The Seal Children by Jackie Morris

Book Type: Childrens Literature
Author: Jackie Morris
Pages: 32


Summary(amazon.com):
When a fisherman named Ewan falls in love with a selkie — half-woman, half-seal — she gives him her sealskin as a sign of her love, and bears him two children, Ffion and Morlo, before returning to her own people. A few years later a stranger comes to the village, telling of a land far away, and Ffion and Morlo remember their mother's mesmerizing stories of the cities of gold and pearls beneath the waves. This atmospheric tale of love and freedom is the first picture book written and illustrated by well-known artist and writer Jackie Morris.

My Review:
This is one of my favorite children's books about selkies. What I love most about this book is the vibrant and rich artwork. The way the humans in this book are drawn and painted is abstract, yet very beautiful, as well as the selkie mother and the other seals. However, I really love the author's slight twist on the tale of the selkie wife, which I cannot tell you the end. This story was not written in a juvenile style of language, which means children and adults alike can both enjoy this heart-warming classic tale. I know I am definitely adding this to my mer-library. I give this book (*****) 5 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

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

Selkie Girl By Laurie Brooks

This is the original cover.

Book type: novel
Author: Laurie Brooks
Pages: 262

Summary(goodreads.com):
Elin Jean has always known she was different from the others on their remote island home. She is a gentle soul, and can’t stand the annual tradition of killing seal babies to thin the population. Even Tam McCodron, the gypsy boy to whom she is strangely drawn, seems to belong more than she does.
It’s just a matter of time until Elin Jean discovers the secret of her past: her mother, Margaret, is a selkie, held captive by her smitten father, who has kept Margaret’s precious seal pelt hostage for 16 years. Soon Elin Jean faces a choice about whether to free her mother from her island prison. And, as the child of this unusual union, she must make another decision. Part land, part sea, she must explore both worlds and dig deep inside herself to figure out where she belongs, and where her future lies.

                                                                        My Review:

This is the new cover, which clearly
fits the story better

I have been reading this book for about two weeks, and I have to say when I first looked at the cover, I said to myself, "How does this have anything to do with selkies?" As I have mentioned in a previous post, selkies are a type of water creature or mermaid, that are seals when they enter the ocean, but they are human and can shed their seal skin while on land. If you look at the cover, you can clearly see this looks nothing like a selkie, and looks more like a mermaid story. Thankfully, they did chose to make a different cover. However, when I first started reading this, I couldn't put it down. Brooks really used a rich and descriptive way to describe scenes and characters and I was able to become sucked into the tides and currents of the words on the pages. I really recommend this for someone who is in a difficult time of transition. The main character, Elin Jean, transforms from a stubborn girl into a mature young woman, and I loved reading about her transition into adulthood. This is also a great book for someone who loves to read about selkies, and from experience, I know there are not many books written on this mysterious creature. I must say though, the ending was bittersweet, having elements that were quite violent and sad, but also beautiful and happy. I give this book (****) 4 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Seven Tears Into The Sea by Terri Farley

Book Type: Novel
Author: Terri Farley
Pages: 288

Summary (goodreads.com):
At the age of ten, Gwen Cooke had a strange encounter with a boy with dark, slightly tilted eyes. He came to her on the beach, whispered strange words in her ear, and then disappeared. Shortly thereafter, her family moved away from their seaside home and Gwen never saw the boy again. Now seventeen, Gwen is returning to her childhood home. Her nana asked her to come. But Gwen knows it's time to go back for another reason: She yearns for the sea. Perhaps the sea itself is calling to her. Perhaps the memory of the boy and his haunting words are drawing her back to the place they met. Perhaps it's time for her to face her destiny.

My Review: 
Before I begin my review, I would just like to point out that this book is not about just any mermaid. There about a very special type of mermaid call a Selkie. For those of you who do not know what a selkie is, it is a shapeshifter type of mermaid. They are seals when they are in the sea, however, if they wish to walk on land, they can shed their sealskin. Selkies have recently become a literary interest of mine, and I am trying to find more books on the elusive creatures. I could not put this book down the moment the main character, Gwen, arrives at her childhood home. What an adventure she has with a strange and handsome man! You will fall in love with the romance shared between Gwen and the mysterious man she meets. Not only that, the ending to the book is shocking. I have read this book twice, and both times I have cried at the end. However, whether it's because of something positive or negative, I will not say! I don't want to ruin it for you. This is a great book for people who love to read about selkies, romance or just mermaids in general. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie