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The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was a Mermaid.
Even though she's terrified of the sea, a girl who believes her mum might have been a mermaid runs away to the ocean to solve the mystery of who she really is.
Stella is the odd one out. She's never felt she fits in. She sleepwalks, has a terror of water, yet is obsessed by the ocean. Nobody can give her any answers. Her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother's memories are fading with dementia. Her mum who died when Stella was only four remains the biggest mystery of all. Who was she and why did she give Stella a necklace called 'the word of the sea' just before she died? Stella comes to believe that her mum might have been a mermaid. When her only friend in the world, Cam, moves house, Stella runs away too. She's determined to find out who her mum was and who she is too. She ends up in Crystal Cove at a run down aquarium with a mermaid show. There she meets Pearl who reveals disturbing secrets. It's only by facing her fear of the ocean that Stella will truly uncover the truth. Exquisitely imagined and beautifully delivered, Tania Unsworth blends our fascination for the timeless magic of mermaid and selkie folk and fairy tale with the story of a girl on an adventure above and below the waves.
Stella is the odd one out. She's never felt she fits in. She sleepwalks, has a terror of water, yet is obsessed by the ocean. Nobody can give her any answers. Her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother's memories are fading with dementia. Her mum who died when Stella was only four remains the biggest mystery of all. Who was she and why did she give Stella a necklace called 'the word of the sea' just before she died? Stella comes to believe that her mum might have been a mermaid. When her only friend in the world, Cam, moves house, Stella runs away too. She's determined to find out who her mum was and who she is too. She ends up in Crystal Cove at a run down aquarium with a mermaid show. There she meets Pearl who reveals disturbing secrets. It's only by facing her fear of the ocean that Stella will truly uncover the truth. Exquisitely imagined and beautifully delivered, Tania Unsworth blends our fascination for the timeless magic of mermaid and selkie folk and fairy tale with the story of a girl on an adventure above and below the waves.
240 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2018
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149 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 10, 2019
Well, this book was my first really novel in english, as I had read just Geronimo Stilton books before in this language. It was a very great book tho, even if I'm 18 years old. I could perfectly understand the words and idioms in it, and I think I learnt a lot of new english phrases from this book. The story was quite simple but it ended not the way I was expecting for. It had a twist, and that's why it was soo exciting at the end. It is a great book for children in my opinion,because it has a very beautiful message to the people, written in a simple story what children could understand. So this book absolutely deserves the 5 star rating from me!😊
January 4, 2023
Thought this book was just ok. It was about some creepy mermaids that put on a theatre show but then they tried to drown a child. Just an average book tbh. Nothing to much really happens in it anyway so kinda boring. Finished it within 5 days
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2019
It had everything: kidnapping, mermaids, suspense, good story line, emotional and so much more; i would really recommend this book.
July 7, 2018
I received this Ebook as a free Review Copy over NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This little book was such a light and fluffy read, I basically finished it in one sitting. It's a beautiful story about family, love and loss. The main character Stella loses her mother at a very young age and finds solace in the thought that her weirdness doesn't come from herself, but from the fact that her mother was an actual mermaid.
I really enjoyed all the characters in this story. The relationship between Stella and her grandmother, who is suffering from some kind of dementia, is so beautiful and hopeful, although there are good and bad days. Stellas Father is quite distant, but the way their relationship develops was very realistic and felt natural. I also loved the truthful friendship between Stella And Cam. Just a very soft kids friendship, that got the exact right amount to develop.
Overall I really enjoyed the plot of this book. When I started reading and at the first big turning point, I wasn't sure where the story would go, but with each plot-twist I grew more intrigued. This story kept me interested and while it did go to some white dark places for middle-grade fiction, I did enjoy it and I don't think it would be too dark for children.
Overall this was a very beautiful story about a young girl finding her place in the world and discovering the secrets of her mothers past and I would recommend it to anyone, no matter how old they are.
This little book was such a light and fluffy read, I basically finished it in one sitting. It's a beautiful story about family, love and loss. The main character Stella loses her mother at a very young age and finds solace in the thought that her weirdness doesn't come from herself, but from the fact that her mother was an actual mermaid.
I really enjoyed all the characters in this story. The relationship between Stella and her grandmother, who is suffering from some kind of dementia, is so beautiful and hopeful, although there are good and bad days. Stellas Father is quite distant, but the way their relationship develops was very realistic and felt natural. I also loved the truthful friendship between Stella And Cam. Just a very soft kids friendship, that got the exact right amount to develop.
Overall I really enjoyed the plot of this book. When I started reading and at the first big turning point, I wasn't sure where the story would go, but with each plot-twist I grew more intrigued. This story kept me interested and while it did go to some white dark places for middle-grade fiction, I did enjoy it and I don't think it would be too dark for children.
Overall this was a very beautiful story about a young girl finding her place in the world and discovering the secrets of her mothers past and I would recommend it to anyone, no matter how old they are.
June 2, 2018
Lovely MG about a girl who decides to find out if her mother really was a mermaid or not. Touching story with a wonderful grandmother, family, friends and a touch of magic.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
June 11, 2023
This is probably the best way to enjoy yourself I love no adore this book its amazing the Girl is so curious and smart
IT is a very emotional book then your filled with thrill happiness sadness and even confusion. Thanks to Tania Unsworth for
creating this book for me and the world to enjoy.!Wow all I can think of now spoiler alert is how Stella got out with Camilia
and how it's so interesting to read I hope Tania has done more because I love this book. Anyone who has read this masterpiece should love it so much!!
IT is a very emotional book then your filled with thrill happiness sadness and even confusion. Thanks to Tania Unsworth for
creating this book for me and the world to enjoy.!Wow all I can think of now spoiler alert is how Stella got out with Camilia
and how it's so interesting to read I hope Tania has done more because I love this book. Anyone who has read this masterpiece should love it so much!!
November 14, 2024
The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was a Mermaid is a chapter book for kids by Tania Unsworth, and illustrated by Helen Crawford-White. It tells the story of Stella, who has begun sleepwalking after the death of her mother. She finds herself searching through belongings at her home, trying to find remnants of her mother, such as drawings. One day, she finds a clue to her mother’s past, and runs away, hunting for the truth of her mother’s history.
My first thought about the book is that I like the idea of it. Though I feel like there’s a lot of aspects that I don’t like about the book. For example, I felt like some characters didn’t add much to the story. Such as a few of the people in Stella’s life at the beginning of the book; the ones taking care of her. It felt like they had no importance to the story. Even with her father, it felt like he was a complete non-character and we barely got a chance to know anything about him. Even later on in the book, at the end, it felt like the author was trying to give him a character development moment, even though we hadn’t had much of an introduction to him to begin with. And for protagonists such as Stella and Cam, though they’re predominant characters throughout the book, I kind of feel like they’re bland stereotypes of young girls. There’s not much originality to them, in my opinion. I’ll admit that I like Stella in some ways, but she feels very one note. And the same for Marcie, it felt like she was some standard cartoon villain, only wanting to become rich.
Speaking of the ending of the book more, I didn’t like the end very much. It kind of felt like it ended on some kind of cliffhanger; almost as if there’s more to the story that the author didn’t include. I feel like the story isn’t over. Mainly because of a lot of story elements don’t have a proper conclusion. For example, with elements like the sleepwalking and the necklace; the author brought them into the story, almost as if they were super important. But neither really had a substantial ending. Like at the museum rock exhibition aspect of the story, as an example, the way Stella ran away from the guy seemed like the author was trying to make the necklace out to be some hugely important object. But the author never really achieved that importance to it; the necklace didn’t do much, or play much of an important role in the book. And the same with the sleepwalking at the beginning of the book. We’re introduced to it as a life changing moment for Stella, where it’s the sole cause of her being afraid to swim. Yet, by the end of the book, the sleepwalking stuff seems kind of forgotten.
I wasn’t particularly interested in the book, when reading it. When I first read the description of the book, I realised that it wasn’t going to be a happy book. But… I don’t know… It felt bland. I’ll admit that the premise of the story is good. The tags on Goodreads describe it as a “mystery”, but I kind of felt like the mystery had a lot more to it than what the author shared. There’s a lot more missing about what happened with the mother. By the end of the book, I feel like the mystery aspects aren’t completely solved.
To talk about the illustrations, I thought they were a little bit mediocre. On a lot of pages, it seemed like they were just small little decorations for the pages; like decorative swirls or stars, and little scribbles of plants. The cover illustration is absolutely beautiful. But the internal bits and pieces were really forgettable.
Overall, I don’t know. I wanted to enjoy it. But it fell really flat. In terms of characters and character development, there wasn’t much originality or interest for me. The plot feels unfinished and I think there needed to be a lot more explanations as to what happened to the mother, and who she was. The same for the mermaid aspect; it’s such a huge plot aspect, but it feels so incomplete. I borrowed a copy of this from my public library’s BorrowBox catalogue. I don’t think I would purchase myself a copy of this book.
My first thought about the book is that I like the idea of it. Though I feel like there’s a lot of aspects that I don’t like about the book. For example, I felt like some characters didn’t add much to the story. Such as a few of the people in Stella’s life at the beginning of the book; the ones taking care of her. It felt like they had no importance to the story. Even with her father, it felt like he was a complete non-character and we barely got a chance to know anything about him. Even later on in the book, at the end, it felt like the author was trying to give him a character development moment, even though we hadn’t had much of an introduction to him to begin with. And for protagonists such as Stella and Cam, though they’re predominant characters throughout the book, I kind of feel like they’re bland stereotypes of young girls. There’s not much originality to them, in my opinion. I’ll admit that I like Stella in some ways, but she feels very one note. And the same for Marcie, it felt like she was some standard cartoon villain, only wanting to become rich.
Speaking of the ending of the book more, I didn’t like the end very much. It kind of felt like it ended on some kind of cliffhanger; almost as if there’s more to the story that the author didn’t include. I feel like the story isn’t over. Mainly because of a lot of story elements don’t have a proper conclusion. For example, with elements like the sleepwalking and the necklace; the author brought them into the story, almost as if they were super important. But neither really had a substantial ending. Like at the museum rock exhibition aspect of the story, as an example, the way Stella ran away from the guy seemed like the author was trying to make the necklace out to be some hugely important object. But the author never really achieved that importance to it; the necklace didn’t do much, or play much of an important role in the book. And the same with the sleepwalking at the beginning of the book. We’re introduced to it as a life changing moment for Stella, where it’s the sole cause of her being afraid to swim. Yet, by the end of the book, the sleepwalking stuff seems kind of forgotten.
I wasn’t particularly interested in the book, when reading it. When I first read the description of the book, I realised that it wasn’t going to be a happy book. But… I don’t know… It felt bland. I’ll admit that the premise of the story is good. The tags on Goodreads describe it as a “mystery”, but I kind of felt like the mystery had a lot more to it than what the author shared. There’s a lot more missing about what happened with the mother. By the end of the book, I feel like the mystery aspects aren’t completely solved.
To talk about the illustrations, I thought they were a little bit mediocre. On a lot of pages, it seemed like they were just small little decorations for the pages; like decorative swirls or stars, and little scribbles of plants. The cover illustration is absolutely beautiful. But the internal bits and pieces were really forgettable.
Overall, I don’t know. I wanted to enjoy it. But it fell really flat. In terms of characters and character development, there wasn’t much originality or interest for me. The plot feels unfinished and I think there needed to be a lot more explanations as to what happened to the mother, and who she was. The same for the mermaid aspect; it’s such a huge plot aspect, but it feels so incomplete. I borrowed a copy of this from my public library’s BorrowBox catalogue. I don’t think I would purchase myself a copy of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2018
I was not sure what to expect from this middle-grade mermaid story, with its stunning sparkly cover by Helen Crawford-White and a blurb that promises dark and disturbing twists. Very soon after opening the first pages of The Girl Who Thought Her Mother was a Mermaid, however, I found the story to be so enticing that I finished it in one sitting.
Stella Martin can remember how happy everything seemed at home before her mother died. Since her mother passed away, Stella’s Dad has been working away a lot. Stella lives with housekeeper Mrs Chapman and her grandmother, who is loving and kind but suffering from dementia. At school, Stella does not have any close friends and she feels increasingly alone and isolated.
When a new girl called Cam arrives, Stella is happy to enjoy a blossoming friendship. Cam is dramatic and bubbly and brings a different energy to the mostly female cast of characters.
Stella is pleased to have a friend to confide in as there is a lot on her mind, especially when she begins to suspect a highly unusual secret about her mother. Why is there such a strange family relationship with water? Are Grandma’s odd comments about mermaids just part of her dementia or is there more to them? What does the picture of a mermaid drawn by her mother mean and why had it been hidden away? Stella decides it is time to investigate her suspicions and she sets off on a mission to uncover the truth.
What follows is a thoroughly gripping adventure with dark twists and turns, fascinating characters and just the right amount of suspense to keep readers' eyes glued to the pages until a resolution has been reached.
I enjoyed how the narrative kept one foot firmly in reality while exploring fantasy with the other. I found the element of magical realism to be a clever way of portraying Stella’s processing of grief and loneliness. Stella’s quest to find a fairy tale aspect to her family history demonstrates how stories bring both hope and a framework of understanding to children as they process the world around them.
The difficult themes of bereavement, dementia and abusive relationships are handled with due sensitivity and there is nothing too frightening in this unusual story. The writing is compelling and the resolution is a satisfying one, with plenty to feel optimistic about at the end.
With a highly original concept, mesmerising storytelling and a beautifully portrayed exploration of character identity and relationships, I highly recommend this for Years 5-6.
Many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a review copy of this book.
Stella Martin can remember how happy everything seemed at home before her mother died. Since her mother passed away, Stella’s Dad has been working away a lot. Stella lives with housekeeper Mrs Chapman and her grandmother, who is loving and kind but suffering from dementia. At school, Stella does not have any close friends and she feels increasingly alone and isolated.
When a new girl called Cam arrives, Stella is happy to enjoy a blossoming friendship. Cam is dramatic and bubbly and brings a different energy to the mostly female cast of characters.
Stella is pleased to have a friend to confide in as there is a lot on her mind, especially when she begins to suspect a highly unusual secret about her mother. Why is there such a strange family relationship with water? Are Grandma’s odd comments about mermaids just part of her dementia or is there more to them? What does the picture of a mermaid drawn by her mother mean and why had it been hidden away? Stella decides it is time to investigate her suspicions and she sets off on a mission to uncover the truth.
What follows is a thoroughly gripping adventure with dark twists and turns, fascinating characters and just the right amount of suspense to keep readers' eyes glued to the pages until a resolution has been reached.
I enjoyed how the narrative kept one foot firmly in reality while exploring fantasy with the other. I found the element of magical realism to be a clever way of portraying Stella’s processing of grief and loneliness. Stella’s quest to find a fairy tale aspect to her family history demonstrates how stories bring both hope and a framework of understanding to children as they process the world around them.
The difficult themes of bereavement, dementia and abusive relationships are handled with due sensitivity and there is nothing too frightening in this unusual story. The writing is compelling and the resolution is a satisfying one, with plenty to feel optimistic about at the end.
With a highly original concept, mesmerising storytelling and a beautifully portrayed exploration of character identity and relationships, I highly recommend this for Years 5-6.
Many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a review copy of this book.
July 20, 2018
This book was a surprising one for me, aimed at the middle grade age group, I was still able to completely engage with 10 year-old Stella. This book had some really beautiful lines in it, especially when Stella describes her gramma who has dementia.
"Her grandmother was a time traveller, Stella thought. She was always arriving - with great delight and surprise - into her own future."
I found this to be such a beautiful way of describing her and it stayed with me throughout the book.
I felt so much empathy for Stella and the way she felt different and had no friends and it was happiness I felt when new girl Cam becomes her friend.
"“There’s nothing to laugh about, Stella Martin!” the teacher scolded. Stella didn’t care. She’d never had someone to laugh with at the back of English class before. Or any class, for that matter."
Stella has it in her mind her mother was a mermaid and through small clues and things her Gramma says, she decides she needs to find out for sure. Stella sets out on an adventure which gives her more than she bargained for.
This book had a feeling of poetry about it for me and it was an interesting and different read going places I didn't expect.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy in return for an honest review.
"Her grandmother was a time traveller, Stella thought. She was always arriving - with great delight and surprise - into her own future."
I found this to be such a beautiful way of describing her and it stayed with me throughout the book.
I felt so much empathy for Stella and the way she felt different and had no friends and it was happiness I felt when new girl Cam becomes her friend.
"“There’s nothing to laugh about, Stella Martin!” the teacher scolded. Stella didn’t care. She’d never had someone to laugh with at the back of English class before. Or any class, for that matter."
Stella has it in her mind her mother was a mermaid and through small clues and things her Gramma says, she decides she needs to find out for sure. Stella sets out on an adventure which gives her more than she bargained for.
This book had a feeling of poetry about it for me and it was an interesting and different read going places I didn't expect.
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a copy in return for an honest review.
February 1, 2020
This delightful book was sent to me for review and I was immediately hooked by the cover and the title. Stella’s mum died when she was eight and the more she wonders about who her mother was and what her life was like, the more certain she becomes that something just doesn’t add up. Once she has convinced herself that her mother just might have been a mermaid she starts to plan a way to find out for sure. And when her best friend laughs at her for admitting her theory, Stella knows there’s no turning back. She is going to find out, one way or another, and nothing is going to stop her. This action packed novel is engaging and offers really well developed and appealing characters. Highly recommended for the middle school reader in your life. I’ll be passing it on to Phoebe and Evie, my granddaughters, and I reckon they’ll love it.
July 16, 2018
*I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.*
Stella is coping with the death of her mother, while trying to find her place in the world. At school her peers think she's weird, but she finds a great friend in Cam. Her father is dealing with his grief in his own way, making him go on the road for business often.
Stella's grandmother is living with them and does a lot of time travelling, as Stella calls it. Grandma is living with dementia, and mixes up stories sometimes. When she tells Stella her mother is a mermaid, Stella finds clues on the back of a photo and runs away.
What follows is an adventure of travelling on board a moving truck, a trip on a ferry and getting kidnapped by a woman who knows the truth.
I loved this book! It would be something I would recommend it to the children in years 5 and 6 in my school.
Stella is coping with the death of her mother, while trying to find her place in the world. At school her peers think she's weird, but she finds a great friend in Cam. Her father is dealing with his grief in his own way, making him go on the road for business often.
Stella's grandmother is living with them and does a lot of time travelling, as Stella calls it. Grandma is living with dementia, and mixes up stories sometimes. When she tells Stella her mother is a mermaid, Stella finds clues on the back of a photo and runs away.
What follows is an adventure of travelling on board a moving truck, a trip on a ferry and getting kidnapped by a woman who knows the truth.
I loved this book! It would be something I would recommend it to the children in years 5 and 6 in my school.
September 5, 2023
The Girl who thought her Mother was a Mermaid by Tania Unsworth (Middle Grade)
Ten-year-old Stella is always the odd one out. She sleepwalks, is terrified of water, yet obsessed by the ocean. Her mother died when Stella was eight and nobody can answer her questions because her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother's memories are fading with dementia. Why is there such a strange family relationship with water? Are Grandma’s odd comments about mermaids just part of her dementia or is there more to them? What does the picture of a mermaid drawn by her mother mean and why had it been hidden away? Why did her mother give Stella a necklace called 'the word of the sea' before she died? Nobody can give her any answers. And the biggest mystery of all? Stella suspects that maybe she is different from everyone else because her mother was a mermaid.
When Stella's only friend in the world, Cam, moves to another town, Stella runs away, hiding herself in the removals van. Armed only with the necklace her mother left her and a backpack filled with snacks, Stella is determined to find out who her mum really was and therefore who she is too.
She ends up at Crystal Cove, a run-down aquarium with a mermaid show. There she meets Pearl who knew her mother and is able to reveal secrets of her past. Stella soon finds herself caught up in a dangerous turn of events. Only by facing her fear of the ocean will Stella uncover the truth.
This is a beautifully written story about family, friends, love and loss. Grandma’s dementia is sensitively handled:
"Her grandmother was a time traveller, Stella thought. She was always arriving - with great delight and surprise - into her own future."
Ten-year-old Stella is always the odd one out. She sleepwalks, is terrified of water, yet obsessed by the ocean. Her mother died when Stella was eight and nobody can answer her questions because her father is consumed by grief and her grandmother's memories are fading with dementia. Why is there such a strange family relationship with water? Are Grandma’s odd comments about mermaids just part of her dementia or is there more to them? What does the picture of a mermaid drawn by her mother mean and why had it been hidden away? Why did her mother give Stella a necklace called 'the word of the sea' before she died? Nobody can give her any answers. And the biggest mystery of all? Stella suspects that maybe she is different from everyone else because her mother was a mermaid.
When Stella's only friend in the world, Cam, moves to another town, Stella runs away, hiding herself in the removals van. Armed only with the necklace her mother left her and a backpack filled with snacks, Stella is determined to find out who her mum really was and therefore who she is too.
She ends up at Crystal Cove, a run-down aquarium with a mermaid show. There she meets Pearl who knew her mother and is able to reveal secrets of her past. Stella soon finds herself caught up in a dangerous turn of events. Only by facing her fear of the ocean will Stella uncover the truth.
This is a beautifully written story about family, friends, love and loss. Grandma’s dementia is sensitively handled:
"Her grandmother was a time traveller, Stella thought. She was always arriving - with great delight and surprise - into her own future."
June 11, 2018
Read & reviewed for The Bookbag. http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/i...
July 2, 2018
Book review will be published on www.mrripleysenchatedbooks.com
July 31, 2018
Poetically written with a beautiful story at the heart of it.
August 31, 2018
A wonderfully sweet yet sad story. A story about friendship, love, grief and the ocean all rolled into one. But don't worry, there's a happy ending!
April 23, 2019
Super leuk kinderboek!
December 28, 2019
I love this book. It had a lot of suspense and I kept on wanting to read it.
July 7, 2024
This book was amazing to read because of its mystery and thrills.The cliff hangers and realization was fantastic!Thank you for your time :)
February 27, 2025
I loved this book when I was younger I read it about 3 times and never got bored
August 24, 2018
I'm just going to come right out and say it: this is a perfectly told story which twists fantasy into reality in an oh-so satisfying way. Dealing with themes of loss, grief, friendship and discovery this book, I would go so far to say, is a must read.
The pain experienced by a grieving husband, the love and wisdom of a grandparent with alzheimers, the way that a child tries to deal with memories of a lost parent, the desparation of an abused employee, the delight of new friendship, the terror of being kidnapped, the bitterness and cruelty of someone who can't let go, the rushing sensation of elation when a remarkable discovery is made - this book has all the feels. Who'd have thought all of that would come from a tale about mermaids?
After the death of her mum Stella sets out on a dangerous voyage of discovery to find out more about who her mum really was. She makes brave and daring decisions but finds herself in grave trouble as she seeks to find the truth behind her mum's past. So compelling is the story, and so believable, I found myself reading the whole book in the space of day - Tania Unsworth draws in the reader with her beautiful writing and intensity of plot - an intensity that nevertheless still feels perfectly paced.
With the mention of mermaids in the title, this very well may get left on the shelf by some who assume its going to be too girly, but this real-world fantasy is far from it - it's a thrilling adventure which I would have no qualms about reading with, or recommending to, anyone (including boys). Sometimes books can really be a very pleasant surprise - 'The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was A Mermaid' is very much one of those books.
The pain experienced by a grieving husband, the love and wisdom of a grandparent with alzheimers, the way that a child tries to deal with memories of a lost parent, the desparation of an abused employee, the delight of new friendship, the terror of being kidnapped, the bitterness and cruelty of someone who can't let go, the rushing sensation of elation when a remarkable discovery is made - this book has all the feels. Who'd have thought all of that would come from a tale about mermaids?
After the death of her mum Stella sets out on a dangerous voyage of discovery to find out more about who her mum really was. She makes brave and daring decisions but finds herself in grave trouble as she seeks to find the truth behind her mum's past. So compelling is the story, and so believable, I found myself reading the whole book in the space of day - Tania Unsworth draws in the reader with her beautiful writing and intensity of plot - an intensity that nevertheless still feels perfectly paced.
With the mention of mermaids in the title, this very well may get left on the shelf by some who assume its going to be too girly, but this real-world fantasy is far from it - it's a thrilling adventure which I would have no qualms about reading with, or recommending to, anyone (including boys). Sometimes books can really be a very pleasant surprise - 'The Girl Who Thought Her Mother Was A Mermaid' is very much one of those books.
July 23, 2018
A mermaid tale for those who like their stories a little darker. Stella's mum died years ago; her dad is still sunk in grief and Grandma's sliding gently into dementia. Stella has no real anchor in life - who was her mum? Was there something strange or different about her? Odd comments from Grandma, folk tales, and the discovery of an old drawing by her mum all convince Stella that there's something a bit strange going on - could her mother possibly be some kind of mermaid? A chance discovery and a unique opportunity sends her off on a mission to uncover her family history.
The current crop of mermaid books seem aimed firmly at 6-8yo, but I would pitch this one at slightly older children - those who enjoy stories by Lisa Thompson and Lara Williamson, for example, would certainly appreciate the mix of family life and magical realism. The writing is spare and tight, keeping the reader closely interested, with a good element of thriller in the latter third.
The current crop of mermaid books seem aimed firmly at 6-8yo, but I would pitch this one at slightly older children - those who enjoy stories by Lisa Thompson and Lara Williamson, for example, would certainly appreciate the mix of family life and magical realism. The writing is spare and tight, keeping the reader closely interested, with a good element of thriller in the latter third.
March 25, 2020
Amazing I love all of it probably one of the best books I’ve read and I’ve read a lot of books !!!!!!!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews