Happy Narwhalidays

September 21, 2020
His tusk-tooth and scarf both sporting red and white stripes, holiday-loving Narwhal is “feeling festive” in the fifth installment of the graphic novel series starring two earnest aquatic pals. Despite Narwhal’s holiday enthusiasm, jellyfish Jelly has no interest in “the freezing season” and longs for warmer waters (“Humph-bug,” he grumps). Narwhal cheers up Jelly (“a bit”) with a bowl of warm waffle pudding, and a present with his name on it also boosts his spirits. But Jelly worries that he has nothing for Narwhal, who he assumes is the gift giver. Through spare mixed-media pictures and an energetic, wordplay-steeped narrative in six short sections, Clanton sorts out Jelly’s conundrum and introduces a special holiday visitor, the Merry Mermicorn, a mermaid-unicorn hybrid who, Narwhal says, is “completely mer-aculous!” “Cool facts” about marine life are sprinkled throughout this buoyant tale. Ages 6–9.