(5) The Dolphins Of Coral Cove by K.S. Rodriguez

Book Type: Novel/Paperback
Author: K.S. Rodriguez
Pages: 80

*Sorry for the missing pic, Merfolk! I will upload a picture as soon as I can!*

Summary:
Ariel and her sisters find a pod of dolphins and decide to befriend them. When one of the dolphins is caught, how will Ariel help her new friend?

My Review:
I loved that this book didn't start off with slow events, and the reader is immediately captured into the undersea life of Ariel! The dolphins are so cute! They're friendly, playful and have characteristics that remind me of real dolphins.

But what I loved most about this book is that it dealt with the very real and contemporary issue of animals in captivity, and how it not only destroys important family bonds, but it destroys an animal emotionally. When one of the dolphins is caught in a net, my heart ached, and I almost had tears in my eyes.
This was one of my favorite The Little Mermaid paperbacks so far!
I give this book (****) 4 stars.

(4) The Little Mermaid Paperback Series: Arista's New Boyfriend by M.J. Carr

Book Type: Novel
Author: M.J. Carr
Pages: 70

Summary(goodreads.com):
The mermaid princesses can't wait to arrive at the new summer palace - all except for Arista, that is. This is to be a summer of dinners, dances, and lots of aristocratic boys! But boys or no boys, summer without her favorite sea horses to ride is not Arista's idea of fun until she discovers the brand-new stables at the summer palace - and the stablehand, Dylan. Suddenly summer takes an exciting turn for the better! Spending time with Dylan is great, but Arista worries how King Triton will react to her new boyfriend. Will she have to keep Dylan a secret from her father forever?


My Review:
I'm so excited to be reviewing another paperback in The Little Mermaid series :)
I really liked that I was instantly able to connect to Arista, especially when she misses her pets. When I have gone on vacation, I too, have a hard time parting from my Cat-fish and my little goldfish. I also really liked how genuine and cute Dylan and Arista's relationship was, and that a princess fell for a stablehand. 

I got really annoyed when Ariel and her sisters constantly talked about boys. It was a little too much and made them seem like airheads! I also found the title of this book confusing. Although Arista and Dylan seem to secretly like each other, it was never announced that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.
This book was okay, but a bit boring. It wasn't the best Little Mermaid book I've read. 
I give this book (**) 2 stars. 

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Dolphin Adventure by Lyra Spenser

Book Type: Children's Book
Author: Lyra Spenser
Pages: 32

Summary:
Prince Eric wants to help Ariel connect with her friends from the sea by creating a small grotto for her and her fishy pals to relax in! But when a baby dolphins gets trapped in the grotto, how will Eric and Ariel release him?

My Review:
I really loved this cute Little Mermaid book! It was a very short story, but it was so sweet. The artwork is so beautiful and vibrant, which is perfect to keep little merchildren entertained and focused, but also great for people who love to draw Ariel :)
I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
PS: This book also comes with a Snow White story!
-Sirenita The Selkie

Ariel: The Birthday Surprise by Gail Herman

Book Type: Chapter Book/ Easy Read/ Young Adult
Author: Gail Herman
Pages: 96

Summary(goodreads.com):
Ariel's sister Aquata is having a birthday celebration. It's going to be a fun-filled day, complete with a special concert, and Ariel is excited about visiting her family. If only Prince Eric could go under the sea, too. At the party, Aquata wishes that Ariel could stay with them forever. At that very moment, a rare solar eclipse hits, and the wish comes true! Will Ariel ever be able to break the spell and return to Eric-and her life as a human?

My Review:
I first saw this book on Amazon.com as a recommendation from my purchase history. The book offered a small sample and I seemed to enjoy it so I said, what the heck? I'll buy it, especially since I LOVE The Little Mermaid. What really captured my attention was the new perspective. Usually, Disney only features Ariel before she met Eric, or books based off the main movie. However, this book takes place after she is married, so I found it refreshing.  I also loved that this book wasn't written in a super juvenile fashion, so young adults who love Ariel will also enjoy this book. The book also features beautifully colored illustrations that really add to the magic of the Underwater Kingdom :)

Although this book has a lot of good features, I personally found the actual plot to be a bit flat and boring. This surprised me, since I never found a Little Mermaid book to be boring! I feel that there are better books to read if you love Ariel as much as I do. I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie 

(33) The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning by Kristen Depken

Book Type: Children's Book

Author: Kristen Depken

Pages: 24

Summary:

A retelling of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's beginning movie released in 2008!

My Review:

I loved watching this last movie of The Little Mermaid, so I was excited to see how this book would turn out. I'm happy to say that this book is a good representation of the movie. What I loved  about this book were the illustrations; they look like they came right out of the movie! They are vibrant, colorful, and a perfect inspiration for people who love to draw mermaids. The way the story is written isn't juvenile, but it's a bit wordy. I believe the movie is a bit more exciting, especially since you get to hear such great music! Take a look:

Overall, I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(31) I Am Ariel by Andrea Posner Sanchez

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Andrea Posner Sanchez
Pages: 12

Summary(goodreads.com):
This sturdy book is shaped like the prettiest Disney Princess under the sea—Ariel! Girls ages 4 and under will love this sweet introduction to everyone's favorite princess from The Little Mermaid. Plus there is sparkly glitter on the cover!

My Review:
I can read books about The Little Mermaid all day! However, this book wasn't super exciting, even for a kid's book. Although the illustrations are beautiful and vibrant and keep the mer-reader's attention, the sentences are very short. This is a book meant for merchildren learning to read. This is a very simplified version of The Little Mermaid that missed a lot of detail. I believe they re are much better versions, which you can find on my blog under the "Books For Little Mermaids" page. I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(19) The Little Mermaid: Nefazia Visits The Palace by Suzanne Weyn

Book Type: Novel
Author: Suzanne Weyn
Pages: 76

Summary(goodreads.com):
Mermaid Queen Nefazia of the Indian Ocean shows up at Triton's palace, and the princesses are enchanted, until they begin to believe that she's come to marry their father. 
Aquatta convinves her sisters that having a stepmother around would ruin their lives, so she comes up with a plan that will drive Nefazia away forever.
But Ariel thinks Nefazia would make a terrific stepmother. Can she stop Aquata's awful plan before it's too late?

My Review:
I'm so happy that I found The Little Mermaid novels, instead of just children's books! I first found this book while looking for Little Mermaid books on Amazon.com, and found this gem! This paperback series is very affordable, and can be found on amazon.com for a fair price. 

Great Imagery:
What I loved about this book was the great imagery; I was able to picture everything very clearly, and there are also a few black and white illustrations as well, but they looked more like unfinished coloring book drawings then  art for a novel. I would've liked to see some shading.

The Plot: The Awesome and the Not So Great

Ariel and Spot.
From The Little Mermaid TV show.
These two look happy together!

What really drew my attention to continue reading is that even though Ariel is always aimed for children, this book is not juvenile at all, and reads like a YA book. Not only do we get another sneak peak into Ariel's life before Prince Eric came into the picture, but we also see how Ariel can help girls of an older generation. As previously mentioned, most Disney characters are aimed for a mer-child audience, but this book deals with family issues, such as a possible new family member entering the household, a stepmother, and how to accept it. This book also shows that you may have more in common with your family than you thought you did.

The only element that annoyed me about this book was that killer whales are mermaid eaters! Why are killer whales hungry savages? I don't believe this should have been added, especially since Ariel once helped a young killer whale named Spot, and she was never injured by the sentient being. The killer whales actually look kind of evil in the illustrations! 

Final Thought:
Finally, I also loved that this book was a quick weeknight read, and only took me about an hour to finish. The ending was pleasant, and I cant wait to read more books in this series! I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(18) The Little Mermaid: Make-Believe Bride by Walt Disney Company

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Walt Disney Company
Pages: 24

Summary(goodreads.com):
Ariel loves to play make-believe—especially when she pretends to marry the prince of her dreams!

My Review:
I absolutely adored this book! I thought it was so cute that Ariel has a pretend wedding with the statue of Prince Eric. What I loved about this book was that the way the story is written isn't juvenile, and had a fairytale vibe  that adults will enjoy as well. I loved the illustrations. They were beautiful and vibrant! For those who love to draw, this book offers a lot of inspiration for Ariel and her grotto. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(17) The Little Mermaid: Amazing Ariel in 3D by Andrea Posner Sanchez

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Andrea Posner Sanchez
Pages: 16

Summary(amazon.com):
Ariel swims, dives, and pops off the pages thanks to the included 3-D glasses. This 3-D storybook is available just in time for the Diamond Edition DVD and Blu-ray of The Little Mermaid, releasing in October 2013.

My Review:
As soon as I saw the cover of this book, I knew that it was going to have amazing illustrations, but was the 3D effect really going to work?
The Answer?
YES!
The 3D effect really works! It was so cool to read this while having the spectacular images jump off the pages. It was a new way to experience The Little Mermaid. The text was a bit juvenile, and the sentences were small and simple. This is a very simplified version of The Little Mermaid, and as far as the way the story is written, I would give it 2 stars. However, the 3D element really made the book unique and fun to read. I felt like I was on a mini version of a Disney attraction. This makes a great gift for anyone who loves Ariel or mermaids! I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(15) Disney's The Little Mermaid: Tales From Under The Sea by Fred Marvin

Book Type: Collection of short stories/poems
Author: Fred Marvin
Pages: 80

Summary(amazon.com):
Under the sea there lies a special world--the world of Ariel, the Little Mermaid--a world that fans of the movie are reluctant to leave. Now they won't have to, for here are over 20 original stories and poems to provide a new look into the lives of favorite Little Mermaid characters.

My Review:
Ariel is a character I have always had a connection with since I was a child, so I am always looking for new books about her life and what happened before Prince Eric! This book was perfectly written, and I must applaud the author for recreating The Little Mermaid amazingly. First, I have to mention the illustrations. I'm not sure who the illustrator was, but fintastic job! The colors, the way Ariel was drawn... it looked as if it came off a Disney animator's desk. What I love about the short stories and poems is that Marvin was able to write these pieces in an easy fashion for children to enjoy and understand, but adults who love Ariel as much as I do, will also enjoy reading this. I also love that each story is only a couple of pages, but crafted beautifully. As I was reading this, I was reminded of The Little Mermaid show I used to watch as a kid, wondering what adventure I would watch that day. There is a story for each character in the movie including almost all of Ariel's sisters, King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle and of course, Ariel! I really love that Marvin added Ariel's sisters to this collection; it helps them establish a distinguishing identity since the poor mermaids were lost in almost every movie! Only one story bothered me a little, and that was Adella's. For some reason, Marvin decided to make her extremely vain, self-centered and quite nasty, but I have never seen any of the mer sisters possess any qualities like this. I really loved reading this book, and if you love Ariel as much as I do, then definitely check this out! I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(11) Disney's The Little Mermaid: A Big Golden Book by Michael Teitelbaum

Book Type: Children's Book
Author: Michael Teitelbaum
Pages: N/A

Summary(amazon.com):

A beautiful young mermaid falls in love with a handsome prince and sacrifices a great deal in hopes of marrying him.

My Review:

When I first began this book, I was excited, especially since the cover is beautiful! However, I was surprised to see that the book skips over some detailed scenes, and the quotes are not exact. Some quotes are even added in, which kind of annoyed me. Although the text is not juvenile, the illustrations are bland. Overall, this particular The Little Mermaid book does not have any special qualities. I suggest looking at my Books For Little Mermaids page to find a better version. I give this book (***) 3 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

(10) Walt Disney's Classics The Little Mermaid by Walt Disney Company

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Walt Disney Company
Pages: 40

Summary:
Based on The Little Mermaid by Walt Disney Company

My Review:
I am extremely disappointed with this The Little Mermaid book. What ruined this book for me completely was the illustrations; they're poorly constructed and they lack bright color that is normally associated with Disney. The art almost reminds me of concept art, basic sketches with experimental coloring. Here are some examples:

 

In addition, I feel that the way the story was written was boring and there was not anything special about it at all. I give this book (*) 1 star.

-Sirenita The Selkie

(9) The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Glittering Sea by Sheryl Kahn

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Sheryl Kahn
Pages: 12

Summary(goodreads.com):
Sebastian takes Ariel on a sparkling undersea tour to show her the wonders in her own backyard. Shimmering foil decorates the pages of this simple board book that's perfect for little ones.


My Review:
Shimmering and glittering and full of color... this is what children's books are all about! What I love about this book is that the colors immediately jump off the page and capture the reader's interest, and the shiny foil elements are cool! I also loved that the text was not juvenile, and adults will be able to enjoy it as well. This is a really cute and short story, but the only complaint I have is that Ariel barely talks in the whole book, and where is Flounder? Ariel and Flounder never part! I love this. (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(6) The Little Mermaid: Ariel Above The Sea by Lyn Calder

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Lyn Calder
Pages: 32

Summary(amazon.com):

After spying Prince Eric on his ship, Ariel the mermaid dreams of living permanently above the sea.

My Review:

After noticing the title, I figured that this book would be different from the story of The Little Mermaid. However, it is the Disney original, but it is unfortunately very bland, even for a children's book. The text itself is juvenile and simple, and written for mer-children learning to read words and short sentences. The illustrations are flat, and I would've liked to see brighter colors expected of a Disney story. The illustrator's work is not all there; an example is how Ariel's sisters are drawn, with missing detail that was just lacking. I don't think this short story/first reader book is the best to keep children's attention, nor is it one of the best to add to a mer-readers collection. I give this book (**) 2 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

(1) The Little Mermaid Special Edition Golden Book by Michael Teitelbaum

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Michael Teitelbaum
Pages: 24

Summary(amazon.com):
Ariel is a curious young mermaid. She likes to explore sunken ships, swim up to the surface, and learn all she can about the world above the sea. 

My Review:
Golden books are classics, and everyone has read at least one during their childhood! However, this golden book lacked the spark that I loved when I was a young mer-girl. The images are not as bright as I would've expected from a Little Mermaid book. Readers will also realize that a lot of detail is cut out from the story, such as the main concert scene with Ariel's sisters, and even when Prince Eric finds Ariel! Although the book does keep some original quotes, it is not the best version of The Little Mermaid, I give this book (***) 3 stars.
Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid 2 Junior Novelization by Amy Edgar

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Amy Edgar
Pages: 64

Summary:
A junior novelization of The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea

My Review:
The Little Mermaid is a movie I will always treasure in my heart, and it is my life goal to read every Ariel book out there! In the movie, I always loved the mother-daughter bond that Ariel and Melody share, and I love how Melody possesses traits from both her parents. Sadly, this book didn't live up to my expectations of the excitement I always felt when I was a little mergirl. Even though the book is a junior novelization, meaning that it introduces merchildren into learning how to read chapters and longer phrases, this book did the exact opposite; it is written in a very juvenile way. In addition, a lot of the movie's quotes, as well as the detailed scenes are absent. The book can be read by an adult in 45 minutes since it is very short. Unfortunately, this is very disappointing. I only give this book (**) 2 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Secret by Denise Patrick

Book Type: Children's Literature/ Board Book ( book with cardboard pages)
Author: Denise Patrick
Pages: 14

Summary:
Ariel learns what humans are, and what beautiful treasures they make!

My Review:
I love reading about Ariel's adventures, and I plan on building a collection of books just about her! What I absolutely loved about this book was that Ariel learns about humans for the first time, and I guess that she had to be very young here. She also makes her secret grotto for the first time, filling it with treasures that we see in the movie later on :) Since it is a board book, I would've expected the text to be very juvenile but I was surprised; it's actually just simplified and has shorter sentences. I would've bought this, but I dont like board books. I think collectors of Ariel stuff will love this, and I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

Can we all appreciate how grumpy
Sebastian looks? I love it!

-Sirenita The Selkie

Disney's The Little Mermaid A Merry Mermaid Christmas by Mary Man Kong

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Mary Man Kong
Pages: 24


Summary:
Ariel learns about the human holiday, Christmas and what the true meaning of Christmas really is.


My Review:
Mermaids and Christmas; where did this idea come from? I'm not sure, but I love the combination! This book is so unique and original, and often, readers don't get a peak into Ariel's life outside the original plot of The Little Mermaid. What I loved about this book is the main concept. Ariel learns that gift giving may be difficult, especially when you want to give something perfect, but Christmas isn't about that. It is about enjoying your family and friends, the food, songs and celebration! Ariel also learns that you don't have to give a big gift for the receiver to be happy; it just has to be something the person will find special and treasure. I also loved that the text wasn't juvenile, and there wasn't a lot of text per page. It was a very short, but sweet story. This book definitely gets (*****) 5 stars, and when I buy it, I'm going to read it every Christmas Eve :)
-Sirenita The Selkie

Disney's The Little Mermaid Classic Storybook by Sheryl Kahn

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Sheryl Kahn
Pages: 95


Summary(amazon.com):
A beautiful sea princess, longing to be human, trades her mermaid's tail for legs, hoping to win the heart of the prince she loves.

My Review:
I'm so happy to review another "The Little Mermaid" book! What I liked about this book is that all of the original details of the plot were kept, something that is very important for people like me, who love Ariel :) The way the text was written wasn't juvenile, and adults can read and enjoy it as well. What I also loved were the illustrations, especially the storm scene and Ariel's transformation. Take a look:

I thought these illustrations were very unique, and I have never seen Ariel's transformation drawn! I love it! There were some small details that bothered me. Although the first page mentions King Triton's concert, the reader sees Prince Eric on his ship instead. Also, the Seahorse Herald is green in the book, but this is what he looks like:

Overall, I thought this book was perfect for "The Little Mermaid" collectors like myself, and the illustrations are perfect for people who love to draw! I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Disney's The Little Mermaid by Lara Bergen

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Lara Bergen
Pages: 96

Summary(amazon.com):
Ariel dreams of visiting the human world and dancing with the handsome prince, Eric. Finally, she gets her chance-but the evil sea witch, Ursula, has stolen Ariel's voice. Can Ariel get her voice back and win Prince Eric's love before the sun goes down, or will Ursula ruin Ariel's dreams forever?

My Review:
This is seriously the BEST Disney's The Little Mermaid book I have ever read! Not a single detail is cut out from this book, and pretty much all of the dialogue from the movie is put into the book as well. I mean it guys, every single scene from the movie is kept! The best part of all was the illustrations... they are perfect, full of color and life, and there is an illustration on almost every single page. The only downside I could think of is that this book is a bit lengthy (take a look at the top of this post), so this might be a very loonnng bedtime story. I really loved this version the best so far, and I definitely would give it more than five stars!
-Sirenita The Selkie