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Table of Contents
About The Book
In the tradition of Uni the Unicorn and Gaston, this heartwarming and adorable debut picture book tells the story of a young unicorn who was born under the sea to a family of narwhals.
Growing up in the ocean, Kelp has always assumed that he was a narwhal like the rest of his family. Sure, he’s always been a little bit different—his tusk isn’t as long, he’s not as good of a swimmer, and he really doesn’t enjoy the cuisine. Then one night, an extra strong current sweeps Kelp to the surface, where he spots a mysterious creature that looks just like him! Kelp discovers that he and the creature are actually unicorns. The revelation leaves him torn: is he a land narwhal or a sea unicorn? But perhaps, if Kelp is clever, he may find a way to have the best of both worlds.
Told with heartwarming illustrations and spare, sweet text, Jessie Sima’s debut picture book is about fitting in, standing out, and the all-encompassing love of family.
About The Illustrator
Jessie Sima is an author/illustrator living and working in New York City. They grew up in a small town in southern New Jersey, unaware that they were a storyteller. Once they figured it out, they told their family and friends, who took it quite well. They are the author of Not Quite Narwhal; Harriet Gets Carried Away; Love, Z; Snow Pony and the Seven Miniature Ponies; Spencer’s New Pet; Jules vs. the Ocean; Hardly Haunted; and Weather Together. You can visit them at JessieSima.com.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (February 14, 2017)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9781481469098
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
"The message is an appealing one that could speak to many family situations relating to multiple identities...feel-good story"
– Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2016
"Adorable characters trigger smiles throughout"
– Publisher's Weekly, December 2016
"A storyteller’s pacing and winning characters, resulting in an appealing book. Read it for a whimsical storytime or provide some text-to-text connections for older students with Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s Uni the Unicorn and Bob Shea’s Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great....this title is highly recommended."
– School Library Journal, January 2017
"Swap the tired Ugly Duckling for this delightfully absurd tale of knowing who you are and where you came from."
– Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2017
"Sima’s bubbly, adorable artwork is nearly irresistible...This endearing tale will warm many a heart."
– Booklist, January 2017
"This book is painfully adorable...The story is about finding your own way to belong,..It's just beautiful.”
– Shelf Awareness Pro, January 24, 2017
Awards and Honors
- CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Council)
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle List PrimaryTitle
- Georgia Children's Book Award
- Buckeye Children's Book Award (OH)
- Georgia Children's Book Award Finalist
- Ladybug Award (NH)
- Wisconsin State Reading Association's Reading List
- Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee (MD)
- Beehive Award Nominee
Resources and Downloads
Activity Sheets
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Not Quite Narwhal Hardcover 9781481469098
- Author Photo (jpg): Jessie Sima Photograph courtesy of Jon Banafato(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit