Bubbles: A Narwhal and Jelly Board Book

Submitted by christywillim on
Author
Ben Clanton
Toronto, ON: Tundra, 2021
24 pp., board book, $11.99
ISBN
9780735266766
Grades
Preschool / Birth-age 3
Ages
Birth-age 3
Review by
Dave Jenkinson
Excerpt

Ahoy, Jelly

Narwhal, look at this
beautiful bubble!

That is the best, most bubbliest
bubble I’ve ever seen.

While Narwhal is admiring a bubble that has been pointed out by friend Jelly, Narwhal accidentally bursts the bubble with its long “tusk”. Recognizing Jelly’s sadness at the loss of the bubble, Narwhal suggests they find a new bubble, pointing out that “There are lots of bubbles in the sea!” And so the pair go in search, finding bubbles up high and down low. Some bubbles are “itty-bitty’ and others “great big”. They blow bubbles and pop them. The bubbles they find come in colours, green and pink, and one emanating from a flatulent crab even stinks. The ultimate bubble comes in the colours of a rainbow, and, as Jelly reaches out to it, one of its tentacles replicates Narwhal’s earlier action, causing Jelly to have to apologize.

I’m so sorry, Narwhal!
Now I’ve burst
your bubble.

In the closing spread, Narwhal puts their friendship back on an even keel by reminding Jelly that

It’s no trouble!
There are oodles
of bubbles!

Though the storyline of Bubbles is somewhat thin, many toddlers will still relate to the board book’s contents having previously encountered bubbles, including through bubble baths or by producing their own stinky toot bubbles while bathing. In this offering, Clanton’s backgrounds clearly establish the book’s watery setting.

Recommended
Reviewer

Dave Jenkinson, CM’s editor, lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.