I've taken a bit of a blogging break, but I'm excited to return to writing and bookish discussion here! To kick things off, I wanted to share our very favorite picture book that we read over the summer: Jessie Sima's Not Quite Narwhal (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017).
Kelp was born in the ocean and lived among the narwhals. But he always knew he was different: he looked different, liked different food, and was not at all skilled in swimming.
But when he is swept to the surface by a strong current, he (slowly) swims to shore and sees...land narwhals??
They explain that they are actually unicorns, and Kelp learns that he is one of them. After learning some of the ins and outs of unicorn life, he returns to the ocean to tell his friends. They take it swimmingly!
But then, what is Kelp to do? Live in the ocean with the narwhals, or move to land with his unicorn family? Well, no way can I give away the ending -- you'll have to read to find out!
In a sea of narwhal books to have come out in the past couple of years, Not Quite Narwhal truly stands out. Sima's story is sweet and touching and infused with subtle humor, making this book a joy to read and reread. And her art perfectly brings to life the sweet ocean world of the narwhal friends, the magical land existence of the unicorns, and that same subtle humor we get in her writing. I especially enjoy Kelp's airtight breathing helmet. :)
Enjoy this sweet story with your kiddos -- I'll bet they'll love it!
Happy reading,
~Jen
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