Narwhal's Sweet Tooth

Narwhal and Jelly #9

by Ben Clanton

In the hilarious ninth book of this blockbuster graphic novel series, Narwhal's sweet tooth leads to some very funny feelings!

Dive into four new stories so sweet they'll make your teeth tingle! Everyone knows that Narwhal is a big fan of sugary treats — but Jelly is shocked when Narwhal's tusk-tooth isn't looking so pearly white anymore and is feeling a little funny. It turns out, Narwhal has been using it as a "snack saver"! Thankfully, no one knows more about dental hygiene than Shark — she has seven rows of teeth, after all! Meanwhile, Jelly and Crab try to show Narwhal that it's fine to frown if you're feeling down. Can Narwhal's friends convince the happiest creature in the ocean that it's okay to have a bad day?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Childrens, Animals, Humor, Graphic Novels Comics, Picture Books, Juvenile

80 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2024

About the author

Ben Clanton is the author/illustrator of the Narwhal and Jelly series as well as a number of other books as IT CAME IN THE MAIL, MO'S MUSTACHE, and TATER TALES. When Ben isn't doodling up stories (and often when he is) he likes to cook, explore outdoors, and play basketball. Ben lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and kids. Find out more about Ben at www.benclanton.com.

Reviews

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful graphic novel for early and beginning readers. The best part? There is no need to read this series in order.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this title.

[Bente Pompen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth is such a fun read! Many kids will enjoy this simple but fun comic, which is also hilarious. I definitely laughed out loud a few times. It’s the first book I’ve read in the series, and I can’t wait to discover the rest.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Narwhal's Sweet Tooth with story and art by Ben Clanton is the ninth entry in this graphic novel series for young readers.

Narwhal loves his sweets, which becomes a problem when his horn is threatening to fall off. Narwhal’s friend Jelly recommends a dentist with lots of experience with teeth, a shark. Along with the usual hijinks, we learn about tooth care, but will they make it to the dentist in time to save his tusk?

I’ve been reading this series for a long time and it stays consistently really good. The humor is fresh and familiar. The artwork is fine. This is a great series for young readers.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narwhal and Jelly is always a good story. I love crab here and the shark who takes dental care very seriously! So cute.

[Charlotte]

Narwhal and Jelly was a delightful starter graphic novel! The illustration style is cute and the story is broken up into several easy chapter breaks in their adventure to make for easy stops. Engaging enough to have the adult invested but simple enough dialogue and sentence structure that this will be an easy read for when we get to independent reading as well. While this is book 9, it’s easy to read as a standalone and we didn’t feel lost on any of the plot of characters. Lessons that can be easily focused on and discussed deeper include brushing teeth/good oral hygiene, losing a tooth and getting a new one, and even some fun marine facts.

Kid Review:Narwhal and Jelly was fun! I liked that they went to different friends to try and fix Narwhal’s tooth and were silly by trying new things for his tooth instead of the broken one like a lighthouse. Crabby was my favorite friend trying to teach Narwhal how to frown with Jelly.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just fantastic!!

Narwhal and Jelly are two of my favorite kids book characters and they never fail to disappoint [incuding this new edition].

Narwhal has a serious problem [and it is not just that he is incapable of frowning!] and it is up to Jelly and all their ocean friends to find a solution and help their friend Narwhal out.

This is a cute story about friendship, over-doing sweets and taking care of our teeth; it was just delightful from beginning to end. I absolutely love the illustrations and those alone will keep littles coming back to this story again and again!

Very well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ben Clanton, and Penguin Random House Canada/Tundra Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so funny and there are so many great moments, including
*Fencing lessons with Mr McSwordface
*Toothsome tidbits
*Pricklefoo!
*Tusk alternatives
*Shark & his teeth cleaning schedules
And of course, the adorable lighthouse ending.

[Sidney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this with my granddaughter last weekend. Narwhal’s big horn/tooth is decaying because she spears her candy on it just to hold. Little did we know that some narwhals will grow a second tooth/tusk/horn if the first one is broke or comes out.

[Emi French 💜 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me and my partner really enjoy picking one of these up in the library and having a giggle at the situation’s narwhal and jelly get into 😅

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is where I am going to leave Narwhal and Jelly. It is a cute series, I can see how kids would enjoy it, but it just isn't feeling as special and fun anymore.

[urfavelizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I said in the review of the first book of this series, I LOVE this series ❤️! And this book is perfect for me because I definitely have only sweet teeth.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just LOVE these books. So cute, and punny. Right up my alley.

[Mindy Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from the 6 year old: “Pretty good. I like that it was sweet tooth.” She enjoyed the tooth as a food holder for donuts. Thought PRICKLEFOO was hysterical! She loved that she replaced her tooth with a lighthouse (and real working light). She wanted the horn to grow back.
4/5 stars from a 6 year old.

Review from mom:
The illustrations are always charming and makes the characters all lovable. Not going to lie, seeing the narwhal tooth broken gave me the heeby jeebees. Similar to how I would feel if I saw a compound fracture.

I also enjoyed the tooth as a donut holder and giggled at how narwal needed to swim upside down in order to make a smile.

Story runs as if a small child is telling it. Sometimes feels fractured with side stories involved throughout, but it makes it endearing that way.

Mom enjoyed it too.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital copy to review.

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love Narwhale and Jelly and were so excited to read their next adventure. This one i think is definitely one of my favorites so far. We love everything about these books! The illustrations are always so colorful and pleasing to look at. The story lines are always so well written and easy for my children to understand and relate to. I can't wait to add this one to out personal library!

[Stephanie Molnar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable, as always.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the latest installment of the Narwhal and Jelly series, the author skillfully addresses two important topics for young readers: dental hygiene and emotional expression. These are critical concepts for children, and the author manages to present them in a way that is both engaging and informative. The balance between humor and education is masterfully maintained throughout the story, making it both enjoyable and enlightening for young readers.

This particular book marks my first experience with the Narwhal and Jelly series, and I must say I found it thoroughly delightful. The engaging storyline, lively characters, and well-paced narrative kept me entertained from beginning to end. I am confident that my daughter, when she is a little older, will enjoy it just as much as I did. In fact, I’m already looking forward to exploring the other books in this charming series in the future.

One of the things I particularly appreciated was how the story is broken up with fun facts, sidebars, and an additional short story, providing both entertainment and educational value. These elements are seamlessly integrated into the narrative, and though they break up the story at times, the pacing remains natural and appropriate for a children's book. This format ensures that the reader's attention remains engaged while also delivering important lessons in a digestible and enjoyable way.

The illustrations in this book are simple but incredibly effective. They capture the whimsical nature of the story while also complementing the tone of the book perfectly. While the art may not be overly intricate, it enhances the overall reading experience and brings the story to life in a way that young readers will undoubtedly appreciate.

I would like to express my gratitude to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to diving deeper into the Narwhal and Jelly series in the future.

[Jessica Kluthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth

Gifted from Tundra Books

We are big fans of the Narwhal and Jelly series: incredibly well characterized, entertaining and fast-paced early-age graphic novels by the talented Ben Clanton. This newest book, Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth, is no exception! So. Good.

For emerging readers, I always recommend this series for those between early readers and chapter books — though certainly readers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy them. I love how graphic novels bring new elements to the reading experience with the interplay between text and image and the order and size of the panels.

In this book, sugary-snack loving Narwhal has an issue with his tusk. Jelly notices that it’s nearly broken and his pal admits that he’s been using his tusk as a snack saver—stacked with doughnuts, cakes and waffles. Soon, with the help of his ocean friends including Shark who has *a lot* of teeth to care for, Narwhal needs to not be “rushin’ the brushin’.”

This book makes for an engaging, memorable read aloud and works in some social-emotional learning (for instance, it’s okay to have a bad day) and cool facts (like some kinds of sharks have seven rows of teeth!).

Highly recommend this series!

Thanks to Tundra Books for this review copy. We are long-time fans of Ben Clanton!

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uh oh! Narwhal has a tusk problem! Fortunately Narwhal also has a lot of friends.

First - narwhals have a tusk that can be up to 9-1/2 feet long. It originates from their left canine tooth. And while both male and females have tusk potential in their teeth, it is usually just the males that grow the long tusks. And yes -- they can sometimes grow a second one. Just to put the book in perspective because Narwhal's tusk definitely has a crack in it near the base! What would our beloved Narwhal be without his tusk? And how did this happen?

Well, I don't think we know exactly how it happened - but we do know that Narwhal loves waffles and other sweet treats. And has been known to carry them around on his tusk. And to possibly not brush his tusk as he should because - well - he is easily distracted.

Narwhal is also a very cheery, happy go lucky fella. Even though he is upset about his tusk, he has a hard time expressing that with a frown. Which is an important part of the book -- learning that it is OK to be sad or unhappy.

Fortunately Jelly and many other underwater friends come to the rescue! Narwhal learns how to take better care of his teeth and tusk. And also that there is another tusk growing where his (spoiler) present tusk eventually breaks off. Whew! That is a relief.

Very cute, as always. Plus just packed with positive information.

[Emma Denhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

**e-ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**

The Narwhal books are always a huge hit with my kiddos! They’re a fantastic way to get young readers excited and engaged with choice reading. For this review, I had my grade four class take a close look at this book and decide whether they’d recommend it to their little buddies in kindergarten and grade one.

The consensus? They thought the book was super silly and a lot of fun, definitely something their buddies would love! The art work is clear and simple, and the story is easy to follow. However, they did note that it might be a bit tricky for a kindergartener to read independently (and they’re right, our kindies aren’t quite ready for a Narwhal book solo yet!). That said, several of my grade fours are keen to read it to their buddies, which just melted my heart!

We’ve even put in a request with our library to get a couple more copies for the school. It’s safe to say this series is a crowd-pleaser and a much-loved favorite among the kiddos. Highly recommend for schools or families!

[Jessie (Saffity) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great addition to the Narwhal and Jelly series. My daughter (5) loves these books and I knew it was one we would definitely check out. She's already very good at brushing her teeth, so she knew right away when Narwhal wasn't doing it right. She was very interested in finding out Narwhal's horn was actually a tooth and where it would be on her face if she had one. She loved their visit to Crab and Narwhal's attempts at frowning, and Shark was a hit as well. She started to get upset with the result of Narwhal's horn, but was happy to know everything would turn out in the end. Narwhal is a great series with good messages and lessons, the tips on brushing were great and the additional information on the various sea animals was fun. As always the illustrations are adorable and the back and forth between Narwhal and Jelly are always fun. This is definitely a series we will continue with. We read this ebook through NetGalley.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narwhal has branched out in diet but might have a ruined tusk as a result. Can Jelly and Narwhal figure out how to fix Narwal’s cracked tusk?

Well, I never knew there was so much to learn about a narwhal’s tusk. I liked the good dental hygiene lesson for kids delivered in a humorous manner. There’s also a fair amount about the teeth of other marine creatures woven into the story, some of which I knew and some of which taught me stuff. Another fun adventure with Narwhal and Jelly that provides life skills help for kids too.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: A tooth/tusk is broken but not violently.
Ethnic diversity: N/A creatures are animals of no specific ethnic background.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: Warnings about too many sweets and not enough tooth brushing.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter loves the Narwhal and Jelly series and was so excited to get to read this early. She began reading these when she was younger, and even though she reads middle grade novels now she loves to come back to this series. Highly recommend this series as one the parents and kids of many ages can enjoy together.

In book #9, the same formula of cute humor and life lesson appears. It talks about the importance of keeping your teeth clean, but it also weaves in important messages of body acceptance and still being "you" even if something on the external appearance changes. Also loved the Toothsome Tidbits - fun facts are such a hit.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and Tundra Books for the complimentary copy, you made my daughter's day!

[JoBeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

My girls (8 and 10) have enjoyed reading about Narwhal’s adventures over the last few years. Narwhal’s Sweet Tooth was another hit! It was also aptly timed as we’ve just gone through the holiday season full of extra sweets with a child who doesn’t like to brush her teeth. Here’s hoping Narwhal’s tusk problems might help her focus on brushing better. The author did a great job of teaching about tooth care while still make the story fun and silly. I suspect we’ll buy this when it becomes available. Maybe the tooth fairy will drop it off instead of money next time she visits!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay for book nine! You can't help feeling happy around Narwhal. He is the embodiment of positivity and optimism. Knowing that, it was therefore interesting to see how Narwhal responded to the predicaments he faced in this story.

His tusk (his tooth) is nearly broken off, mostly likely due to all the delicious sweets he's eaten or had stored in his tusk (aka, his "snack saver") for later.Narwhal and Jelly also discover that Narwhal doesn't know how to frown, so they set off to find help from their friends with both problems.

This ninth installment and newest adventure was a delightful, encouraging, and creative read.

Thanks again Tundra Books and NetGalley for the e-arc to read in exchange for an honest review!

[Britney Barlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a cute and funny narwhal?!?! We enjoyed the comic book vibes of this book and it kept my kids laughing and making comments about how silly Narwhal and Jelly are together. Even though it’s a fun goofy book, I liked that there were facts shared about the animals and an emphasis on dental hygiene. Kids of all ages will enjoy this book and it’s a great little family read.

Feel free follow my social media accounts, I will be sharing my review of this book prior to the publishing date.
https://linktr.ee/britneybarlow

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley.
Narwhal and Jelly return for their ninth book of adventures. This time Narwhal's tusk has broken and is close to falling off. Jelly learns that Narwhal has been munching on all sorts of sweets which probably weakened the tooth. Readers see them look for a way to fix it. Along the way, they connect with friends and work on teaching Narwhal to frown when he is sad. By the end, Shark has taught them how to take care of their teeth and maintain good oral hygiene. Love the message for readers that flows through the whole story. The comic included at the end brings dental health up front for readers. As always, these characters are delightful and continue to grow.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our favorite under-the-sea duo is back. Narwhal has a problem. His is pretty wiggly. Jelly digs down to the root of the problem -- too many sugary snacks being stored up there. They go to shark for some expert toothbrushing. The puns abound as with every book in this series. Shark has a fangtastic bite, for example, and is an enthusiastic entoothiast. 😁 Along with reminders on how to brush their teeth properly, readers will learn some great undersea facts and there is also a new episode of Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick. Will Narwhal keep his tusk? If not, the tooth fairy is going to need a bigger boat. 😉

Thank you to Tundra Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

|| NARWHAL'S SWEET TOOTH ||
#gifted @tundrabooks
#tundrapartner #sponsored
🍩
Another hit! My kids loved the newest addition to this series that tackles tooth care. Narwhals tusk has cracked, he has been eating many sweets and not brushing thoroughly. He and Jelly go on a journey to discover all about his tusk, that is actually a tooth! This new release is sure to delight young readers! Both my kids have loved this series since the beginning and this might be the best yet! I highly reccomend these books, the graphic novel style is great for all ages, they are funny and wholesome!
Big thanks to @tundrabooks for sending it and the wonderful other goodies our way!
•
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#NarwhalsSweetTooth #ReadTundra

[Dani Baskette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley for my honest review.

Another home run for Narwhal and Jelly! These books have always been a favorite of mine and my sons to read together. He has the whole collection on his bookshelf.
Narwhal has a problem with his tooth! Jelly talks Narwhal through what could have been the reason for his tooth woahs. Along the way, Narwhal remains his cheerful, positive self. The story has the perfect amount of education about teeth and how to take care of them thrown in for good measure. I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of this series. We will be adding this lovely addition to our collection at home.

[Lauren Dutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narwahle and jelly are two goofy friends who are discovering a lot about teeth in this book. Narwhale realizes all the sugary treats she has consumed have made her tooth crack and weaken. Jelly helps to try to resolve the issue and they both discover some fun exciting ways to take care of their teeth.

This book is a fun way to help kids understand the importance of brushing their teeth. They even learn about many other sea creatures as well. This book is the perfect bookshelf addition for any kiddo. The art is adorable, colorful and my kids love the goofy relationship between jelly and Narwhale.