raise questions that will encourage readers to continue with the series. Reading like a novel divided into smaller segments, the books don't stand alone. [Review covers these Unicorn's Secret titles: The Sunset Gates and True Heart.]