Title: Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea
Author/Illustrator: Ben Clanton
Age Group: 2-6
Synopsis: Three great tales about Narwhal and Jelly as they use their imagination and amazing attitudes to embrace adventure.
The Low Down:
I was surprised when I picked this book up from the library and found that it looked like a chapter book. I’d put it on order and had expected to get a typical picture book that was wide or tall and skinny. But while I was merely surprised, Bug was delighted. He told me that now he was going to read his big boy book that was just like mine. Little did I know that this big boy book was going to spark songs, endless hours of imaginative play, a new food obsession, and a plethora of jokes that I didn’t realize he’d yet understand.
Clanton does a fabulous job of delivering these short stories in a comic book like form. The included titles are: “Narwhal is Really Awesome”, “Narwhal’s Pod of Awesomeness”, and “The Best Book Ever.” Sprinkled between these tasty treats of literary wonder are fun facts about jellys and narwhals and an easy little song to sing-a-long with. The stories all vary but each features Narwhal’s amazing sense of friendliness, creativity, and good-nature. Each tale is seasoned with Clanton’s awesome play on words and expression. The term “Podtastic!” has now landed in our home and is being used in place of a the previous Clanton-inspired term: “Awesomerific!”
Each story is short and sweet, giving the reader the option of going wild and reading the whole thing or breaking the entire book up and reading only a chapter. Narwhal and Jelly, along with the other characters that occasionally make an appearance are basic representations of their said animal. It makes the introduction to a comic-book format easier to digest for little ones. The illustrations themselves are so sweet and bright that it’s difficult not to read them and smile.
Narwhal and Jelly are just the type of characters that I’d want Bug to be exposed to and so if we sing the Narwhal song thirty times in a row or reread or rerereread the book; I’m not bothered. Books are meant to invade our lives and make us consider the world and people around us. Narwhal and Jelly do that perfectly, inspiring such amazing attributes that I only wish we had more of them. Inspired by his love of the book, my husband brought home a box of round toaster waffles that commonly feature in the story. The next morning when we presented Bug with a special surprise breakfast, he squealed with delight and excitedly told us that Narwhal must have left them for him in the freezer last night. I didn’t have the heart to correct him and LOVED hearing his thank yous to Narwhal as he consumed the final bites.
Story Tips:
- Have waffles on hand.
- Feel free to make up your own tune to the Narwhal song but if you’re feeling all out of inspiration, please feel free to use ours.
I need more!
Oh man, are you in luck! The sequel: Super Narwhal and Jelly Jolt was released May 2017. I’ve yet to get my hands on it but I have high hopes. We also love Clanton’s Rex Wrecks It (see review), and It Came in the Mail. For more info check out: http://www.benclanton.com/
Add to my library:
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book 1)
