The Little Mermaid Paperback Series: Reflections of Arsulu by Marilyn Kaye

Book Type: Novel/ Paperback
Author: Marilyn Kaye
Pages: 77

Summary(goodreads.com):
Everyone at the palace thinks Adella's new best friend, Arsulu, is wonderful. But Ariel has her doubts. Why is it, she wonders, that ever since Arsulu came to stay with them at the palace, strange and terrible things have been happening?
A suspicious Ariel decides to spy on Arsulu to see if she's really to blame. That's when she learns the horrible truth about Arsulu. But how can Ariel convince her sisters that their dear, sweet guest is really a danger to them all?


My Review:
This is the second paperback that I have read in this series, and it was okay. I love seeing Ariel's life before her big movie, so it's always fun to read these. There are also pictures in this book, but they aren't colored; instead, they are black and white line drawings, waiting for a child to scribble in them, appearing to be coloring book illustrations. I wanted to see some life in them. This is The Little Mermaid after all, one of the most vibrant movies in Disney history!

Let's take a look at the title. What do you see in the name, Arsulu? If you dont see it, highlight below to reveal the spoiler:
Ursula
I just found the title to be a bit to obvious, which lead me to no surprises or shock. It was also interesting to see how childish all of the princesses used to be, but this also presented a problem to me as a reader. I felt that this book had too much of the sister's bickering dialogue, and it got annoying after a while. This wasn't one of my favorites, but its a cool collector's piece.
I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-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

(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 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

The Little Mermaid: Step Into Reading by Ruth Homberg

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Ruth Homberg
Pages: 32

Summary(amazon.com):

Disney's The Little Mermaid comes to Diamond Edition DVD and Blu-ray in October 2013! Ariel is one of the most beloved Disney princesses of all time, and now girls ages 4–6 can relive the magic of the film with this Step 2 book.

My Review:

There are many, many, MANY versions of The Little Mermaid, but this version is perfect for little mer-children learning to read! This book has large text and small sentences so children can practice reading. Older mermaids might have a problem enjoying this, mostly because a lot of the major details are cut out, and the text is way too simple. However, the illustrations are quite nice, and are excellent for inspiration. I give this book (***) 3 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid by Stephanie Calmenson

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Stephanie Calmenson
Pages: 24

Summary(amazon.com):
Ariel is tired of living under the sea–she wants to be human and walk on land. She gets her chance after making a deal with an evil sea witch, but something’s fishy! Can Flounder, Sebastian, and Scuttle help make the little mermaid’s dream come true? Find out in this full-color retelling of Disney’s classic film, The Little Mermaid.

My Review:
There are so many versions of The Little Mermaid, and I plan to cover each and every one on this blog! This small book does keep the original quotes such as "Have you ever seen anything so wonderful in your entire life?" and "It's a dinglehopper. Humans use these little babies to straighten their hair out." The book also follows the original story line with minimal details cut out. Also, the text wasn't simplified in a juvenile way with short sentences and big words. However, the images were okay, but they lacked the bright and spectacular color palette that usually comes with Ariel and her kingdom. This book was okay at most, and there are definitely better versions out there. I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid Golden Book by Disney

Book Type: Children's Book
Author: Disney
Pages: 64

Summary(amazon.com):
Ariel wants to be human and nothing—not even a nasty sea witch—is going to stop her. Girls ages 3–7 who are Disney Princess fans will love this beautiful hardcover storybook retelling of Disney The Little Mermaid, releasing on Diamond Edition DVD and Blu-ray October 2013!

My Review: 
While on vacation in Mystic Conneticut, I discovered a little book shop that had tons of children's books. I dug for hours in the shelves until I finally came across this gem! As mentioned above, this book was released for the Blue-ray edition of the movie. However, I was slightly disappointed with how much they cut out of the story line. Instead of the book opening up with the scene of Prince Eric on his ship, this book opened up instead with all the merfolk swimming into the palace for Ariel's first performance. Flotsam and Jetsam were not even mentioned until the "Kiss The Girl" scene! However, I do think this book had beautiful illustrations and they could pose as inspiration for someone who loves to draw mermaids, like me! I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid Junior Novelization by Melissa Lagonegro and Disney

Book Type: Novel
Author: Melissa Lagonegro
Pages: 128

Summary:
The little mermaid Ariel wants to be human and nothing--not even a nasty sea witch—is going to stop her. Disney The Little Mermaid: The Junior Novelization is a complete retelling of this beloved Disney film and it features eight pages of full-color scenes from the movie for girls ages 8–12 who love the Disney princesses!

My Review:
I first stumbled upon this book while shopping on amazon.com for, what else? Mermaid books! I bought this on a whim and decided to give it a shot. I was so thrilled with my purchase! This book completely mimics the movie, from every single scene, character and even the script was kept in. None of the lines were changed which I really loved. This truly felt like I was reading and watching the movie at the same time. Where there should be songs in the movie, Langonegro simply summarized what the song was about, which was fine with me. I have to say merfolk, I have read a lot of "The Little Mermaid" books, but so far this one portrays the movie the best. Check this book out if you are as crazy about The Little Mermaid as I am! I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid A Read-Aloud Storybook by Amy Edgar

Book Type: Childrens Book
Author: Disney, Amy Edgar
Pages: 72

Summary(goodreads.com):
The complete retelling of favorite Disney movies in a true read-aloud style.

My Review: 
Although this is a book that is aimed at children, I didnt care and wanted to do a review on it because I love and adore The Little Mermaid, whether it is the Disney version or the Hans Christian Anderson Version. I really liked this book because it stayed true to the Disney version. It also has very beautiful screenshot-type pictures throughout the book. These can be very useful if someone wanted to do a sketch or painting of this Disney classic! 
I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie