Blankie: A Narwhal and Jelly Board Book

While kindergartners and early years readers may have met these two ocean-going friends in picture books like Happy Narwhalidays, their much younger siblings can now spend time with the aquatic pair via the “Narwhal and Jelly Book” series. In Blankie, when Jelly observes that Narwhal is holding a very large blanket, Narwhal, via a series of double-page spreads, both points out and demonstrates the yellow blanket’s many potential uses: hankie, hat, flag, picnic blanket, cape and dress. However, Narwhal saves what it sees to be the blanket’s best use until last.

And what I like about it most...

Is that this blankie
is big enough for two!

So I can cozy
up with you

The final illustration shows the two friends snugly wrapped in the yellow blanket. All children who cherish their blankies, whatever form they may take, will recognize that Narwhal’s voluntarily sharing this item with Jelly is an act of the highest friendship.

The board book’s subject matter is perfect for its intended audience as most young children do adopt a cloth “something” as their security item that must travel with them whether they are awake or asleep. As many parents can attest, even asking a child to surrender that blankie for a much needed washing can be a major emotional event for some youngsters.

Clanton’s rhyming text and simple illustrations on a spare background also work well for this age group of readers. Clanton’s various renderings of mouths, eyes and body positions effectively indicate the duo’s various emotions. Though the very young will likely recognize that Narwhal is a “fish” (Yes, I know it’s really a mammal), identifying exactly what life form Jelly is might be harder for some children. Because the plain, usually white, background to the illustrations does not provide a “water” reference, some children could initially interpret Jelly’s dangling tentacles to be a number of legs and to then erroneously conclude that Jelly is some form of insect.

Overall, Blankie is an excellent introduction to a delightful pair of characters who, in this board book offering, model true friendship.