Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
When he sees a trio of mermaids while riding the train with his abuela, Julián recognizes something of himself in them. He knows that he, too, is a mermaid. His mind wanders all day, images of himself in a flowing fin, swimming though the world. When the time comes to share this part of himself with his abuela, he is a bit reticent, unsure of her reaction. But she loves Julián, all of Julián. She affirms his true identity and celebrates with him by marching together in a large parade of mermaids through their city.
Julián is a Mermaid draws clear parallels with gender identity and self-actualization. Julián is comfortable and complete in his true identity, and his abuela demonstrates the power of love and support. Confirming that she sees Julián as a mermaid, Julián is free to grow and thrive.
Painted in flowing lines of sandy browns and rich turquoise, Julián is a Mermaid is a lovely story with a lovely message.
The Little Mermaid by Jerry Pinkney
Award-winning writer/illustrator Jerry Pinkney was famous for his fairy tale reimaginings. Modernizing themes and including better and expanded representation, Pinkney built fantastic worlds through his words and pictures while maintaining so much of what already made these fairy tales so special. His retelling of The Little Mermaid turned out to be one of his final fairy tale adaptations, but it is also one of his most unique books.
Melody is the eponymous little mermaid in this retelling. Melody is brave, curious, and adventurous. In this version she is celebrated for these traits, a major recharacterization of prior adaptations. Those that love and care about Melody never seek to rein her in or tame her. Following the patterns of the classic fairy tale, the young mermaid eventually trades her voice away for the chance to explore above the waves. But here Pinkney makes the deliberate choice to fix the narrative of the little mermaid giving away parts of herself only to be punished by an unnecessary death. Through a sacrifice made of love, the mermaid walks away from a friend and swims back to the ocean to reclaim her voice and save her undersea kingdom. In her quest she gains and regains parts of herself and defeats a frightening evil. Pinkney's little mermaid is an empowered heroine.
Pinkney’s illustrations of cool underwater blues and warm sunny days on dry land beautifully immerse readers into the contrasting worlds Melody occupies, mirroring the pulling strings of her internal struggle. The Little Mermaid is a beautiful book inside and out.
Pearl by Molly Idle
Soft and wistful pencil illustrations take readers into the undersea world of Pearl and the other mermaid guardians of the ocean. Young Pearl is ready to take on the responsibility of protecting the seas like all the older mermaids, but her mother wants to show her that big changes can begin with small actions. She guides Pearl to protect a single grain of sand, a task that frustrates Pearl until she sees the larger effects of her seemingly small contribution. I’ll leave the reward for her work a surprise, but I assure you it is as beautiful as the illustrations.
Dreamy pink and turquoise images create an ocean worthy of the responsibilities Pearl craves in this lovely fable about growing up and seeing that the smallest kindnesses can make the whole world a better place.
Oona by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa
Oona was sweet…
… and a little bit salty, like
the ocean where she lived.
That’s our introduction to Oona, the curious little mermaid who seeks out adventures in the sea along with her best friend, a sea otter named Otto. In the course of one of their good-natured quests, Oona and Otter spot a crown that has sunken into a deep crevasse on the sea floor. Working with their friends, fellow sea creatures, and some kids on the beach, they form a plan to retrieve the coolest treasure they’ve ever seen. As their treasure hunt progresses, they garner a new appreciation for adventuring and friendship.
The illustrations are visually engrossing, with beautiful colors and textures woven into the many layers of the sea. From the sunny beaches to the darkest ocean depths, the pictures build a world any adventurous soul would want to explore.
A fun story, great characters, and wonderful illustrations create an excellent undersea tale.
The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow
The Haenyeo are the legendary diving women of the island of Jeju. They dive without any breathing equipment, trained from a young age to hold their breath for several minutes as they dive deep to collect shellfish and seafood from the ocean floor. These strong female-driven traditions date back centuries, and the women are respected around the world as the ultimate real-life mermaids.
In The Ocean Calls Dayeon is a young girl who wants to become a Haenyeo just like her grandmother. Dayeon learns about her heritage, trains to become a strong diver, and faces the dangers of sea, all with the loving guidance of her grandmother. In the end she is able to move forward down the path of one day becoming a “mermaid” and preserving the ancient tradition.
The Ocean Calls is a beautifully illustrated story about family, tradition, and the sea.
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