Mermaids: Sirens Of The Sea by Kerry Colburn

Book Type: Collection Of Classics
Author: Kerry Colburn
Pages: 128

Summary(amazon.com):
Icons of the sea, pop culture seductresses, and mythical sirens: mermaids have been swimming in and out of our collective consciousness since the beginning of recorded time, and their images have graced folk-art pieces for centuries. Here's a gorgeous gift book about these legendary sea nymphs that gracefully combines full-color art -- including paintings, sculptures, and illustrations by Paul Gaugin and Gustav Klimt -- with literary quotations and lore that span more than 2,000 years. Text includes selections from Ovid, Shakespeare, Goethe, Melville, and Poe, plus "The Little Mermaid" and "The Legend of Undine."

                                                             My Review:

One of my favorites!

I first saw this book on Amazon.com when shopping for, what else? Mermaid books! This book is a huge collection of pretty much everything listed above in the summary. What I love mostly about this book is that there are a lot of mermaid poems, which is a personal favorite of mine. What I also love about this book is that under each picture or piece of art, the title is right there and you don't have to search for it. This collection is similar to another book that I have reviewed titled "Mermaids: An Anthology", which you can see here.  As mentioned above in the summary, classic stories such as, "The Little Mermaid" and "Undine" are also featured in this book, which are also two of my favorites! Mer-readers who love art, history and classical literature will love to add this book to their collection. Go check it out! I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid: Translated by Naomi Lewis

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author/ Translator: Naomi Lewis
Pages: 68

Summary(goodreads.com):
This magical story tells of a mermaid's thwarted love for a land-born prince, and her quest for an immortal soul that brings her face to face with an evil seawitch. Full of love, sacrifice and magic, The Little Mermaid is a charming classic.

My Review:
Amazingly-gorgeous art, a classic story in all its glory... This is a truly beautiful version of "The Little Mermaid". When I first saw this book on Amazon.com, I knew I was going to fall in love with the artwork the most: 

I mean WOW! Chris Birmingham did an amazing job with the artwork in this book. I also like how Naomi Lewis kept the original beauty of Hans Christian Anderson's original story, and really didn't change much. However, since the original story is a bit wordy, I do believe smaller children may have a hard time focusing on the story. This book really is a beautiful treasure, and anyone who loves "The Little Mermaid" as much as I do, will appreciate having this book in their collection. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Whatever After #3: Sink or Swim by Sarah Mlynowski

Book Type: Children's Literature/ Children's Novel
Author:  Sarah Mlynowski
Pages: 176

Summary(amazon.com):
Once again my brother and I are in hot water . . .
We weren't planning to mess up the fairy tales. The first two times we did it by accident. But when our magic mirror pulls us into the story of the Little Mermaid, we have no choice but to try and rewrite it. Let's just say the original story does NOT end happily!

My Review:
Have you ever read the classic story of "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Anderson and wished the ending was different? Well, I wont give it away, but let's just say it is quite depressing! However, Sarah Mlynowski manages to change the classic fairytale into something fun and silly for children to read! When I first bought this book at a local Barnes and Noble, I was a bit skeptical since it seemed a bit juvenile at first, especially when I started to read it. But this book totally sucked me in, just like the magic mirror that sucks Abby and Jonah into stories! What I also love about this book is that children who read this will learn lessons such as following your conscious, standing up for others and doing the right thing. This book is a totally fun, silly and whimsical version of The Little Mermaid that made me laugh at times. I don't want to give too much away though! Go get this book for an awesome and modern version of The Little Mermaid! I definitely give this book (*****) 5 stars
-Sirenita The Selkie
PS: Here is a cool trailer of the first book: Click Here!

Mermaids: an Anthology : a Beautiful Illustrated Collection of Verse and Prose by Steve Dobell

Book Type: Collection of Classics
Author: Steve Dobell
Pages: 64

Summary(amazon.com):
This is a beautiful illustrated collection of verse and prose. It is a lavishly-illustrated and embellished collection, which contains songs of the sea, poems and myths of enchanting mermaids, who captivate sailors, artists and writers alike with their mystery and allure. It contains work from some of literature's greatest writers, including William Shakespeare, John Keats, Oscar Wilde and Alfred Lord Tennyson...This book brings together some of the greatest works of art to create a treasury of tales and illustrations in celebration of these seductive sea creatures. Beautifully designed, the book is a delight to give or to keep, and will be enjoyed by anyone who feels the powerful attraction of the mysteries of the oceans.

A Race With Mermaids and Tritons,
one of my favorite paintings featured in this book!

My Review:
Classic literature and art are sometimes lost with today's modern authors. I stumbled upon this book while splurging some Christmas gift money at a local Barnes and Noble. While digging amongst the shelves, I came across this beautiful little gem! I was not disappointed at all with my purchase! This book features some great poems from authors such as Shakespeare and John Keats, as well as Alfred Lord Tennyson, who have become some of my favorite classic literature authors after taking a college course on 18th century literature. In addition to the beautiful poems, short stories and sonnets in this collection, there is also a great amount of artwork that many mer-readers will enjoy. Anyone who loves classic literature, art and history will appreciate this book, and mer-readers, you must give it a try! I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Peabody's Mermaid by Guy and Constance Jones

Book Type: Novel
Author: Guy and Constance Jones
Pages: 184

Summary Of Movie Version (amazon.com):
Mr. Peabody, middle-aged Bostonian on vacation with his wife in the Caribbean, hears mysterious, wordless singing on an uninhabited rock in the bay. Fishing in the vicinity, he catches...a mermaid. He takes her home and, though she has no spoken language, falls in love with her. Of course, his wife won't believe that thing in the bathtub is anything but a large fish. Predictable complications follow in rather tame fashion.

My Review:
Although my love for "Mr. Peabody and The Mermaid" the movie is endless, "Peabody's Mermaid" was slightly disappointing to me. First, what I love about the book is that the language really reflects the the time period this was written in, around the 1940's. What I also love is that both authors were able to convey images through their writing, and when I was reading this, I felt like I really was at a beach party in the Caribbean! The mermaid, named Min in the book, was very similar to the mermaid in the movie, and has the same lovable and cute personality as well! However, what I didn't really enjoy about the book was that I feel a majority of this book was based on Mr. Peabody and how he is having a midlife crisis, which makes him have a depressed personality. I wish Min the mermaid was included more in the storyline, instead of being a side character. This book was also a bit slow at some points and was a bit boring. Another note that I do want to mention to readers is that this book is very old, and may be hard to find. However, if you did love the movie, this book will definitely be an awesome addition to your mermaid collection! Try looking on eBay or Amazon for a copy! I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie
PS: Here is a review of the movie. Click here!