The Hummingbird & The Narwhal is beautifully illustrated. The colors are compelling and intriguing, encouraging the reader to continue turning each page, and alternating between bright and dark to create a visual feast for the eyes. The production is also excellent, with the text being easy to read and the cover and pages, including the hummingbird and narwhal designs that bookend the book, making for a highly memorable and impactful read. The premise is also very clever, with the unexpected similarities between the Hummingbird and the Narwhal creating a tender note throughout the book and demonstrating the author’s theme that we are all not so different in the world, whether human or animal, at all. This theme of kindness is also illustrated in the dedication page of the novel, where the reader is sweetly encouraged to give the book to a friend and the book has been set up as a keepsake story. The appearance of the dog and the girl is a sweet moment that stands out as a climax of the book as the Hummingbird and the Narwhal interact with the human world.

Sometimes friendships are found in the most unexpected places. The Hummingbird & the Narwhal by Annie Higbee is a children's book that shows this flawlessly.

The story follows a hummingbird and a narwhal who, apart from visible differences, have a lot in common. One day, by chance, these two animals meet. Strong winds pushed the hummingbird from her path to Maine. In all this disarray, she landed on a narwhal in the arctic, which at that moment came to the ocean's surface. He also accidentally deviated from his path and got separated from his family of narwhals, who usually migrate together. The animals became friends very quickly; they discovered how alike they were and realized how they could help each other.

First of all, I must commend the author and illustrator Annie Higbee on this wonderful children's story because it is one of the best I have read recently. The concept is very engaging; the author sends a message about the importance of kindness and friendship through an unusual selection of animals. I think that narwhals and hummingbirds are animals rarely seen in literature, particularly children's literature, which makes this book even more authentic and unique. In addition, I like the way the animals recognized their similarities and the ways they could help each other. Furthermore, the writing style seems proficient, experienced, and lyrical, and reading the author's perfectly assembled sentences is a real pleasure. Additionally, the illustrations throughout the book are truly gorgeous and complement the text very nicely. Most illustrations appear to be painted with crayons, but effortlessly, subtly, and delicately. The course of the story can be easily followed through the pictures. I would also like to stress that the editing quality seems exceptional, considering I did not encounter any errors.

There frankly isn't anything I didn't like about the book. Every aspect of the book has been executed with the utmost precision, and I have nothing negative to accentuate or criticize the author.

All things considered, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I don't have a single good reason to give it a lower rating because I enjoyed everything about it. I would recommend the book to everyone who likes fables, illustrated stories, and stories with important lessons. Although this is primarily a children's book, I think many adults will enjoy it, specifically because of its refined and skilled writing style. I would also suggest to all English teachers to include this book in their curriculum if possible.