Mermaids Don't Run Track by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones

Book Type: Series/ Childrens literature
Author: Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Pages: 112

Summary(amazon.com):
Mr. Jenkins, the director at Camp Lone Wolf, has decided to hold a track meet. He's even brought an expert running coach to help the Bailey School kids prepare. The new coach is strangely inspirational -- when she sings, people feel like they can do anything. But when the kids notice the strange resemblance the coach bears to a mermaid, the fact that she refuses to get wet, and that she's planning to run off with Mr. Jenkins, they wonder if this coach is more than she appears to be. Can the kids solve this mystery before they lose Mr. Jenkins and Camp Lone Wolf forever?

My Review:
I have enjoyed reading these books ever since I was in second and third grade. It is always so funny to me that almost every adult The Bailey School Kids encounter are some type of creature, and this one happens to be my favorite because it is about a mermaid of course! What readers will enjoy most about this series is that each "creature" is very elusive about what they are and try to disguise themselves, but the kids are like detectives and always try to solve the mystery! I really enjoyed how comical it was that a mermaid wanted to run track so bad, and the authors of this book added some classic elements such as a mermaids hypnotizing singing. I believe that no matter how old you are, this book will entertain you, and so will the other crazy cryptics in the other books in the series. The only thing I have to say about this book is that it is intended for 3rd- 5th graders, so the font is rather large and the way the book is written is juvenile. Overall though, I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Mermaids and Mermen by Shannon Knudsen

Book Type: Mermaid information
Author: Shannon Knudsen
Pages: 48

Summary(goodreads.com):
The breaking waves glow white in the moonlight as you walk along the beach. Suddenly you hear a voice singing a song. It's as sweet a sound as you have ever heard. You see a strange creature - half woman and half fish - sitting on a rock in the water. She is beautiful, and her voice enchants you. Without thinking, you follow the mermaid's song farther and farther into the dark, cold sea . . . From ancient myths to authors such as Hans Christian Anderson to modern movies, people throughout time have told tales of mermaids and mermen. These magical creatures of the sea are said to tempt sailors to follow them into the ocean, but the sailors drown in the chase. In other stories, humans capture merfolk and force them to live on land, or merfolk take human visitors to their amazing underwater cities. Learn more about these fantastical beings who have captivated us since ancient times.

My Review:
When it comes to books on mermaid legends and information, this book is one of my favorites.  What I really enjoy about this book is that there is no magic nonsense. This book goes in depth with the charms and powers of merfolk, and explores the variety of mermaids around the world. Another part this book covers is the fakes and frauds in the mermaid world, such as the Feejee Mermaid, and Jenny Hanivers. Another section I enjoyed about this book is the mermaids of the modern world, which lists different media in which mermaids are spotted. The book also has a really beautiful design and great pictures. This is not a book that just children will enjoy, but adults as well. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Seal Child by Sylvia Peck

Book Type: Novel
Author: Sylvia Peck
Pages: 208

Summary(goodreads.com):
Molly and her family have always spent long, lazy summers on Ambrose Island. There, Molly can watch for glimpses of the great gray seals that haunt the Maine shore or spend hours walking along the beach with her dog Clyde. But this year her vacation promises to be even more fun when she meets a girl named Meara. Molly and Meara are the same age, yet there's something about her new friend that makes Molly wonder who she is and where she came from. Nothing can prepare her for the strange truth . . . or for the dramatic event that's about to change their lives and their friendship forever.

My Review:
Fantastic summers with the family, cold winters at the beach with mysterious seals; that is the essence of this book. I really enjoyed how sly the seals were in this book. The reader has a feeling that the seals around Ambrose Island are selkies, but it is not revealed until the outgoing and beautiful Meara arrives at Ruby's house one day. From there, the reader definitely picks up that something is odd about Meara. Unfortunately, it is not revealed that she is a selkie until later on in the book. The ending though, was my favorite part of the story. It was beautiful and bittersweet, but I will not reveal that to you guys! The only thing I did find bothersome about this book is the main character Molly. She can be quite bratty and obnoxious at times, and it was irritating to read her comments to people. But overall, this book was really sweet and I recommend it for people who love selkies. I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie
PS: This is another version of the cover:

The Seal Mother by Mordicai Gerstein

Book Type: Children's Literature

Author: Mordicai Gerstein

Pages: 32

Summary(goodreads.com):

A seal sheds her skin and becomes a beautiful woman, but even after marrying and bearing a son she longs to return to her seal family in the sea.

My Review:

The Seal Mother is a beautiful children’s story about the legend of the selkie, only this is a slight deviation. I must say, this is another beautifully written children’s book. Selkies are one of my favorite mermaid-type creatures to read about, even if it is a children’s story.  My favorite part about this book is the bond between the mother seal and her child. Unlike the more traditional legend of the selkie, The Seal Mother still sees her son throughout his life, even when he gets to be an older man. As I have mentioned in previous posts about children’s books, I always believe they must have great illustrations, and The Seal Mother definitely does! There is a uniqueness to the way the sea is painted, and the selkies/ seals are drawn and colored beautifully. Overall, this story, combined with its captivating illustrations is a great story to read as an adult or to read to your children as a bedtime story. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Mermaid Cookbook by Barbara Beery

Book Type: Cook Book

Author: Barbara Beery

Pages: 63

Summary(amazon.com):

Dive into this new cookbook by bestselling children's book author Barbara Beery! Mermaid Cookbook offers themed recipes perfect for mermaid, ocean voyage, treasure island, and pirate parties for kids. The book brings magic and whimsy to the kitchen, teaching kids to create fun snacks and tasty treats while learning valuable cooking skills. Perfect for birthday parties, sleepovers, or afternoon playtime, Mermaid Cookbook offers an abundance of playful recipes including Paradise Pineapple Fruit Dip, Sea Foam Floats, Treasure Island Trail Mix, Goldfish Gorp, Mermaid Hair Salad, Sea Turtle Cookies, Little Luau Cakes, Water Fairy Ice Pops, Rainbow Fish Fudge, and more. Mermaid Cookbook is sure to make a big splash with your little ones! 

My Review:

Although this book is definitely different from what I usually review, I really enjoyed reading these recipes, and they all seemed really delicious! All the recipes in this book have cute “mer-mish” names and are very simple with few and inexpensive ingredients needed. Even though this book is aimed at children, I really believe adults will also enjoy the fun drinks, small bites and desserts in this book. Although the back of the book says this book is mostly aimed for sleepovers, birthday parties and etc. I think adults can use these recipes for BBQs, days at the beach or boat, or just for simple backyard fun. I really recommend picking this up from your local library or book store if you are having a party soon, since all, and I mean all, of these recipes are perfect, light and fresh for the summer. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

 PS: Below are some pictures of the recipes!

Daughter Of The Sea by Berlie Doherty

Book Type: Novel
Author: Berlie Doherty
Pages: 115

Summary(goodreads.com):
Gioga is a gift from the sea to the childless Jannet and Munroe--but only a temporary one. The couple treat Gioga as if she were of their own flesh and blood, not understanding that they would need to let her go before long. When it comes time to return their daughter to her rightful home, desperation sets in. No amount of toil and bloodshed, however, will distract Gioga from the longing she feels to return. . . .

My Review:
Selkies are one of my favorite sea creatures, as well as my favorite type of mermaid. I always love to read about selkies, whether it is a children's book or a novel, such as this one, and have plenty of books on selkies on this blog. I am completely in love with this captivating story! Every time I picked this up to read it, even if I read a few pages, I was absolutely captured by the magic of this story. What I mostly love about this book is the selkies are not described very much, and there is an element of mystery to them. This book really makes you want to keep turning the pages to find out what Gioga's fate is. Also, I love the Celtic language in this book. I felt like I was taken to the Irish or Scottish shores. This is also a quick and fun read, and if you are a fast reader, you can finish this in a few days. It is also a great beach read! Anyone who loves selkies will absolutely love to add this to their mermaid library. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

I Spy A Selkie! A Trip To The Zoo Part II !

In a recent post, I mentioned that I had more "mer-mish" secrets to share with you! Well, on my trip to the zoo, I also saw.... Thats right! Sea Lions! They reminded me so much of selkies :)
*please note: after reading David Kirby's book "Death At Seaworld" I do not visit aquariums or zoos anymore*

The selkies were curious about the trainers
cleaning their tank!

Arent they just adorable? I also got myself a stuffed sea lion, which I named Selkie!
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Girl's Guide To Mermaids by Sheri A Johnson

Book Type: Mermaid Encyclopedia/ Children's Encyclopedia
Author: Sheri A Johnson
Pages: 31

Summary(google books):
Are mermaids sweet sea creatures or scary sirens? Here's your chance to read all about mermaid history, real life mermaids, and the mythical merpeople from pop culture. Then you can decide for yourself.

My Review:
I was slightly disappointed with this book. I was expecting a bit more based on the beautiful cover, or to at least learn something new about mermaid folklore. This book is mostly aimed at young girls or children. I was not happy when I saw this book was titled "The Girls Guide" since I believe young boys or men can like mermaids as well. What I didn't like about this book is that it was just too basic. There weren't any facts in here that you couldn't find anywhere else. However, that being said, I did like that this book had some recent stuff about the mermaid world, and mentions topics such as Hannah Fraser, who is a notorious mermaid performer. I also like how at the end of this book there is a chapter about mermaids being in the media. This chapter has books I have reviewed, but the movies in this book are not that great, and only feature mermaids for a brief scene, except Aquamarine, which was mentioned on the list. This book also features what mermaids are thought to be, as well as some popular some popular folk tales such as  Undine. Overall, I give this book between (**-***) 2-3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

I Find Mermaids Everywhere!

Recently, I took a trip to the zoo with my lovely boyfriend. Somehow, I always manage to find something about mermaids ;) Here are a few interesting pictures I took!
      As you may have seen, there was a recent special on Animal Planet about mermaids titled, "Mermaids: The Body Found". In this special, scientists tear away at the fantasy mermaids we all know so well, and look at the anatomy, social behaviors and physiology of merfolk. In one scene in particular, they show drawings and replicas of what a mermaids skull might look like. When I found this, I said hmm... looks familiar? And my boyfriend agreed! Take a look ;)

As you can see, both have a crest on the head.
Although some of the features in the drawing
are smaller, how much is false, and how much
is true about this documentary?

Also, I managed to find a beautiful mermaid fountain :)

 More book reviews are coming soon! Also, I will try to post more "mer-mish" things I saw at the zoo.. it's a surprise though :)
-Sirenita The Selkie

My Newest Additions :)!

I'm so happy! This month, I managed to buy myself a few new treasures for my mermaid collection.

In case you cant see because the picture is a little blurry:

• A reprint of a David Delemare painting titled The Egg
• Mermaid Wisdom: Enrich Your Life With Insights From The Deep by Brenda Rosen (as mentioned on the blog)
• Mermaids and Mermen by Shannon Knudsen (will be on the blog soon!)
• The Secret History Of Mermaids by Ari Berk (mentioned on the blog)
• Indigo by Alice Hoffman (Mentioned on the blog)
• Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli (Mentioned on the blog)
• Seven Tears Into The Sea by Terri Farley (mentioned on the blog)
• Splash by Ian Don (mentioned on the blog)
• And 2 little mermaid ornaments!

Every new book or mermaid treasure I get is so special to me. Incase you want to check out one of these books, check them out on the blog!

- Sirenita The Selkie

Mermaids by Dana Meachen Rau

Book Type: Children's literature/ Children's information book
Author: Dana Meachen Rau
Pages: 24

Summary(googlebooks):
Mythical creatures are a big part of a child's world-they appear in legends told by family and friends, in books read during story time, and in movies and television. In for Real?, children at the independent level explore the real stories behind these mythical creatures and expand their reading skills. Children learn to read while discovering why legends about aliens, dragons, mermaids, monsters, and unicorns arose. They will also learn how to sort fact from fiction.


My Review:
As you can tell from the summary listed above, this book is aimed for children developing their reading skills. However, I was not disappointed with this book. I really like how Dana Meachen Rau lists the origin of the mermaid tale, what mermaids are known as around the world and famous explorers who thought they saw one. This book, although written in a juvenile style text, is great for someone who wants to know some basic facts about the mermaid legend. However, there weren't any pieces of art that are common in children's books, and this book didn't have any new facts that I didn't know (hey, I'm a mermaid fanatic! I know everything!). This book also has some websites and other mermaid/fantasy books listed in the back. Although I don't recommend this book for people who are looking for a well written mermaid book, this one is great for children who are learning how to read. I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Fish In Room 11 by Heather Dyer

Book Type: Children's Novel/ Children's literature
Author: Heather Dyer
Pages: 158

Summary(amazon.com):
Everyone agrees-there's something fishy about the Flots!
Toby can't remember a time he didn't live at the hotel by the sea. Left there as a baby, he's grown up without a family of his own. So when he meets Eliza Flot down by the pier, he takes to her like a fish to water. When he gets to know her parents, that tips the scales even more. In fact, Toby practically joins the family. So what if they're mermaids? But when Toby's friendship with Eliza arouses suspicion,Toby decides to disguise the Flots as hotel guests. But disguising a family with fins and tails is tougher than Toby thinks!

My Review:
Although this book was an easy-to-read children's novel, I really enjoyed it and thought it was quite cute. In fact, I finished it in two days because I loved it so much! Heather Dyer really has brought a certain charm and whimsy to this story. I really liked that this book was not written in a juvenile style, yet it was not written so simply. I also enjoyed the characters, especially the Flots! They're so polite throughout the whole book, as well as outgoing and hilarious! Although I would not add this to my mermaid library since it wasn't as fishy or mermaid-y as I expected, I definitely enjoyed this, and I believe any adult will too. This is also a perfect book for a child who is just starting to read larger novels. I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

A Survival Guide For Landlocked Mermaids by Margot Datz

Book Type: Inspiratonal, Motivation for the mermaid within us!
Author: Margot Datz
Pages: 72

Summary(goodreads.com):
The landlocked mermaid is a symbol of the contemporary woman, trapped in a paradoxical dilemma of being part worldly and domesticated, part untamable and intuitive. In A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids, artist Margot Datz sees the she-nymph within, struggling to emerge, and in a swirl of whimsical and witty wisdom, lovingly offers tips for today's world of dating, mating, and beyond.Margot's beautifully painted, contemporary mermaids are caught in the nets of their own comical dilemmas, circling the heart's fishbowl of romantic longings and in the murky depths of deep emotion. Whether it's the value of cultivating an inner water garden or coping with crow's feet and fish tails, Margot offers advice and an enchanting way of hydrating your weary mermaid soul. 

My Review:
Even though I dont believe this book can help women as much as Mermaid Wisdom: Enrich Your Life With Insights from the Deep I still enjoyed reading this. My favorite part about this book was the dating/ mating section. It gave really good advice on how to maintain and keep a relationship, but still remember to keep a piece of you for yourself and to remember your morals. I like that this section teaches women that you may love a sailor or a pirate with all your heart, but you have to remember that he has to take care of you too. Some men dont understand how to "care for and feed a mermaid". Along with the strong advice this book gives women of all ages, the artwork in this book is amazing! It is fun, playful, vibrant and funny! Many of the mermaids in this book are shown doing human-like things, which helps the reader relate to the authors message more. I reccomend this for women of all ages, especially 18 and over. I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Splash by Ian Don

Book Type: Novel based off of a movie
Author: Ian Don
Pages 141

Summary(imdb.com):
Allen Bauer is rescued from drowning as a young boy off Cape Cod by a young mermaid. Years later he returns to the same location, and once again manages to fall into the sea, and is rescued once more by the mermaid (Allen isn't sure what he's seen and what he's imagined). The mermaid decides to search for Allen in New York, sprouting legs when her tail dries. On finding Allen, they fall in love, but she has a secret, which will no longer be a secret if she gets her legs wet.. 

My Review:
I have to say that I was disappointed after reading this book, as it had some unusual differences from the movie. First, what annoyed me was Madison's tail. It was described as having silver scales with hints of rainbow when they hit the light, but meanwhile in the movie, her tail is bright orange with hints of yellow. Something I also didn't understand was Madison's transformation in the bathtub scene. As a viewer of this movie, we are awestruck at the transformation, but Don made it seem as if it felt sexually pleasing to Madison when she transformed, letting out little moans and gasps of pleasure and that sort of thing. Second, Madison was very sexual in this book. Yes, I understand there are scenes of implied love making in the movie, but it seems in the book that she is constantly sexually aroused by Allen, which seemed stupid to me since she is more of a loving and caring character in the movie. Ian Don never really bothers to explore Madison's character traits, but instead constantly describes how sexually beautiful she is. Not to mention, Don describes her breasts in many instances at odd times in scenes that were supposed to have more of a romantic appeal than sexual. Even though this book had many things I did not like, I did enjoy the overall closeness of it to the movie. Don still kept the funny lines such as "What a week I'm having!" But overall, this book had too much sexual scenes that weren't in the movie, and his over mentioning of Madison's breasts irritated me. If your going to write a book that's supposed to be like the movie, do it right. I give this book (**) 2 stars.
PS: I reccomend seeing the movie first. You can find it anywhere these days. Here is a cheesy little trailor I found, but the movie is just perfect ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSK4KSZdBr4
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson retold by Lisbeth Zwerger

Book Type: Children's literature
Author: Hans Christian Anderson
Pages: 48

Summary(goodreads.com):
Once there was a little mermaid who fell in love with a human boy . . . The story may be familiar, but Lisbeth Zwerger's art makes this fairytale seem brand-new. This Jubilee edition, celebrating 200 years of Hans Christian Andersen, is superbly illustrated in Zwerger's signature style. Known for her popular and award-winning editions of classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, Zwerger is herself the recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for lasting contributions to children's literature. The Little Mermaid is sure to win her new fans, and to delight her old ones. 
The text is an all-new translation by Anthea Bell, and includes many lovely and poignant details that may be new to even those who think they know the little mermaid's story well.

My Review:

My goodness, for a children’s book, this story is quite long and wordy! Yes, as a mermaid book lover I have read the real story of The Little Mermaid. For a book retold for children, you would assume the language would be toned down to an easy-to-understand level and that there would be more artwork than words. However, that is not the case for this book!  This book was exactly like the original version of the story, which might be slightly complicated for younger children to fully comprehend. Also, the artwork in this book was very bland and boring. In my opinion, the artwork was rather flat and didn’t stand out to me, and it was also a bit abstract as well. There were no vivid colors to keep a child’s mind entertained while they read along, and it didn’t interest me as an adult either.  I give this book (**) 2 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Seal Song by Andrea Spalding and Pascal Milelli

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Andrea Spalding and Pascal Milelli
Pages:32

Summary(goodreads.com):
Finn loves to swim with the seals in a secret cove. He arrives at the cove one day and rescues a young seal tangled in netting. Finn wishes the seal could live on land. That night the seals sing. "No good comes from seal songs," says Finn's father. When Sheila, a mysterious girl no one has ever seen before, appears on the cannery docks, the fisher folk are uneasy. They believe the newcomer is a magical selkie, a shape changer.

My Review:

This book is similar to Selkie by Gillian McClure, with slight differences in the plot, but this story is about a selkie who is rescued and then returns the favor to her human companion. Also, even though this book is a children’s book, it bored me slightly, and the plot didn’t have too much depth to it. The language in this book was not too juvenile, so I believe adults can enjoy this story as well. It was lightly entertaining, and I love books about selkies, whether it’s a childrens book or a novel. The artwork in this book had a lot of texture to it, and was at times, abstract, yet the images were very vivid and colorful. Personally, I was not a big fan of the artwork since I do not like abstract art, but they were still aesthetically beautiful. I recommend this book for children and adults alike to share and enjoy. I give this book (***) 3 stars

-Sirenita The Selkie

Can You Catch A Mermaid? by Jane Ray

Book type: Children's literature
Author: Jane Ray
Pages: 32

Summary(goodreads.com):
Have you ever seen a mermaid? Eliza has! This is the captivating story of how Eliza and a mermaid become the very best of friends.

My Review:

This book was absolutely captivating, story and artwork alike! This children’s story was so different from what I have read before, and even the fact that the mermaid needed something from the sea for her to return home was new to me. This is also a great coming of age story. Throughout the book, you see the young girl named Eliza, always wanting to be with her father, to now growing up and wanting to be with children her own age. I also like that even though this book is meant for children, it wasn’t written in a juvenile style of language. But what will captivate you the most is the style of artwork throughout these pages. I love when a children’s book, especially one about mermaids has great, vibrant artwork. Jane Ray’s style of drawing and color use is something I have never seen before. I also love the soft, backgrounds, and the way that the characters and animals in this book are created is truly unique.  I recommend this to someone who loves a cute, happy mermaid books, a fan of mermaid children’s literature or just a fan of mermaids in general. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Selkie by Gillian McClure

Book Type: Children's literature
Author: Gillian McClure
Pages: 32

Summary(goodreads.com):
Peter is curious about the legend of the selkie, a seal who can turn into a girl. When his curiosity gets the better of him, he discovers that the selkie is more than just a legend-she is a friend.



My Review:

Amazing pictures and beautiful words; that is what a true children’s book is made of. This book was imaginative and beautiful, and teaches children that money is not the only riches someone can posses. This wisdom of the sea is an even greater treasure, which is what this book was all about! Although this selkie legend was not quite like the original, it was still a well written story that both adults and children will love. Not only is the story captivating, but there is amazing artwork within these pages that a lover of selkie stories will enjoy. The colors and images are very rich with life, and as soon as I was done reading the words on the page, I would stare at the beautiful pictures of the selkies, which were absolutely perfect! The only thing I would say was that this book was written in a more juvenile style since it is aimed for children’s attention. However, this is still a book that people who love sea folklore, selkies or mermaids will enjoy. I give this book (****) 4 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

A beautiful selkie girl!

A Treasury Of Mermaids: Mermaid Tales From Around The World by Shirley Climo

Book type: mermaid stories from around the world/ Children's literature
Author: Shirley Climo
Pages: 80

Summary(goodreads.com):
Lavishly designed and illustrated, this beautiful book is the definitive collection of mermaid lore. A catch of international mermaids, from a Japanese ningyo and a Swiss nix to an Irish merrow and an Alaskan nuquot swim through the pages of this elegant volume. Full color.

My Review:
This book was definitely a treasure as the title suggests. Even though this book is intended for children to read, I found myself enjoying this book very much.  I have heard of the different types of stories and mermaids from around the world, from the merrows of Ireland to the ningyo of Japan. However, I have never read any of the stories mentioned in this book, and I found them all interesting and beautifully adapted and rewritten. This children's book is great for someone who is interested in folklore from around the world, or for someone who just loves mermaids, like me! The only thing I must say I was surprised about was the lack of images in this book. At the beginning of each story, there is one colored image and a few black and white pictures throughout each story, but I feel that for a children's book to really come alive, there should be some beautiful artwork, such as the cover. I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Selkie Girl by Susan Cooper

Book Type: Children's Literature/ picture book
Author: Susan Cooper
Pages:32

Summary(goodreads.com):
A retelling of the legend from British coasts and islands in which a man falls in love with a beautiful seal girl and forces her to live on land and be his bride.

My Review:
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I believe that just because a book is meant for a child, doesn't mean an adult can't read it! This children's book tells of the legend of the selkie and her sisters, and the fair-haired selkie, who is shown on the cover, is captured by a fisherman. This book really captures what the selkie legend is all about, such as the origin of the tale and certain aspects, like if a selkie's pelt is captured, they cannot return to the sea. This book was not written in a juvenile style in my opinion. The only thing I would change about this book is the artwork. It is kind of cheap-looking, and has a sketch-like, concept art look. However, this did not push me away from loving the tale written on these pages, and I am definitely going to add this to my collection, since selkies are my favorite type of mermaid, and legend as well. I loved this book, and I recommend this to people who love selkies, or as a good bedtime story to share with your children! I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Real Mermaids series by Helene Boudreau

Book type: Novel/Series
Author: Helen Boudreau
Pages:  Book 1)224  Book 2) 231  Book 3) 240  Book 4) 215

Summary( http://www.heleneboudreau.com/?page_id=84):

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning…

If she hadn’t been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke? This summer is about to get a lot more interesting…

My Review:

Introduction:

What I Liked: When I first dived into the pages of this series, I laughed at the quirkiness of the main character Jade and the situations she is pushed into. Her first period experience in fact, was quite hilarious. What I also enjoyed was the way Jade tries to figure out how boys work! Every girl has gone through this stage at some point, which I think many readers can enjoy. 

As the series progressed, I found it to be relatable to my own life, and my own yucky high school experiences. The situations Jade had to go through reminded me so much of my own. For example, not wanting to be anywhere near the gym, school locker issues, not wanting to be near the water fountain, and having a locker next to, or sharing it with your best friend.

What I also loved about the series was how it challenges issues that high school girls commonly face, such as dating for the first time, popular girl drama, school bullies as well as weight and self-image issues. Jade is often described as plus sized, curvy and plump. As a selkie, I totally know what its like to have a little extra around the hips, but Jade and I make it work! 



A Little Boring: What I Didn't Like: 
The individual plots of each book were a little boring, and I missed some excitement that other mermaid books have. 

I don't think the merfolk stand out compared to the humans. They don't act any different from humans except the fact that they have a tail, and I wish Boudreau made them well, more mermaidy! I don't really see the books connecting as a series either. Nothing really interesting happens from book to book, and there seems to be smaller plots in each one, instead of a cohesive series plot. 

This series was cute, but the plot can be a little boring at times. I give this series (***-****) between 3 and 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie