A Super Scary Narwhalloween

Narwhal and Jelly #8

by Ben Clanton

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER! Publishers Weekly • Globe and Mail • Toronto Star

In the hilarious eighth book of this blockbuster graphic novel series, Narwhal and Jelly celebrate the spookiest time of the year — Halloween — with a super twist!

Dive into three new stories that are sure to fright and delight! Narwhal loves Halloween — it's a great excuse to dress up in a spooky and silly costume, like a ghost, a mermaid, a banana or maybe even Marlow the Mustachioed Moose. It's a skeleTON of fun! Jelly isn't dressing up, though — he's a little scared of this time of year, and would prefer to hunker down in a hidey-hole until Halloween is over. But when a scary sea monster makes an appearance and swallows Narwhal (gulp!), can Jelly, with the help of some super friends, pluck up the courage to save his best bud?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Halloween, Childrens, Humor, Holiday, Animals, Fiction

76 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2023

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

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can't this immensely popular series do?
As we see Narwhal and Jelly graduate to their eight book; putting them solidly in the 'series with staying power' category. Kids love the comfort that comes from characters they know and from a story set-up that is consistent. In fact, many anxious adults benefit greatly from this too (myself included!).
Here we have Narwhal and Jelly taking on my absolute favourite holiday! Halloween! Between learning about bats, switching costumes, being super heroes and needing syrup for waffles you can be assured this Narwhal and Jelly Book from Ben Clanton is just as good as it's predecessor. Plus the print copy comes with a GLOW IN THE DARK cover!!! I mean what kid doesn't want to know their trusty favourite story is right next to them in the dark. Brilliant really!
Grab this one for a kids party, random gift, or to give to someone special. It will work in any and all situations (so long as the parents doesn't shun Hallowe'en for some reason... and if they do why on earth are you engaging with them?! I mean who doesn't love dressing up and eating candy?!)

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Jamie Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟

Oh man this is a great book for young readers transitioning from young picture books. I haven't yet read any of the books in this series but I am for sure going to pick up the previous ones to add to our collection of books.

This is a young/beginner reader style comic picture book. That follows the two main characters Narwhal and Jelly. In this story they are preparing for Halloween. Narwhal is trying to determine his costume but can't decide. Jelly isn't into Halloween as it's too scary. I loved how then Narwhal attempts to find the non scary twists to monsters, witches, and vampires. Making them fun and less spooky for his friend.

In between the main story sections there are fun facts. In this book specifically it's about sea animals that have either scary names or look scary. Like the vampire squid or gulper eel. Then why they are not sealife to fear.

In the end Jelly's character arc finds his moment to be brave and help his friends to be brave as well.

Can't wait to check out the other books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

I will be posting this review on my Instagram page the.littlest.bookworm and retail sites before or near publication date.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narwhal and Jelly return with a Halloween themed book (coming out July 2023). It comes complete with three adventures, fun facts and playful puns. Narwhal can’t decide on a costume and Jelly gets a little scared and wants to hide till the festivities are over. Narwhal and Jelly are best friends in these graphic novels aimed at younger readers. They are very popular for younger grades K-3 in my school. The books are silly and fun and I’ve read them all. It is an auto purchase for an elementary school or children’s library. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books for the temporary eARC in exchange for a review.

[Reading is my Escape · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narwhal and Jelly are amazing characters. I love the series and this book doesn't disappoint. It's great how Clanton seamlessly adds cool facts in between the chapters. Our students adore this series. We were even able to purchase one with a Glow-in-the-Dark cover!! I can't wait for the next installment.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narwhal and Jelly are back, and Narwhal has all sorts of plans for Halloween, or, I really should say Narwhalloween. Narwhal unfortunately can't decide on what costume to wear, and Jelly's afraid and just wants to hide till everything is over.

The story, like all the others before it, is full of silliness and kindness, as when something is scaring everyone, the friends all get together to help and solve the situation. It's sweet, fun and funny.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute set of stories , in a graphic novel form, about a friendly Narwhal and its friends. I loved the cute costumes and the waffles.

[Katelyn Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great Narwhal and Jelly Book (#8). A Super Scary Narwhalloween is a Halloween time book, perfect for those starting a holiday library.

Like other Narwhal and Jelly books, it relies on multiple sizes of panels on pages, this helps move the readers (or listeners) eyes around the page, keeping it exciting. The simplistic colours also helps without too much details or fine points to concentrate on.

The puns were abundant, and I really enjoyed the fact pages. I thought they were inserted well and gave the book a bit more depth then just being full of Narwal and Jelly's antics.

Overall a wonderful book for Halloween time that was not overall scary and had a satisfying conclusion.

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narwhal and Jelly are back, raising all kinds of shenanigans in this fun, Halloween-based book.
Narwhal works to make Jelly a little less afraid of things [all while trying to decide on what to be for Halloween] and when a threat comes to his friend, Jelly [and friends] have to learn to be brave to help the one they love so much.

Great illustrations, a really fun story [interspersed with fun facts], and a great ending, this is a great book for littles about bravery, friendship [and what we do for those we love] and the total fun of Halloween [and WAFFLES!!! ;-) ].

Well done.

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

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What costume should a narwhal choose for Halloween? A ghost? A mermaid? A cat (catfish)? The two sea buddies discuss the conundrum in this new chapter of the Narwhal and Jelly series. While Narwhal is ready to celebrate the spooky holiday in a big way, Jelly is not so sure. Halloween is too scary for little Jelly. But when a sea monster is spotted, Jelly Jolt swims to the rescue with the Super Pod. Includes the puns we love, new sea creature facts, and an episode of Superwaffle and Strawberry Sidekick. It's Fangtastic!

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacey Feehley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids love the Narwhal and Jelly books! They were so excited to receive an ARC for the newest one! Narwhal can't decide on his costume and Jelly thinks halloween is too scary. Narwhal tries to help Jelly see that there are parts to Halloween that aren't scary.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC!

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kid absolutely LOVES the Narwhal and Jelly books! This one was no different for them.
The pictures of A Super Scary Narwhalloween are very colorful and very well illustrated. It was also a super cute, quick, fun and easy read for my kid. They highly recommend.

[Karen Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect Halloween book for kids unsure about the scary parts of Halloween. Just the right amount of spookiness with all the humour you expect from Narwhal and Jelly. This book will appeal to kids of a wide range of ages and even includes some neat facts.

[Melissa Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

Can’t go wrong with a Narwahl and Jelly book! If you’ve read other books in the series, this book provides the same cute illustrations and storyline you can expect from this series.

There are some fun “puns” that made me chuckle and the illustrations are clean looking but eye-catching for children to read and follow along.

I love that this book is set up as a comic or graphic format but reads at a lower level so a younger child or lower level reader can read the graphic style that is often too advanced for them.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narwhal and Jelly are back with a new book for Halloween! This is the eighth book in the series but they can be read in any order. Narwhal is all excited for Halloween and can’t decide which costume he wants to wear! Jelly is scared. Oh, did I mention there are three stories in this book!

[Natalie Ipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book

[Yentl ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and not-so-spooky Narwhal and Jelly. Another cute adventure with these two and a the fun facts are always great.

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, easy to read. I liked the illustrations.

[Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of the Narwhal and Jelly books! And I am impressed by all of them! ☺️

[Elizabeth Mellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra Books for the ARC of this!

This is my beginning reader’s favorite series to read together, he loves to each read one character. This was SO FUNNY and sweet, and we liked the animal facts.

[Romy Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

When they thought there was a huge monster but it was actually narwhal. Tricky sickuation and then a sticky sickuation. That’s all!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another cute Narwhal and Jelly book.

[Grace Becker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is so cute!! I did think that we needed to see mor of narwhal, but I still thought it was good. For littler kids this is such a nice and appropriate book🙃

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Super Scary Narwhaloween by Ben Clanton was such a fun read and a big hit in our house. My son really enjoyed this book, and after reading the others in the series, I think this might actually be his favorite so far.
This story was funny, playful, and perfect for kids who enjoy a little bit of spooky fun without it being too scary. Ben Clanton does such a great job creating books that are engaging, silly, and full of charm, and this one was no exception. The humor kept my son interested the whole way through, and the illustrations were bright, expressive, and added so much to the story.

One of the things we love most about this series is how fun and approachable it is for younger readers. The characters are lovable, the story is entertaining, and the mix of friendship, humor, and holiday fun makes it a really enjoyable read. Since we’ve read the other books, it was especially fun to see this one stand out as a favorite.

Overall, this was a wonderful addition to the series and one I could definitely see us reading again during the Halloween season. A great pick for kids who already love Narwhal and Jelly, and a fun introduction for new readers too.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Narwhal and Jelly books are always such a mood booster and this one definitely made my bookish heart happy.

Narwhal is super duper excited about Halloween but hasn’t picked a costume yet. Jelly isn’t as excited because he doesn’t like the scary parts of the holiday (relatable, ha). When a mysterious, gurgling monster appears, Jelly musters his courage to face his fears head on.

This was a lot of fun to read. I liked that Jelly got to play a more featured role and become the hero of his own story. I thought it was a great idea that the author chose to tell us facts about sea creatures that may look or sound spooky but are actually pretty cool to fit the Halloween theme and message of the story. Narwhal looked so cute in his banana and candy corn costumes, but I think I liked his Marlow the Mustachioed Moose costume the best.

Once more, an entertaining read by Ben Clanton! Please keep making these books because I love them. They’re so adorable, informative, and funny.

Thank you to Tundra Books and NetGalley for the eARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

[mad mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.)

Halloween is fast approaching, and the upcoming holiday has all the sea creatures worked up. Narwhal is characteristically over the moon with excitement - he loves Halloween, but can't decide what to be (witch? mermaid? candy corn of the sea?). Meanwhile, Jelly just wants to hide under a rock until November 1st - he doesn't much appreciate a good frighten, and witches and monsters are downright terrifying. But when narwhal goes missing - presumably eaten by a carnivorous sea serpent - Jelly has to convince the gang to super-fy and swim to Narwhal's rescue.

A SUPER SCARY NARWHALLOWEEN has the same silly charm of the previous seven books in the NARWHAL AND JELLY series, with the added bonus of some Halloween hijinx.

Read it if you like: unicorns; narwhals; waffles; pumpkins; pumpkin waffles; wordplay; mermaids; Halloween; super-heroing; and glow in the dark art.

On that note: I can definitely picture Leslie Knope reading this series to her triplets.

[Jennifer Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Super Scary Narwhalloween" by Ben Clanton pairs the scaredy-jellyfish Jelly with his free-loving, unrattled, waffle-loving friend Narwhal. The writing is full of wit and puns that goofy young readers will love. In the beginning, Narwhal can't decide which Halloween costume to wear and parades through different options. When a "real monster" has apparently gotten Narwhal, Jelly has a "What Would Narwhal Do?" moment (with a horn on his head) and comes to the conclusion that to defeat the monster, they will have a Super Waffle Party and he'll need to become Jelly Jolt (now with Narwhal horn and ninja-like eye mask) and "superfies" his friends.

There are two story breaks where you get "Fangtastic Facts" about the goblin shark, vampire squid, phantom jellyfish, etc.

My students frequently check out the Narwhal and Jelly books. If you're looking for pure silly, this book fits the bill.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

[Kira's NetGalley Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fantastic addition to the Narwhal and Jelly series. It perfectly captures the spooky-but-fun spirit of Halloween while maintaining the charm and quality fans have come to expect from these characters.

The Standouts
• Perfect for Early Readers: The storyline is simple to follow, making it an ideal choice for kindergarteners who are just starting to learn how to read or for a cozy shared reading session with parents.
• Clear & Exciting Illustrations: The artwork is vibrant, full of color, and high energy. Most importantly, the illustrations clearly convey the story, which is a huge help for visual learners.
• Series Consistency: Unlike some spin-offs, this book delivers exactly what it promises: a cohesive, engaging, and "super scary" (but not too scary) adventure.

Final Verdict
A total win for the Narwhal and Jelly collection. It’s engaging, visually exciting, and perfectly pitched for its target audience. If you have a little one starting their reading journey, this is a great one to add to the shelf.

[Little Batties · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Super Scary Narwhallowen is a pun filled adventure that could be a great way to start off the spooky season. It has a plotline kids can relate to (who hasn't had trouble picking a costume before?) and colorful illustrations that are sure to bring the reader in. It uses humor and puns to propel the story, and the structure -- setting up as a comic book -- makes it even more entertaining.

Some of the language may be hard for some young learners to read on their own but, with a little help, they can tackle some of the harder words. It has some sweet themes too, like friendship and facing your fears, which was a nice touch. I can see littles enjoying this story, especially if read during story time. It was something that may become a classroom favorite for it's silly nature while tackling some interesting points that kids can relate to during the Halloween season.

Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Book Group for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Tayler K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Narwhal and Jelly and I love Halloween! So I had to read this. Also, glow in the dark cover!!! I love glow in the dark.

The main story is divided into 3 parts interspersed with a Halloween mini-story and a couple animal facts segments (one deep sea creatures, one bats).

Everything was really fun but I think I would've liked it better without going back and forth to the main story, so I could focus and finish one thing and not have to make so many mental switches and keep up anticipation during the other portions.

I really need to get my hands on the entire Narwhal and Jelly series because I could tell I was missing some references.

I loved the animal facts segments and especially have fun with deep sea creatures any time.

As always, I'm a sucker for endpapers and the Halloween waffle character fun was *super* awesome 😉 lol.