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Narwhal and Jelly #6
Narwhal's School of Awesomeness
Narwhal and Jelly become teachers in the sixth book of this graphic novel series!
Dive into four new stories about Narwhal and Jelly becoming substitute teachers! The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out! The first subject is Wafflematics, in which Narwhal and Jelly calculate the number of waffles needed to feed the class. That's what we're chalking about! Next up is a super-fun science scavenger hunt, followed by a game of Tag! You're Awesome! at recess. Narwhal's teaching methods may be unconventional, but with Jelly's help, the two teach (and learn) with their trademark positivity and humor. Before they know it, the day is over . . . but what grade will Narwhal receive from Jelly?
Dive into four new stories about Narwhal and Jelly becoming substitute teachers! The two best friends come across an enthusiastic school of fish one morning. Unfortunately, Mr. Blowfish, their teacher, has come down with a cold, and class will have to be cancelled . . . until Professor Knowell (Narwhal) and Super Teacher (Jelly) volunteer to help out! The first subject is Wafflematics, in which Narwhal and Jelly calculate the number of waffles needed to feed the class. That's what we're chalking about! Next up is a super-fun science scavenger hunt, followed by a game of Tag! You're Awesome! at recess. Narwhal's teaching methods may be unconventional, but with Jelly's help, the two teach (and learn) with their trademark positivity and humor. Before they know it, the day is over . . . but what grade will Narwhal receive from Jelly?
80 pages, Hardcover
First published September 7, 2021
17 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Ben Clanton
53 books463 followersBen 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.
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March 17, 2025Great graphic novel series for kids! In this volume—Narwhal's School of Awesomeness—Narwhal and his buddy Jellyfish meet a school of fish whose teacher is absent. Narwhal steps in as the substitute teacher and the class learns in fun class subjects such as Wafflematics (waffles + math = wafflematics) and a fintastic fact-finding science scavenger hunt!
As an adult reader, and former teacher, I appreciated Clanton's use of a variety of synonyms throughout the book. This is a great text for examining vocabulary and word choice! - Diana F.
Find a Copy at Scottsdale Public Library
As an adult reader, and former teacher, I appreciated Clanton's use of a variety of synonyms throughout the book. This is a great text for examining vocabulary and word choice! - Diana F.
Find a Copy at Scottsdale Public Library
January 21, 2022
This latest adventure of Narwhal and Jelly is a sweet and salty adventure. The two friends spot a school of fish (all named with a variation on Fin like Delfina, Finch, etc.) and follow them. Their destination is (surprise!) school. Unfortunately their teacher Mr. Blowfish has a cold and cannot teach that day. Narwhal and Jelly step in to provide instruction in several subjects like Wafflematics and Science. Don't forget recess and a game of Tag! Your're Awesome, followed by a new episode of the Super Waffle and Strawberry Sidekick Comic Series. One thing I especially enjoyed with this episode is all the synonyms and vocabulary building. Whenever one fish speaks, all the others respond with a synonym or variation on the word making this book entertaining, enjoyable, diverting, lively, boisterous, merry and O-fishally Awesome! W+!
January 20, 2022
This is a children's graphic novel, and this is the 6st book in the Narwhal and Jelly series. I have to say I found this cute, but it made me want more. This book was just ok to me. I loved the pictures, but I found the storyline just missing something. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Tundra Books) or author (Ben Clanton) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
July 6, 2021
I love this duo! And with a shout out to teachers, how could I not love their newest adventure?!
April 28, 2022
You and your little one will learn all sorts of fishy facts when Narwhal subs for a sick teacher at underwater school. The whole book is packed with info, but, on the whole, is not as fun as previous episodes.
December 31, 2021
What happens when a school of fish go to school but they don’t have a teacher? Will narwhale and jelly save the day or will they leave the fish without a teacher?
December 16, 2021
Featured in a grandma reads session.
We love Narwhal and Jelly! But this one ended too soon, we thought. Still it was fun - Narwhal takes over the schooling, with a little help from Jelly, of course.
If you liked the others, you shouldn't miss this one!
We love Narwhal and Jelly! But this one ended too soon, we thought. Still it was fun - Narwhal takes over the schooling, with a little help from Jelly, of course.
If you liked the others, you shouldn't miss this one!
August 21, 2021
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Narwhal's School of Awesomeness is the 6th book featuring the charming and delightful Narwhal and Jelly written and illustrated by Ben Clanton. Due out 7th Sept 2021 from Penguin Random House Canada, it's 88 pages with easily read text, and will be available in hardcover and audiobook formats. The story is adorable and relatable for kids - what happens when a "school" of fish needs a substitute teacher? Narwhal and Jelly to the rescue, of course! I like that there's an intermission roughly in the middle of the book with a lot of cool factoids about real life fish, birds, waffles (!!) and jellyfish. There's also a couple of page story toward the end of the book (as in the previous books) illustrated in a very different style to differentiate it which reminded me of a similar technique Dav Pilkey uses for cutaway stories inside of his books (as the main characters are drawing or telling another story inside the main story).
It's just such an exuberant book. The illustrations are wonderful and the story itself is a lot deeper and more meaningful than the happy bouncy surface would imply. I think this book (and indeed the other books in this series) would make worthwhile reading group or classroom reads for younger readers. The characters are so relatable and real and the fact that they're anthropomorphic makes them more accessible. There are abundant possibilities for many silly voices if reading with a young friend or relative. This would be a great choice for school library acquisition, childminders, school reading circles, families with young kids, and similar situations.
I am a huge fan!
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Narwhal's School of Awesomeness is the 6th book featuring the charming and delightful Narwhal and Jelly written and illustrated by Ben Clanton. Due out 7th Sept 2021 from Penguin Random House Canada, it's 88 pages with easily read text, and will be available in hardcover and audiobook formats. The story is adorable and relatable for kids - what happens when a "school" of fish needs a substitute teacher? Narwhal and Jelly to the rescue, of course! I like that there's an intermission roughly in the middle of the book with a lot of cool factoids about real life fish, birds, waffles (!!) and jellyfish. There's also a couple of page story toward the end of the book (as in the previous books) illustrated in a very different style to differentiate it which reminded me of a similar technique Dav Pilkey uses for cutaway stories inside of his books (as the main characters are drawing or telling another story inside the main story).
It's just such an exuberant book. The illustrations are wonderful and the story itself is a lot deeper and more meaningful than the happy bouncy surface would imply. I think this book (and indeed the other books in this series) would make worthwhile reading group or classroom reads for younger readers. The characters are so relatable and real and the fact that they're anthropomorphic makes them more accessible. There are abundant possibilities for many silly voices if reading with a young friend or relative. This would be a great choice for school library acquisition, childminders, school reading circles, families with young kids, and similar situations.
I am a huge fan!
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
November 8, 2021
Challenges: Believathon November 2021 - Illustrations (4), anticipated read (5), continue started series (8), water (9), 2021 release (10), creature in title (12); Get Serious About Series/LizziefayeLovesBooks 21 in 2021 (3); Reading Goal Posts/Stacking the Series - Priority One/Tier One. Giggleswick!!! says Narwhal and Jelly. This whole series makes learning fun for young children; always includes a life lesson, expansion of Narwhal and Jelly's circle of friends, facts about the natural world, and an imaginative adventure at the end. In this book, a school of nine little fish provides the reader with a thesaurus of synonyms (including various languages, appropriate words and slang). Helping out when others are ill, team competition, the name for groups of various animals, facts about the seahorse and albatross, the flexibility of numbers (of course, using waffles), and a tag game that reinforces positive personal traits, fill out the lesson for this school day (including the all-important recess). What is in store for Narwhal and Jelly next?
August 5, 2021
This book was so cute! I love the fish and all of the synonyms they used throughout the book. Who wouldn't want Narwhal and Jelly teaching them cool facts and feeding them waffles. I can't wait to read the next Narwhal and Jelly book!
Now I need to go and eat some waffles.
Now I need to go and eat some waffles.
December 23, 2025
This was so cute especially when read aloud with speakers parts assigned! The school of fish is my favorite. They’re hilarious, cute, AND educational with their synonyms. Narwhal and jellyfish make a great pair.
Highly recommend the whole series for all kids for a fun time to learn!
Highly recommend the whole series for all kids for a fun time to learn!
September 11, 2021
This will make Narwhal and Jelly fans very happy to see the duo back together!
December 18, 2021
My kids live this book. They love when I read this one out loud.
October 5, 2022
I love Narwhal as a substitute teacher. His tag game of awesomeness is one I want to play with my students. Two thumbs up!
October 19, 2023
This book was my favorite out of the first 6. I love the little fish!!! 🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠🐠
August 5, 2024
Such a wholesome graphic novel and lots of different words for the same meaning 😅
December 23, 2025
Wafflematics could revolutionize education as we know it.
August 22, 2022
Super fun and fact-filled! I rather liked this book in the series!
February 27, 2022
This is the first of the Narwhal books I have read via audio and it was very entertaining, although I did miss seeing the illustrations. I would gladly reread it visually and hope that one day I can!
March 1, 2022
Narwhal and jelly run into a school of fish and go to school with them. These fish are full of synonyms, idioms and word plays that will keep the reader chuckling.
February 24, 2022
Narwhal has appointed themselves as teacher when blowfish is sick. The school of fish is so cute and Jelly is trying so hard to get them to learn serious stuff. I especially liked the field trip portion. I hope there is another book coming soon
February 19, 2022
Great for vocabulary, synonyms!
February 11, 2022
Narwhal and Jelly follow a group of fish to see where they are headed. It turns out they are headed to school, but when they get there the teacher has to leave because he isn't feeling well. Narwhal decides to jump in as substitute with Jelly to guide him.
This was adorable, and Narwhal and Jelly actually might teach readers a thing or two as well. (Shhh.) I love how they make learning fun for the fish. But I especially love how Clanton had all the little fish respond to everything in different synonyms. This would be a great book to use as an example for synonyms and the variety of words we can choose to use when writing certain phrases. The little fish also say goodbye and hello in a variety of languages and their names reflect those languages. It is cute, a little educational, and lots of fun. Highly recommended.
This was adorable, and Narwhal and Jelly actually might teach readers a thing or two as well. (Shhh.) I love how they make learning fun for the fish. But I especially love how Clanton had all the little fish respond to everything in different synonyms. This would be a great book to use as an example for synonyms and the variety of words we can choose to use when writing certain phrases. The little fish also say goodbye and hello in a variety of languages and their names reflect those languages. It is cute, a little educational, and lots of fun. Highly recommended.
June 8, 2021
The newest adventure of Narwhal and Jelly has the two friends substitute teaching at fish school when Mr. Blowfish comes down with a cold. This is a colorfully illustrated, graphic novel and is perfect for younger readers. Jelly and Narwhal teach wafflematics, learn while on a scavenger hunt and play an awesome game of tag. Clanton's books are popular in my elementary school library and this will be a welcome addition. I can't wait to have it on my shelf and read it to my K-3 kiddos. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2022
Greta and Jack both enjoy the Narwhal and Jelly series. I would rather be reading Mo Willems with them
February 7, 2022
Love these books
April 9, 2024
Narwhal and Jelly meet up with a school of fish (Fin, Finneas, Finnie, Finley, Finbar, Finnegan, Finch, Delfina, & Finnard) who are on their way to The Aquatic Academy. When they get there, teacher Mr Blowfish tells them that class is cancelled because he has a cold - and a sneeze has disasterous results for him! But then Narwhal steps in and announces that *he* will be the school's teacher for the day - and the seven stories that follow describe the day's events.
Apart from being great fun to read, this is a useful book for learning new vocabulary, as each fish says a different word for something at certain points in the narrative, eg 'hello', 'goodbye' and "thank you" - sometimes in different languages! Narwhal is also very taken with the Yorkshire place-name of Giggleswick.
Adorable, charming, and eccentric - and, of course, there are waffles!
Apart from being great fun to read, this is a useful book for learning new vocabulary, as each fish says a different word for something at certain points in the narrative, eg 'hello', 'goodbye' and "thank you" - sometimes in different languages! Narwhal is also very taken with the Yorkshire place-name of Giggleswick.
Adorable, charming, and eccentric - and, of course, there are waffles!
August 2, 2021
This new installment in the Narwhal and Jelly series is packed with funny dialogue and activity, off-the-wall silliness, and seamlessly interwoven educational content. In this story, which is partly a tribute to a substitute teacher who inspired the author when he was a child, Narwhal takes on the challenge of substitute-teaching a school of small fish.
The fish are all in sync with each other, and speak together in various synonyms of the same word. The vocabulary alone makes this book educational, and I knew that I was going to give this five stars when I saw the word "indubitably." The fish also learn from Narwhal, gaining new scientific information and mathematical understanding. What Narwhal teaches fits perfectly within the book, instead of feeling like an interruption, and the character interactions are lots of fun.
Other reviewers comment that this book seemed somewhat chaotic to them, but it fits with a young reader's interest and attention span, while also providing new information and challenging words that are very clear in context. This is a great book for fans of the series, kids who are interested in animal-related graphic novels, and kids who like to play school.
I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The fish are all in sync with each other, and speak together in various synonyms of the same word. The vocabulary alone makes this book educational, and I knew that I was going to give this five stars when I saw the word "indubitably." The fish also learn from Narwhal, gaining new scientific information and mathematical understanding. What Narwhal teaches fits perfectly within the book, instead of feeling like an interruption, and the character interactions are lots of fun.
Other reviewers comment that this book seemed somewhat chaotic to them, but it fits with a young reader's interest and attention span, while also providing new information and challenging words that are very clear in context. This is a great book for fans of the series, kids who are interested in animal-related graphic novels, and kids who like to play school.
I received a temporary digital copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2022
Prepare to be schooled!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews