Narwhal: The Arctic Unicorn
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.
Creators
Justin Anderson has eighteen years of documentary experience working for the BBC; he has presented an acclaimed radio documentary for BBC Radio 4 where he tracked arctic wolves across Canada, and went on to direct the Mountains episode for the BAFTA and Emmy Award winning Planet Earth II series. Follow Justin on Twitter @JustinFAnderson
Jo Weaver had a career as a support worker in the non-profit sector before retraining as an illustrator. She completed an MA degree in Children's Book Illustration at the Cambridge School of Art in 2014, where she discovered a love of working in charcoal. Shortly afterwards she was shortlisted for the Association of Illustrator's newcomer's Awards, and has since won the Award Nati per Leggere for her highly-acclaimed debut Little One (Little Tiger). Follow Jo on Instagram @jowithapencil
Reviews
Beautifully illustrated, this narrative nonfiction book about narwhals is sure to please budding marine scientists. . . an excellent introduction to a discussion of animal life cycles, adaptations, or climate change. The artwork is gorgeously rendered. . . A must-have.
School Library Journal (starred review)
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
Anderson traces the migratory path of a narwhal pod over a year in the Arctic in this fact-filled story. . . . Moody charcoal artwork, colored digitally in murky shades, lends a timeless aspect to ocean scenes of the subject.
Publishers Weekly
