--- product_id: 496532899 title: "Skandar and the Unicorn Thief: The international, award-winning hit, and the biggest fantasy adventure series since Harry Potter: Volume 1" price: "$12.96" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/496532899-skandar-and-the-unicorn-thief-the-international-award-winning-hit store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Award-Winning Fantasy #1 Bestseller Series Dark, Fierce Unicorns Skandar and the Unicorn Thief: The international, award-winning hit, and the biggest fantasy adventure series since Harry Potter: Volume 1 **Price:** $12.96 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🦄 Dare to ride the fiercest unicorn adventure of the year! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Skandar and the Unicorn Thief: The international, award-winning hit, and the biggest fantasy adventure series since Harry Potter: Volume 1 - **How much does it cost?** $12.96 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/496532899-skandar-and-the-unicorn-thief-the-international-award-winning-hit) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Epic Bestseller Status:** Ranked top 3 in Children's Horse Books & top 20 in Sci-Fi & Mythical Creatures—join the phenomenon! - • **Immersive World-Building:** Step into a richly imagined universe with ancient secrets and thrilling twists that keep you hooked after lights out. - • **Relatable Heroic Journey:** Follow Skandar’s rise from underdog to hero, with friendships and challenges that resonate beyond the page. - • **Award-Winning Storytelling:** Winner of Waterstones Children's Book of the Year 2022 & Indie Book Awards 2023—read what critics rave about! - • **Revolutionary Unicorn Lore:** Forget glitter—these bloodthirsty unicorns redefine fantasy creatures with fierce, elemental magic and sky battles. ## Overview Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is the first book in the internationally bestselling Skandar series by Annabel Steadman, blending dark fantasy with elemental magic and fierce unicorns. Celebrated for its immersive world-building and thrilling narrative, it has won multiple prestigious awards and ranks top in children’s fantasy categories. Perfect for readers craving a fresh, action-packed take on mythical creatures and heroic quests. ## Description BLOODTHIRSTY UNICORNS. UNLIKELY HEROES. A MORTAL ENEMY. The first book in the number 1 bestselling SKANDAR series, for fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Eragon and Impossible Creatures from international bestselling author Annabel Steadman! Thirteen-year-old Skandar Smith has only ever wanted to be a unicorn rider. To be one of the lucky few selected to hatch a unicorn. To bond with it for life; to train together and race for glory; to be a hero. But just as Skandar’s dream is about to come true, things start to take a more dangerous turn than he could ever have imagined. A dark and twisted enemy has stolen the Island’s most powerful unicorn – and as the threat grows ever closer, Skandar discovers a secret that could blow apart his world forever . . . Get ready for unlikely heroes, elemental magic, sky battles, ancient secrets and ferocious unicorns in this highly anticipated adventure that will keep you reading after lights out! Praise for the SKANDAR series: ‘The most popular children’s fantasy hero since Harry Potter’ – Telegraph ‘Steadman has a vast imagination, her world-building is a joy, the battle scenes are thrilling and her characters charm.’ – The Times Children's Book of the Week ‘Deft, dazzling and breathlessly exciting – it’s a joy to enter Skandar’s World.’ – Jonathan Stroud, author of Lockwood and Co. series Skandar and the Unicorn Thief was WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022 and WINNER OF THE INDIE BOOK AWARDS 2023! Skandar and the Phantom Rider was one of THE SUNDAY TIMES BEST BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 2023. *Skandar and the Chaos Trials was the Number 1 bestseller in the UK Nielsen Bookscan chart, 27th April 2024 *Skandar and the Spirit War was the Children’s Number 1 besteller in the UK Nielsen Bookscan Chart 30th August 2025 Review: Believe the Hype! - “We’ve all seen a unicorn, all glittery and gold, But beware! They cover up something never before told. They aren’t the cuddly creatures they would have you believe, They’re the deadliest, blood thirsty creatures you could ever conceive. Skandar Smith has grown up desperately waiting for the day, To become a unicorn rider, but it’s far from child’s play. A magical world awaits with his destined unicorn, With an elemental bond that’s been growing since he was born. But as he steps into this world he unravels quite a mystery, As this place has taken time to hide a shocking history. And now there is a malevolent force that warrants disbelief: An all powerful danger in the form of a unicorn thief! If Skandar is to survive you must keep him in your prayers, As unicorns don’t belong in fairytales, they belong in nightmares.” I hate hype! I’m one of those stupidly stubborn idiots who backs further away from something, the more it is hyped about. I’ve never watched Breaking Bad purely because everyone told me to! I have after many years arrived at the conclusion that I’m probably depriving myself of some wonderfully rich entertainment but I am also trying to grow and embrace hype every now again… and my gosh! I’m so glad I did for this! Skandar Smith has waited all his life for the chance to become a Unicorn Rider. The chance to be bonded with the most vicious and bloodthirsty species on the planet all for the glory of becoming a hero. His hatchery exam is coming up soon along with all the other children his age and he desperately wants to fulfil his dream and the dream of his sister Kenna who failed at the same stage the previous year. But when he wakes up on the day of the exam, it’s as if the whole world is against him even attending! With his chances all but shattered, Skandar’s dreams are in ruins. That is until a mysterious knock at the door… I am going to have to leave it there because I do not want to spoil a thing! But all I will say is drop everything right now, buy a copy and find out for yourself! One of the reasons I don’t want to spoil anything is because the magic of the world building is brilliant and so imaginative. It takes a special kind of book to truly immerse you in a brand new world with a whole new set of rules and leaves you feeling like you truly know what it’s like to walk in the shoes of its inhabitants. As the brilliance of the world is revealed throughout the story, it’s the drama that truly captivates you. As with every hero, nothing comes easy for Skandar and he finds himself on the back foot right from the start but the twists and turns it takes you on is incredible. I loved learning the history of The Island and unpicking the history they want everyone to know with the true events that happened years ago that are now impacting trouble on the present day. It really does make you question the history we are told in our own lives (although great strives are being made to unpick the fiction from the facts). And with every hero, he needs some friends. I loved Bobby! Sassy and brilliant she had me chuckling throughout especially with the way she tries to teach the islanders sayings from the mainland… such a silly little detail but sprinkled a bit of magic on the whole story. Flo and Mitchell are also brilliant characters who complement the narrative so well. Each character has their own personalities, struggles and strifes which play an important part in the story and really open the narrative to some important subplots. It’s really hard to write this review while keeping so many of the magical secrets… well… secret, but I will say that I did shed a few tears at the end which showed how much I was invested in the characters and the story and not since Neville Longbottom won the house cup for Gryfindor has my heart swelled with pride at characters bravery and strength. I finished the book a little bereft that I am going to have to wait so long for a sequel (There is going to be a sequel right? RIGHT?!?!?) But now that I have embraced the hype maybe I should stop being a stubborn fool and watch Breaking Bad in the meantime (or the Marvel films 🙈). If you read anything this year, make sure it is Skandar and the Unicorn Theif for an incredible magical adventure with jaw dropping twists and turns and a wonderful heart at it’s core. And if I leave you with anything, I’ll leave you with this… Believe. The. hype! (Maybe I should game of thrones a try…) Review: One of the best children's books (and series) I've read. HUGE hit with my Year 5/6 class - I’d heard great things about Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. The magical world and Skandar’s journey to the Eyrie quickly pulled me in, and the sense of adventure kept me turning the pages. While Skandar himself felt quite straightforward as a character, I really enjoyed his friendships with Bobby, Flo and Mitchell. Their different personalities and growing bond added warmth and humour to the story. I also liked the fresh take on unicorns — far from cute and sparkly, they’re fierce, unpredictable creatures, which made the world feel more original and exciting. Reviews seem mixed, but for me it was an action-packed read that pushed me slightly outside my usual comfort zone and kept me entertained throughout. ## Features - New Store Stock ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 2,320 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 3 in Children's Books on Horses 19 in Science Fiction for Children 20 in Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical Creatures Tales for Children | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,449 Reviews | ## Images ![Skandar and the Unicorn Thief: The international, award-winning hit, and the biggest fantasy adventure series since Harry Potter: Volume 1 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81EGWNQ8S9L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Believe the Hype! *by T***) on 2 May 2022* “We’ve all seen a unicorn, all glittery and gold, But beware! They cover up something never before told. They aren’t the cuddly creatures they would have you believe, They’re the deadliest, blood thirsty creatures you could ever conceive. Skandar Smith has grown up desperately waiting for the day, To become a unicorn rider, but it’s far from child’s play. A magical world awaits with his destined unicorn, With an elemental bond that’s been growing since he was born. But as he steps into this world he unravels quite a mystery, As this place has taken time to hide a shocking history. And now there is a malevolent force that warrants disbelief: An all powerful danger in the form of a unicorn thief! If Skandar is to survive you must keep him in your prayers, As unicorns don’t belong in fairytales, they belong in nightmares.” I hate hype! I’m one of those stupidly stubborn idiots who backs further away from something, the more it is hyped about. I’ve never watched Breaking Bad purely because everyone told me to! I have after many years arrived at the conclusion that I’m probably depriving myself of some wonderfully rich entertainment but I am also trying to grow and embrace hype every now again… and my gosh! I’m so glad I did for this! Skandar Smith has waited all his life for the chance to become a Unicorn Rider. The chance to be bonded with the most vicious and bloodthirsty species on the planet all for the glory of becoming a hero. His hatchery exam is coming up soon along with all the other children his age and he desperately wants to fulfil his dream and the dream of his sister Kenna who failed at the same stage the previous year. But when he wakes up on the day of the exam, it’s as if the whole world is against him even attending! With his chances all but shattered, Skandar’s dreams are in ruins. That is until a mysterious knock at the door… I am going to have to leave it there because I do not want to spoil a thing! But all I will say is drop everything right now, buy a copy and find out for yourself! One of the reasons I don’t want to spoil anything is because the magic of the world building is brilliant and so imaginative. It takes a special kind of book to truly immerse you in a brand new world with a whole new set of rules and leaves you feeling like you truly know what it’s like to walk in the shoes of its inhabitants. As the brilliance of the world is revealed throughout the story, it’s the drama that truly captivates you. As with every hero, nothing comes easy for Skandar and he finds himself on the back foot right from the start but the twists and turns it takes you on is incredible. I loved learning the history of The Island and unpicking the history they want everyone to know with the true events that happened years ago that are now impacting trouble on the present day. It really does make you question the history we are told in our own lives (although great strives are being made to unpick the fiction from the facts). And with every hero, he needs some friends. I loved Bobby! Sassy and brilliant she had me chuckling throughout especially with the way she tries to teach the islanders sayings from the mainland… such a silly little detail but sprinkled a bit of magic on the whole story. Flo and Mitchell are also brilliant characters who complement the narrative so well. Each character has their own personalities, struggles and strifes which play an important part in the story and really open the narrative to some important subplots. It’s really hard to write this review while keeping so many of the magical secrets… well… secret, but I will say that I did shed a few tears at the end which showed how much I was invested in the characters and the story and not since Neville Longbottom won the house cup for Gryfindor has my heart swelled with pride at characters bravery and strength. I finished the book a little bereft that I am going to have to wait so long for a sequel (There is going to be a sequel right? RIGHT?!?!?) But now that I have embraced the hype maybe I should stop being a stubborn fool and watch Breaking Bad in the meantime (or the Marvel films 🙈). If you read anything this year, make sure it is Skandar and the Unicorn Theif for an incredible magical adventure with jaw dropping twists and turns and a wonderful heart at it’s core. And if I leave you with anything, I’ll leave you with this… Believe. The. hype! (Maybe I should game of thrones a try…) ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the best children's books (and series) I've read. HUGE hit with my Year 5/6 class *by A***R on 16 February 2026* I’d heard great things about Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. The magical world and Skandar’s journey to the Eyrie quickly pulled me in, and the sense of adventure kept me turning the pages. While Skandar himself felt quite straightforward as a character, I really enjoyed his friendships with Bobby, Flo and Mitchell. Their different personalities and growing bond added warmth and humour to the story. I also liked the fresh take on unicorns — far from cute and sparkly, they’re fierce, unpredictable creatures, which made the world feel more original and exciting. Reviews seem mixed, but for me it was an action-packed read that pushed me slightly outside my usual comfort zone and kept me entertained throughout. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An entertaining read *by S***W on 19 February 2026* A good read. Harry Potter esc, but a story in its own right. ## Frequently Bought Together - Skandar and The UnicoeKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF - Shadow Jumper: 1 (A Shadow Jumper Mystery Adventure) - The Girl of Ink & Stars --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/496532899-skandar-and-the-unicorn-thief-the-international-award-winning-hit](https://www.desertcart.us/products/496532899-skandar-and-the-unicorn-thief-the-international-award-winning-hit) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-07-13*