  | Narwhal : the arctic unicorn Author: Anderson, Justin | |
| Price: $23.08 | ||
Summary:
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?
| Illustrator: | Weaver, Jo |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (08/15/22)
School Library Journal (+) (09/30/22)
Booklist (09/15/22)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 09/30/2022 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 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 09/15/2022 The opening pages set the frozen scene of Anderson’s beautifully illustrated look at one of nature’s oddest creatures. It is winter in the Arctic, where a large gathering of narwhals surface at the edge of the ice beneath which they have been fishing for months. A large-sized font relates a fictionalized narrative of the movements of this narwhal pod as it embarks on its annual migration, while a smaller font relays more detailed scientific facts about this unique creature, their environment, their use of echolocation to navigate in the dark, their predators and prey, and more. Weaver’s charcoal and digitally colored images include close-ups of narwhals and other Arctic animals as well as sweeping views of the frigid landscape. The art works wonderfully with the text to impart an appreciation for this toothed whale to kids across a wide range of reading levels, and all is solidly grounded in facts about the narwhal’s life and the dangers it faces (more fully described in a higher-level afterword). A great choice for science shelves. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.
