Mermaid Tales #12 Wish Upon A Starfish by Debbie Dadey

Book Type: Novel
Author: Debbie Dadey
Pages: 128

Summary(goodreads.com):
Pearl is excited to make a splash on stage—but she’s in for some drama in this Mermaid Tales adventure.
Pearl has always dreamed of being famous: the star-studded stage, the sea flowers, the applause! So when she finds out that her third grade class is performing The Little Human, she just knows she’ll get the leading role. Especially since world-renowned merstar Angelfish Molie is judging the tryouts!
But in a shocking turn of events, Pearl’s best friend, Wanda, gets cast as the little human instead…and Pearl is stuck playing the stinky sea witch. Pearl can’t believe her best friend would steal her dream role from her.
After Pearl tries—and fails—to get Wanda to trade parts, she decides to quit the play. Are Pearl’s dreams of being a sea star doomed? And can she and Wanda patch up their friendship before it goes up in bubbles? 

My Review: 
I'm really surprised by how much I've been liking each story. They're getting better! Although I don't love that this book focuses on Pearl, the mean popular girl, the reader sees her in a different light. I loved the creativity of this Mermaid Tale, and thought The Little Human joke was so cute! We also see how Pearl is finally NICE! I hope we see more of this in future novels. 
 Little mers will learn the importance of supporting roles, and that there is more than just being the star. I give this book (****) 4 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie 

The Little Mermaid by Francesca Rossi

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Francesca Rossi
Pages: 64

Summary(goodreads.com):
When she falls in love with the prince she rescues during a storm, the Little Mermaid sells her voice to a witch for the chance to become human. But if her prince doesn't love her back, she could lose it all . . .

My Review:
The Little Mermaid  is a timeless classic mermaid story. While some authors use amazing illustrations and words with their rendition, others fall a little flat. I would say this book falls into the mix of good and bad. 

While the mermaids in this book are beautiful, the background colors fall a little flat. The ocean is full of life and color, and the illustrations do not portray this. Although the text is somewhat like the original Anderson version, the ending is vastly altered.

So is this the original The Little Mermaid? You be the judge!
I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie 

(6) The Little mermaid by Robert Sabuda

Book Type: Children's Book
Author: Robert Sabuda
Pages: 12

Summary(goodreads.com):
A beloved under-the-sea tale is now a pop-up masterpiece, from expert craftsman Robert Sabuda.

Come along on a magical journey under the sea in this stunning pop-up adaptation of the beloved fairy tale The Little Mermaid, expertly crafted by renowned paper engineer Robert Sabuda. Amazing three-dimensional paper structures pop off each page, bringing this classic underwater adventure to life. This visually stunning tale of adventure, true love, and sacrifice is sure to become a favorite in any story-lovers library.


My Review:
Believe it or not, this book has been sitting on my shelf, waiting to be explored for two years! I was just so busy with other mermaid books that I forgot about this gem that I bought with Christmas money :) 
I love how the author simplified the original text; it's perfect! Its easy to understand without skipping over the original beauty of Hans Christian Anderson's writing. But what really made this story come to life was the amazing pop ups!
I have never seen a more beautiful pop up book!
That being said, this isn't exactly safe in a merchild's hands. These pop ups are very delicate!!!
Adults should accompany children and be careful when you open it! Some of the pop ups got a bit annoying when I was reading the book. They got stuck when I tried to open them, and I accidentally ripped one because it didn't open right :(
I loved this book and it really is a beautiful gem in anyone's mer-library, but be careful with the pop ups, especially around children! However, this would make a perfect bedtime story :)
I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid by Ronne Randall

Book Type: Children's Book
Author: Ronne Randall
Pages: 32

Summary(goodreads.com):
This Parragon fairy tale classic picture book features revised text ideal for beginning readers along with vibrant new illustrations. Children will love to follow along with their favorite characters!

My Review:
I was disappointed with the illustrations, as well as the plot of this book. I wanted more life and maturity for such a beautiful story, and made the Little Mermaid look 5 instead of 15.
The adaptation of the story was okay, but a lot of the major details from the original were left out, so it made the story boring and predictable. I don't recommend reading this adaptation. I give this book (**) 2 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 

(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

(22) Princess Fishtail by Frances Minters

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Frances Minters
Pages: 32

Summary(goodreads.com):
Princess Fishtail really digs her life beneath the water-living in a crystal palace, jumping rope with dolphins, and chatting with tuna on her cell phone. But one day when she rescues a handsome surfer, the mer-princess realizes she's been hooked-by love. The princess decides to spend the rest of her life on land with her true love, but one day she gets homesick for her old pals under the sea. Will a rotten old troll stand in true love's way, or can a mermaid princess, a surfer, and some sewing lessons show the way to living happily ever after? 

My Review
When I first picked up this book,  I didn't know what to expect, especially with the crazy and whimsical drawings on the cover. However, I really liked this book, and it was funny too! This book is actually a very modern and young version of the classic story, The Little Mermaid, and it's upbeat as well. It was also funny that the main character is so high maintenance, and very spoiled! I loved how the story was written. It was a clever and lyrical poem, and as soon as the book started I was impressed with Minters' style of writing. I also loved how the sea creatures throughout the illustrations make cheeky little remarks about what's going on :)

Although the illustrations are a bit childlike and whimsical, the story was really cute, and I loved the ending, which teaches children to be happy and grateful for what you have, and to make the best out of a bad situation. I really liked this book, and I believe adults will enjoy it as well. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

(16) Barbie Story Library: The Mermaid's Tail by Christian Musselman

Book type: Children's Literature
Author: Christian Musselman
Pages: 32

Summary(amazon.uk):
Marina discovers what life is like with legs instead of her tail.


My Review:
I found this book while shopping online for mermaid books, but I wanted something different and unique. The cover definitely lured me in, and the illustrations as well! They're vibrant, beautiful and fun, just like Barbie! Although this story is short, the way the story is written isn't juvenile, so older merfolk who love Barbie will enjoy this book. 

I loved Barbie's character, Marina. She is very curious about humans and even listens to tales from her grandmother. This book is very similar to the story of The Little Mermaid at first, not only because Marina is a curious young mermaid, but also because she gets a potion from a wizard to become human  until she gets her feet wet. I really loved this cute little Barbie book, especially the important lesson at the end: don't judge a person based on appearances (all the sea creatures feared humans, but Marina proved them wrong!) and don't always listen to those around you! Go explore the world and see for yourself! I give this book (*****) 5 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

(12) The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: K.G. Campbell
Pages: 32

Summary(goodreads.com):
Each of King Neptune's 50 mermaid daughters boasts a special talent, except for little Minnow, who seems to be good only?at asking questions. When she finds a strange object, Minnow follows her questions to a wondrous place and finds answers, including the answer to the most important question of all: Who am I? A gorgeously illustrated story about finding one's purpose.

My Review:
When I first picked this book up from the library, I was startled by the cover. It's dark colors give off a depressing vibe, but I was wrong! This children's book is totally original and brilliantly written. I instantly fell in love with Minnow, the curious little mermaid who is teased for wanting to learn about her surroundings. Minnow seems to be the youngest mermaid, and she is trying to find her place amongst her 50 sisters! I kept saying to myself, "poor Minnow." She is so smart and curious, which causes her to be teased and even called useless for it. I can see young girls who are remarkably smart and desire to learn have a connection with this book, especially young mer-children who excel past their age and are teased for it.
In addition to the main character who captured my heart, I also loved the artwork, which reminded me of the book, The Melancholic Mermaid. The mermaids are beautifully detailed and gorgeous! There is also this little pet seahorse that hangs around Minnow, who also captured my attention because he's adorable. The way the story is written can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. It is beautifully written, and I definitely recommend checking this out. I give this book (*****) 5 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

(3) No Kidding! Mermaids Are A Joke by Nancy Loewen

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Nancy Loewen
Pages: 24






Summary(amazon.com):

OF COURSE you think I was a lousy, no good guy for breaking the Little Mermaids heart. You don't know the other side of the story. Well, let me tell you.

My Review:

There are so many versions of the Little Mermaid's side of the story, but what is the Prince's? What I love about the book was how original Loewen's story is! The reader really sees that the Prince is an airhead celebrity, who cant see that the Little Mermaid loves him. I also loved the vibrant illustrations that went along with the book; they were very colorful and eye catching, as well as funny! Overall, the book was short and cute and I really recommend checking it out! I give this book (****) 4 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 by Sonia W. Black

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Sonia W. Black
Pages: N/A 

Summary(scholastic.com):
Hans Christian Andersen's tale of a mermaid princess who dreams of becoming human in order to marry the man she loves is told in this easy reader adaptation featuring Lanza's elegant watercolor illustrations.

My Review:

I had to take this pic to show u guys!
Isnt she gorgeous?

As soon as I picked this up from the library, I was entranced by the beauty of the cover; the mermaid is so beautiful! As soon as you open the first page, the mermaid illustrations flow just like the current, and I loved the softness of the watercolor. This book also kept all the original details, but there was one detail I didn't understand. In the original Hans Christian Anderson story, the mermaids only get to wear oyster shells when they turn 15, to show that they are adults and also to show their status. I don't really understand why The Little Mermaid is the only one wearing oyster shells, especially since she is the youngest. Overall, this is a great version for kids learning to reads and for them to also learn a great fairytale. I give this book (*****) 5 stars. 
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid by Susan Blackaby

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Susan Blackaby
Pages: 32

Summary(amazon.com):

A little sea princess, longing to be human, trades her mermaid's tail for legs, hoping to win the love of a prince and earn an immortal soul for herself.

My Review:

When I first picked this book up from the library, I thought, "Oh no. This is going to be terrible!" However, I learned once again not to judge a book by its cover. This book is a retelling of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson, but it is simplified for children learning to read. Oddly, the illustrations matched the simplicity of the story and got the message across easily enough for children to understand. The only bad comment I do have is since the text is very simplified and large, I can only guess that adult mermaids wont enjoy this as much as smaller children. This version is perfect for little mers to read on their own. I give this book (****) 4 stars.

-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

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: Sealed With a Kiss by Melissa Lagonegro

Book Type: Children's Literature

Author: Melissa Lagonegro
Pages: 32

Summary(amazon.com):

Ariel loves playing hide-and-seek with her little seal friend. But when the princess can’t find him anywhere she begins to worry. After a long search through the ocean, Ariel finally finds him. The happy princess gives the seal a huge hug—and seals it with a kiss! This sweet Step 2 book features the Little Mermaid in her very first Step into Reading.

My Review:

As readers of this blog may know, I LOVE any book that features the story of The Little Mermaid, especially the Disney version that features one of my favorite mermaids, Ariel! Although this book was written with simple sentences and is meant for little mermaids learning to read, it was such a cute and sweet story. I wish I was Ariel, playing with the adorable baby seal, especially since I'm a selkie :) Anyone who loves to draw Ariel will find that this book a perfect inspriation. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid by Robyn Bryant

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Robyn Bryant
Pages: 29

Summary:
An adaptation of the classic tale, "The Little Mermaid".

My Review:
While shopping for mermaid books (as I usually do when I have free time) I came across this gem. Sadly though, this gem is a bit less shiny and polished than I expected. First off, I would just like to say, this book is pretty small, maybe a little bit bigger than a Galaxy phone. This kind of disappointed me; I wanted something a lot bigger! What I always find most important in any children's literature is the images that steal our hearts and our attention, and this book definitely scored an A. I love the graceful mermaid tails and the scales, even though its a pet peeve of mine when a mermaid somehow has a tail that extends over her chest... to me, its just weird. The illustrations are vibrant and catchy. I did however, find some plot flaws that made me go, "Huh?" First off, Bryant introduces us to Coraline, who is the Little Mermaid. Where did she get this name from? It's very random, and I wish she just stuck with the Little Mermaid like many versions of Anderson's tale. She is not supposed to have a name, and the name choice is just too human. Almost every single female character in this book looks the same, and this did not add any dimension to the story. Also, I found it to be extremely out there that when Coraline turns into a human, she is wearing a dress made of scales? That is just too weird.  The actual literature is not cheesy or juvenile, and the author put her own spin on some minor parts in the plot, which I enjoyed. Sadly, there was not anything super special or interesting about this version, except the artwork. Check out some other cooler versions on my blog, if you love The Little Mermaid. I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie