Narwhal: The Arctic Unicorn
by Justin Anderson (Author) Jo Weaver (Illustrator)
Discover the majestic unicorn of the sea with this suspenseful narrative from a BBC filmmaker and gorgeous art from an award-winning illustrator.
With a crack and a creak, the frozen sea begins to melt--the ice splits apart and a new pathway forms. As winter comes to an end, a pod of narwhals begins a treacherous journey north. Along the way, they must find fish to eat, avoid a hungry polar bear, and navigate the maze of sea ice. Will their sensitive long spiral tusks and clicking calls be enough to keep them safe and help them find their way to their summer resting grounds?
Join zoologist Justin Anderson and artist Jo Weaver as they reveal the mysteries of these amazing toothed whales and their Arctic home. Small text offers narwhal facts throughout, and young explorers can read more on the future of this fascinating creature in the back matter.
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Kirkus
An inviting glimpse into an unfamiliar world.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 4--Beautifully illustrated, this narrative nonfiction book about narwhals is sure to please budding marine scientists. Anderson tells the story of an old male narwhal making his way to the northern end of his habitat along with the rest of his pod. Surprising facts blend with conjecture because narwhals haven't been studied enough to fully understand all their behaviors. The small bites of text on every page make this ideal for younger or less-proficient readers, but the story is so well written, with some interesting plot twists, that older children will like it, too. The book may also serve as an excellent introduction to a discussion of animal life cycles, adaptations, or climate change. The artwork is gorgeously rendered, with realistic images of narwhals in their habitat as well as some of their predators. VERDICT A must-have for elementary nonfiction collections.--Debbie Tanner
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Publishers Weekly
Anderson traces the migratory path of a narwhal pod over a year in the Arctic in this fact-filled story. As winter ends, an "old narwhal" guides a pod on a dangerous monthslong journey north, following a maze of ice breaks to the high Arctic islands where the group summers before they head south in autumn. En route, "their long tusks spearing the waves," the males spar, a calf is born, polar bears and killer whales threaten, and the narwhals perform species-specific behaviors such as echolocation. Material in a smaller font accompanies with genuinely interesting scientific facts ("When echolocating, a narwhal can click more than a thousand times per second"). Moody charcoal artwork, colored digitally in murky shades, lends a timeless aspect to ocean scenes of the subject. A brief note and index conclude. Ages 5-7. (Aug.)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Review quotes
"A pod of narwhals making its annual migration is the frame for this introduction to a most unusual sea mammal. . . An inviting glimpse into an unfamiliar world." --Kirkus Reviews
Clover Robin is a collage artist and the illustrator of several books for young readers, including Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons by Leda Schubert. Clover Robin lives in England.
JNF003150 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Marine Life
JNF038090 - Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | Polar Regions
Picture books
Narwhal
