Mermaids by Lori Hile (13)

Book Type: Children's Science Book
Author: Lori Hile
Pages: 48

Summary(amazon.com):
Tales of mysterious and alluring mermaids have been told for thousands of years. Are they all just myths and legends, or could some of these stories be true? Using the scientific method and available information, this book attempts to find out!

My Review:
 Out of all the "scientific" mermaid books I have read that are mostly comprised  theories and what not, this one is definitely interesting! What I enjoyed most was the fact that their was a whole chapter on legendary sightings that have occurred throughout hundreds of years. I didn't even hear about some of these sightings, so it is always cool to learn something new about mermaid legends.This book also included possible theories of mermaid existence, such as the aquatic ape theory. Even though this theory remains plausible, the way the author debunked it was a bit weak. The book also includes a small section on Shiloh Pepin and Milagros Cerron, both born with a disease called sirenomelia, a condition in which the skin is joined between the fingers and toes. Unfortunately, this disease can affect major arteries and organs, and Shiloh Pepin succumbed to her disease at the age of 10. However, Milagros Cerron is still alive. The book also goes on to explain how there are mermaid performers and what sailors could have possibly seen at sea. The only thing I didn't like about this book was that the author seemed to be debunking the mystery as much as possible, without leaving much open thought to mermaids possible existence. Overall, I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie