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Folklore Field Guides
A Natural History of Mermaids
Featuring a silver-foil-embossed cloth cover, a ribbon marker and sprayed silver edges, this gorgeous volume is filled with beautiful illustrations and precise notes detailing the secret life of mermaids.
In 1872, intrepid (fictional) explorer Darcy Delamare disguised herself as a man to claim a place on board the (real life) scientific expedition of the HMS Challenger. She made a record of her findings on the trip, recounting the extraordinary sea creatures she creatures that, until now, nobody had believed really existed... mermaids!
Following on from the beautiful A Natural History of Fairies and A Natural History of Magick, this beautifully illustrated vintage album is filled with descriptions and illustrations of Delamare's findings, from tales of mermaids in ancient lore to more recent sightings as well as facts on the beliefs and superstitions surrounding these elusive creatures.
Children will delight in discovering the anatomy, behaviour and lifecycles of the Merfolk and how they have hidden themselves from human discovery over millennia. Pore over the anatomy of tails, learn how these mysterious creatures communicate and immerse yourself in their underwater world.
The Folklore Field Guides series is a charming collection of beautifully illustrated handbooks on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form.
In 1872, intrepid (fictional) explorer Darcy Delamare disguised herself as a man to claim a place on board the (real life) scientific expedition of the HMS Challenger. She made a record of her findings on the trip, recounting the extraordinary sea creatures she creatures that, until now, nobody had believed really existed... mermaids!
Following on from the beautiful A Natural History of Fairies and A Natural History of Magick, this beautifully illustrated vintage album is filled with descriptions and illustrations of Delamare's findings, from tales of mermaids in ancient lore to more recent sightings as well as facts on the beliefs and superstitions surrounding these elusive creatures.
Children will delight in discovering the anatomy, behaviour and lifecycles of the Merfolk and how they have hidden themselves from human discovery over millennia. Pore over the anatomy of tails, learn how these mysterious creatures communicate and immerse yourself in their underwater world.
The Folklore Field Guides series is a charming collection of beautifully illustrated handbooks on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form.
64 pages, Hardcover
Published September 6, 2022
About the author
Emily Hawkins
85 books65 followersOnce a children’s book editor, Emily Hawkins is now a full-time author. Her work has been featured on the New York Times bestseller list (Oceanology, 2009) as well as winning the Children’s Travel Book of the Year Award (Atlas of Animal Adventures, 2016). Along with her background in children’s non-fiction Emily has a strong interest in myth, folklore and storytelling. In 2020 she wrote A Natural History of Fairies, which has been translated into twelve languages, selling more than 100,000 copies worldwide. Emily holds a first-class English degree from Nottingham University, and lives in Winchester, UK.
You can find her on Instagram @emilyhawkinsbooks.
You can find her on Instagram @emilyhawkinsbooks.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 13, 2022
A “factual” look at the fantastical idea of merfolk. The book is good, but I wasn’t the right reader for it.
The content is set around the idea that a woman explorer named Darcy Delamare disguised herself as a man and joined the scientific expedition team of the HMS Challenger. (FYI, the woman is fictional; the expedition isn’t.) Darcy’s “findings” are presented in this book, which is patterned like a field journal, replete with her research data, her notes on the characteristics and habits of merfolk, information on underwater content such as shells and plants (and even on things like “types of mermaid tails”). The entire idea is a tongue-in-cheek way of presenting the “truth about mermaids”, with the last page acting as the spoilsport when the President of the British Society of Natural Sciences debunks all the “proof” sent by Darcy as hogwash.
The extent of information in the book took me by surprise. Had I not known the reality about mermaids, I would almost have been convinced of their existence. (Maybe some younger kids will actually believe in mermaids after reading this! Who knows?!) The style of writing is very encyclopaedic, with each page having sectioned text boxes designed in papyrus style. These contain information about the mer folk as well as an excerpt of Darcy’s notes from her journal. The content intermingles fact and fiction. For instance, the deep sea angler fish is presented as a mermaid variant, with an illustration supporting the same. Same goes for the puffer fish and many other uncommon fish.
On the positive side, the lore elements were outstanding! The books presents info in mermaids from a variety of cultures and regions. It delves into how the myths began, where the “first mermaid was sighted”, and so on. I enjoyed the parts where real animal facts were disguised as mer information. The illustrations are beautiful and match the content excellently.
On the flip side, this fact-fiction medley isn’t a style that works well for me. Had the entire book contained a humorous approach that was more overt than covert, I might have enjoyed it more. But the humour is too subtle and the presentation too straightforward, thereby creating mixed signals at least in my head.
Also, the small size of the text made it very difficult to read. (This might not be a problem in the physical copy, but my digital copy sure tested the limits of my eyes.) There is too much information per page. It might get too overwhelming for kids. The official age range is 7-11 years, but the younger of this segment might enjoy the illustrations more than the content.
I have always maintained that I am a creature of logic. The dominant left side of my brain is trying hard to figure out the point of the book and whom to recommend it to. The subdued right side is whispering, “Suggest it to those who love mermaids.” For once, my left hemisphere will pay heed to the advice. Ergo…
Recommended to those who love mermaids, regardless of age.
3 stars.
Don’t forget, this is an outlier review by a reader who shouldn’t have read this book in the first place. The other reviews are overwhelmingly positive, so ignore the logical grump writing this, and decide for yourself.
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Natural History of Mermaids”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
The content is set around the idea that a woman explorer named Darcy Delamare disguised herself as a man and joined the scientific expedition team of the HMS Challenger. (FYI, the woman is fictional; the expedition isn’t.) Darcy’s “findings” are presented in this book, which is patterned like a field journal, replete with her research data, her notes on the characteristics and habits of merfolk, information on underwater content such as shells and plants (and even on things like “types of mermaid tails”). The entire idea is a tongue-in-cheek way of presenting the “truth about mermaids”, with the last page acting as the spoilsport when the President of the British Society of Natural Sciences debunks all the “proof” sent by Darcy as hogwash.
The extent of information in the book took me by surprise. Had I not known the reality about mermaids, I would almost have been convinced of their existence. (Maybe some younger kids will actually believe in mermaids after reading this! Who knows?!) The style of writing is very encyclopaedic, with each page having sectioned text boxes designed in papyrus style. These contain information about the mer folk as well as an excerpt of Darcy’s notes from her journal. The content intermingles fact and fiction. For instance, the deep sea angler fish is presented as a mermaid variant, with an illustration supporting the same. Same goes for the puffer fish and many other uncommon fish.
On the positive side, the lore elements were outstanding! The books presents info in mermaids from a variety of cultures and regions. It delves into how the myths began, where the “first mermaid was sighted”, and so on. I enjoyed the parts where real animal facts were disguised as mer information. The illustrations are beautiful and match the content excellently.
On the flip side, this fact-fiction medley isn’t a style that works well for me. Had the entire book contained a humorous approach that was more overt than covert, I might have enjoyed it more. But the humour is too subtle and the presentation too straightforward, thereby creating mixed signals at least in my head.
Also, the small size of the text made it very difficult to read. (This might not be a problem in the physical copy, but my digital copy sure tested the limits of my eyes.) There is too much information per page. It might get too overwhelming for kids. The official age range is 7-11 years, but the younger of this segment might enjoy the illustrations more than the content.
I have always maintained that I am a creature of logic. The dominant left side of my brain is trying hard to figure out the point of the book and whom to recommend it to. The subdued right side is whispering, “Suggest it to those who love mermaids.” For once, my left hemisphere will pay heed to the advice. Ergo…
Recommended to those who love mermaids, regardless of age.
3 stars.
Don’t forget, this is an outlier review by a reader who shouldn’t have read this book in the first place. The other reviews are overwhelmingly positive, so ignore the logical grump writing this, and decide for yourself.
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “A Natural History of Mermaids”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
September 16, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
A Natural History of Mermaids is a beautiful encyclopedia type book for children all about mermaids. I was pleasantly surprised with the quantity of information on mermaids that was included in this book as I didn't expect there to be as much as there was. The book features lots of illustrated pictures and diagrams to help the reader understand things better. I would say this is more for an advanced reader as the quantity of the text would be a little bit too much for one who struggles or is still on a reading scheme. The illustrations are beautiful and a great book for any mermaid lover.
A Natural History of Mermaids is a beautiful encyclopedia type book for children all about mermaids. I was pleasantly surprised with the quantity of information on mermaids that was included in this book as I didn't expect there to be as much as there was. The book features lots of illustrated pictures and diagrams to help the reader understand things better. I would say this is more for an advanced reader as the quantity of the text would be a little bit too much for one who struggles or is still on a reading scheme. The illustrations are beautiful and a great book for any mermaid lover.
March 1, 2023
Yes this is a kid’s book…and IDGAF 🤭🧜🏽♀️🌊🏝️🐚
August 12, 2022
This non-fiction text explores the many folklore and tales of mermaids throughout history and compares several aspects between different historical groups. For example, a page may be dedicated to types of mermaid tales, and the author compares the different descriptions or illustrations of mermaid tales across time periods and groups. There is a surprising amount of information available about mermaids, and this is a fairly long text. There are lots of illustrations and diagrams to help readers understand the ideas. All of the female mermaids have their chests covered, though occasionally only by their hair. There is a significant amount of text on a page, and the text is quite small, but is organized into smaller text boxes. I think that the amount of information on the page is a little bit too much at times and may be a bit overwhelming to younger or struggling readers, but the pictures are interesting enough that readers may enjoy just looking at the pictures as well. As a grade 3 teacher, I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the 7-12 age range, especially those already interested in mermaids and stories through history. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
August 13, 2022
Pub: 6th Sep 2022
4.5 Stars
I love it!
In 1880, The British Society of Natural Sciences received a letter from a mysterious lady scientist, Darcy Delamare, about her adventurous trip and the discovery of mermaids. Darcy Delamare sailed aboard the HMS Challenger as Daniel Dawson (in disguise because men didn’t like women in the field of science) in December 1872. This book contains her notes and observations about the scientific voyage and mermaids from around the world.
A Natural History of Mermaids is what I’d call an encyclopedia of mermaids. Darcy Delamare starts with a brief history of mermaids in different cultures (Mesopotamia - Oannes, Syria - Atargatis, Greek – Triton, etc.). She goes on to provide information about the types of mer (maids and men) in different regions (from the Arctic to Tropical and Deepwater). She mentions fake mermaid sightings and captures as well.
Do you know:
• There are mer in the Polar Regions, and some look like walrus.
• Mer has ten types of tails!
• Mer lay eggs but feed milk to kiddo mers (these littles are the cutest, I tell you).
• Mers migrate and can sleep when standing.
• They are friends with sea horses and use hand signs to communicate (they say Namaste to each other!).
• Mer communication might sound like a song (and, no, they sure don’t sing songs to lure sailors).
• Ocean forests, mangroves, reefs, etc., provide great camouflage for mer. They need it, too, considering the risk.
And guess what? The mermaid from Hindu and Thai epics of Ramayana is also mentioned. We call her Suvarchala, a sea maiden (rather a huge fish). The stories of her and Hanuman ji are varied (quite common), but yes, we know her. :)
The illustrations are fantastic. If they look so so good in an electronic copy, I can imagine how marvelous they would be in a hard copy. Sigh! Mer come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (literally). I like that the mermaids have covering on their chest, be it seaweed, shells, or just hair. The mer tails sparkle on some pages. I could stare at the illustrations for hours and not feel the least bit inclined to close the book.
I had to reduce 0.5 stars because of the font size. Seriously, publishers, please spare our eyes. Tiny font means I had to change the layout and enlarge it, which makes it difficult to scroll. I’m not sure how the font will be in the physical copy. The book dimensions need to be fairly big for kids to read without squinting at the page.
The information can be overwhelming if you read the book in one go. Spread it over a week or more to enjoy the book to its fullest. The bits of dry humor act like perfect seasoning. The book does end on a bittersweet note, a small reminder about the unfairness of society, but, oh, well.
To sum up, A Natural History of Mermaids is THE book for kids who love mermaids and aquatic life. There’s so much to learn, not just about mer but also about the seas and oceans.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ANaturalHistoryofMermaids #NetGalley
***
P.S: There’s no upper age limit for this book. Grab it if you like mermaids. ;)
Check out the review on my blog for a couple of pictures from the book (I figured it's easier to hyperlink a blog than to post images on GR).
4.5 Stars
I love it!
In 1880, The British Society of Natural Sciences received a letter from a mysterious lady scientist, Darcy Delamare, about her adventurous trip and the discovery of mermaids. Darcy Delamare sailed aboard the HMS Challenger as Daniel Dawson (in disguise because men didn’t like women in the field of science) in December 1872. This book contains her notes and observations about the scientific voyage and mermaids from around the world.
A Natural History of Mermaids is what I’d call an encyclopedia of mermaids. Darcy Delamare starts with a brief history of mermaids in different cultures (Mesopotamia - Oannes, Syria - Atargatis, Greek – Triton, etc.). She goes on to provide information about the types of mer (maids and men) in different regions (from the Arctic to Tropical and Deepwater). She mentions fake mermaid sightings and captures as well.
Do you know:
• There are mer in the Polar Regions, and some look like walrus.
• Mer has ten types of tails!
• Mer lay eggs but feed milk to kiddo mers (these littles are the cutest, I tell you).
• Mers migrate and can sleep when standing.
• They are friends with sea horses and use hand signs to communicate (they say Namaste to each other!).
• Mer communication might sound like a song (and, no, they sure don’t sing songs to lure sailors).
• Ocean forests, mangroves, reefs, etc., provide great camouflage for mer. They need it, too, considering the risk.
And guess what? The mermaid from Hindu and Thai epics of Ramayana is also mentioned. We call her Suvarchala, a sea maiden (rather a huge fish). The stories of her and Hanuman ji are varied (quite common), but yes, we know her. :)
The illustrations are fantastic. If they look so so good in an electronic copy, I can imagine how marvelous they would be in a hard copy. Sigh! Mer come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (literally). I like that the mermaids have covering on their chest, be it seaweed, shells, or just hair. The mer tails sparkle on some pages. I could stare at the illustrations for hours and not feel the least bit inclined to close the book.
I had to reduce 0.5 stars because of the font size. Seriously, publishers, please spare our eyes. Tiny font means I had to change the layout and enlarge it, which makes it difficult to scroll. I’m not sure how the font will be in the physical copy. The book dimensions need to be fairly big for kids to read without squinting at the page.
The information can be overwhelming if you read the book in one go. Spread it over a week or more to enjoy the book to its fullest. The bits of dry humor act like perfect seasoning. The book does end on a bittersweet note, a small reminder about the unfairness of society, but, oh, well.
To sum up, A Natural History of Mermaids is THE book for kids who love mermaids and aquatic life. There’s so much to learn, not just about mer but also about the seas and oceans.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#ANaturalHistoryofMermaids #NetGalley
***
P.S: There’s no upper age limit for this book. Grab it if you like mermaids. ;)
Check out the review on my blog for a couple of pictures from the book (I figured it's easier to hyperlink a blog than to post images on GR).
December 30, 2022
I absolutely loved the first book about fairies, and this book was no different! The illustrations are beautiful and there is an amazing attention to detail!💫 The book discusses where all the different types of mermaids come from in true detail, it has detailed descriptions of their different appearances, habits, relationships and so on! This book is magical, creative and easy to read!🧜 🧜♂️
August 12, 2022
A must for every mermaid lover in your life.
From the Mermaid Life Cycle (varies from geological location and species of course) to their habitats, this non fiction book will answer all their questions. The images are beautiful and really bring the words to life.
Great read
From the Mermaid Life Cycle (varies from geological location and species of course) to their habitats, this non fiction book will answer all their questions. The images are beautiful and really bring the words to life.
Great read
August 8, 2022
"The Folklore Field Guides series is a charming collection of beautifully illustrated handbooks on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form."
This sentiment is especially true of the newest installment, A Natural History of Mermaids by Emily Dawkins. A wonderful mix of real facts and stories of lore, this book is a wonderful book perfect for fourth-fifth grade level readers.
This sentiment is especially true of the newest installment, A Natural History of Mermaids by Emily Dawkins. A wonderful mix of real facts and stories of lore, this book is a wonderful book perfect for fourth-fifth grade level readers.
August 4, 2022
Thank you to netgalley for an arc copy of this book. I already own A Natural History of Fairies which is absolutely stunning and enchanting.✨🧚🏻♀️ 🌿
A few months ago I seen there was going to be another book published but about Mermaids and I knew straight away I needed to pre-order this gem. 💎
I’m so happy I did because I just read through this breathtaking arc and am awestruck by the illustrations, facts and history. This book is so elegant and feels like an undersea fantasy.
I can’t wait to share this book with my young daughters.
🤍🧜♀️🌊
A few months ago I seen there was going to be another book published but about Mermaids and I knew straight away I needed to pre-order this gem. 💎
I’m so happy I did because I just read through this breathtaking arc and am awestruck by the illustrations, facts and history. This book is so elegant and feels like an undersea fantasy.
I can’t wait to share this book with my young daughters.
🤍🧜♀️🌊
August 7, 2022
This was a fantastic book on mermaids! So much info about merfolk that I had no clue about. My favorite page is all the different merfolk tails...who knew. This would be a great gift for a lover of merfolk no matter their age :)
Thank you NetGalley!
Thank you NetGalley!
December 13, 2022
I am thrilled that this book by Emily Hawkins exists. What an engaging and inviting way to introduce aspects of the scientific process such as the importance of observation, of field studies, of the methods of communication and of note-taking while immersing readers in the narrative of Darcy Deamare’s experience and findings on the Challenger expedition.
A Natural History of Mermaids, a multi-layered text, very much reads like great historical fiction. Except, of course, we know as readers that mermaids are not real. This book is so convincing that a young reader may find themselves adrift and unsure while swept up in the stories of legend and lore. And HOW cool is that? The best fiction takes you wholly into the world of the text, and this book does just that.
Jessica Roux's artwork is incredibly detailed and brings merfolk to life in a way that is both magical and realistic while adhering to what one would expect of a scientific study (labels, arrows, definitions…etc.).
There is SO MUCH here. From the life cycle of merfolk (did you know mermaids lay eggs as fish do?), to merfolk habitats (from polar waters to rocky reefs with details on the adaptations necessary to survive in different places), to staying safe (those that are not armed with natural defences make their own — and there is a beautiful chart of various shells and their protective purposes to pour over).
One of the things I loved most about this book was the way it highlighted diversity. I also appreciated the design decision to have a brown mermaid on the cover— representation is SO essential and one of the qualities I look for when adding books to our bookshelves.
This is the kind of book you dip into and out of you. You study a page or two, and then come back to it, and it lives in your imagination all the while.
From its cloth cover, to ribbon bookmark, and strikingly beautiful vintage-style illustrations, this is a keepsake book, a book to gift, a book to keep on the shelf for years and years to come.
Thank you to Quarto Kids for gifting my family this absolute treasure of a book!
A Natural History of Mermaids, a multi-layered text, very much reads like great historical fiction. Except, of course, we know as readers that mermaids are not real. This book is so convincing that a young reader may find themselves adrift and unsure while swept up in the stories of legend and lore. And HOW cool is that? The best fiction takes you wholly into the world of the text, and this book does just that.
Jessica Roux's artwork is incredibly detailed and brings merfolk to life in a way that is both magical and realistic while adhering to what one would expect of a scientific study (labels, arrows, definitions…etc.).
There is SO MUCH here. From the life cycle of merfolk (did you know mermaids lay eggs as fish do?), to merfolk habitats (from polar waters to rocky reefs with details on the adaptations necessary to survive in different places), to staying safe (those that are not armed with natural defences make their own — and there is a beautiful chart of various shells and their protective purposes to pour over).
One of the things I loved most about this book was the way it highlighted diversity. I also appreciated the design decision to have a brown mermaid on the cover— representation is SO essential and one of the qualities I look for when adding books to our bookshelves.
This is the kind of book you dip into and out of you. You study a page or two, and then come back to it, and it lives in your imagination all the while.
From its cloth cover, to ribbon bookmark, and strikingly beautiful vintage-style illustrations, this is a keepsake book, a book to gift, a book to keep on the shelf for years and years to come.
Thank you to Quarto Kids for gifting my family this absolute treasure of a book!
August 31, 2022
In a style that will be familiar to fans of Dragonology and other books in that series, A Natural History of Mermaids is a sort of non-fiction version of fiction. It claims to be written by Darcy Delamare, a scientist who disguised herself as a man on a ship in 1872 because men didn't like women to be scientists back then. This book contains all of her observations about mermaids.
While the author and various mermaid sightings listed are clearly fictional, the book contains a lot of information about the mythology of mermaids. This allows the reader to learn about historic cultures and their views of mermaids as well as historical objects depicting merpeople. The mythology is well-researched and covers cultures and mermaid history from all over the world. The information on where mermaids live and how their bodies operate also echo science and real creatures. Readers will learn real information about various ocean areas such as kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and reefs.
The illustrations of the book are bright and colorful. They are engaging and offer a lot for readers to enjoy. Unfortunately, the font choice can be hard to read at times, but overall the pages are a joy to look at.
I didn't find the scientist sharing notes to be particularly well done in this book. It's been done quite a bit at this point, and unfortunately, that angle doesn't add anything to this book. It doesn't have a story worth following and, in the end, is more distracting than anything. It adds to the idea that this is all true, which is fun, but the story of that itself doesn't carry well.
Overall, this is a delightful book for fans of mermaids of all ages.
While the author and various mermaid sightings listed are clearly fictional, the book contains a lot of information about the mythology of mermaids. This allows the reader to learn about historic cultures and their views of mermaids as well as historical objects depicting merpeople. The mythology is well-researched and covers cultures and mermaid history from all over the world. The information on where mermaids live and how their bodies operate also echo science and real creatures. Readers will learn real information about various ocean areas such as kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and reefs.
The illustrations of the book are bright and colorful. They are engaging and offer a lot for readers to enjoy. Unfortunately, the font choice can be hard to read at times, but overall the pages are a joy to look at.
I didn't find the scientist sharing notes to be particularly well done in this book. It's been done quite a bit at this point, and unfortunately, that angle doesn't add anything to this book. It doesn't have a story worth following and, in the end, is more distracting than anything. It adds to the idea that this is all true, which is fun, but the story of that itself doesn't carry well.
Overall, this is a delightful book for fans of mermaids of all ages.
October 24, 2022
Hmmm… Gorgeous to look at, this is supposed to be a report into the science of mermaids and mermen – a Victorian-era research vessel managed to carry a woman disguised as a man, and this is her findings written up as an academic volume for people to finally know the truth with. It's all great to explore, although in digressing to different types of corals it does feel a touch padded out. The biggest problem is that this is presented in conjunction with the narrative side of the book, generally concerning the actual progress of the boat and her science. And here things suffer, (a) because the boat's route is like a blind drunkard trying out zorbing for the first time, and (b) the narrative, sorry to say, ain't all that.
As a fiction, then, the piece is a bit rum. As a mock-up of a science paper of the time it's brilliantly coloured – so much so it may lose some realism. And as a book about merfolk, it has too much of the author and not enough of the lore of us real world people, only dipping in and out of the many legends about mermaids at times, enough to show what it might have been if not permanently stuck on its own conceit. I admired every hour of the labour that went into presenting this, but I can't say it's as delightful to wade through.
As a fiction, then, the piece is a bit rum. As a mock-up of a science paper of the time it's brilliantly coloured – so much so it may lose some realism. And as a book about merfolk, it has too much of the author and not enough of the lore of us real world people, only dipping in and out of the many legends about mermaids at times, enough to show what it might have been if not permanently stuck on its own conceit. I admired every hour of the labour that went into presenting this, but I can't say it's as delightful to wade through.
October 24, 2024
“Dear reader, are you ready to plunge beneath the waves to discover the truth about the creatures of the deep? Then look no further.”
After reading a Natural History of Dragons, I wanted to buy the entire collection. As my next story is about mermaids, I decided to begin with this one. The book is a very beautiful item, with a turquoise fabric cover and silver edges. The illustrations, once again, are gorgeous.
When A Natural History of Dragons was a true-false school book, A Natural History of Mermaids is built like a logbook, and would have been written by Darcy Delamare, a research assistant (disguised like a man) on the HMS Challenger. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work as much and I didn’t find the same magic. The information feels a bit repetitive and the legends that are a bit different (likeMami Wata or the Selkies) aren’t developed much –which is, IMO, a missed opportunity, even in a children's book.
That book remains a beautiful one I will like to share with my nephews and nieces when they visit and use it as a visual reference to get in the mood for my own writing.
Raté 4.5/5
After reading a Natural History of Dragons, I wanted to buy the entire collection. As my next story is about mermaids, I decided to begin with this one. The book is a very beautiful item, with a turquoise fabric cover and silver edges. The illustrations, once again, are gorgeous.
When A Natural History of Dragons was a true-false school book, A Natural History of Mermaids is built like a logbook, and would have been written by Darcy Delamare, a research assistant (disguised like a man) on the HMS Challenger. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work as much and I didn’t find the same magic. The information feels a bit repetitive and the legends that are a bit different (likeMami Wata or the Selkies) aren’t developed much –which is, IMO, a missed opportunity, even in a children's book.
That book remains a beautiful one I will like to share with my nephews and nieces when they visit and use it as a visual reference to get in the mood for my own writing.
Raté 4.5/5
August 14, 2022
I think my new favorite genre of children's books is fiction that is also non-fiction. I love the use of fantasy creatures in order to help facilitate learning about science in a way that kids might not find interesting. I love the variation of mermaids and the way the book was written like an expedition journal.
Readability especially was a problem for me with this book, the font was incredibly difficult to read which, if it's hard for an adult, will only be harder for children.
While I don't think there's anything wrong with having more than one book that uses mermaids as a jumping point to help teach about nature, I find it interesting that there's another book with a very similar premise coming out the same month, but I do think that A Field Guide to Mermaid handles it a little better in ease of use and readability. The more ironic (and funny to me) part being that both authors are named Emily.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Readability especially was a problem for me with this book, the font was incredibly difficult to read which, if it's hard for an adult, will only be harder for children.
While I don't think there's anything wrong with having more than one book that uses mermaids as a jumping point to help teach about nature, I find it interesting that there's another book with a very similar premise coming out the same month, but I do think that A Field Guide to Mermaid handles it a little better in ease of use and readability. The more ironic (and funny to me) part being that both authors are named Emily.
Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
September 12, 2022
This was a wonderful fantasy encyclopedia presented in a non fiction way.
It is full to the brim with facts and guidance for those interested in merpeople and the work the author has put into the book is considerable.
The illustrations are in a lovely vintage style and the found footage way everything is presented works really well.
I sadly felt that the story surrounding D'Arcy Delamare sneaking onto the ship and submitting her evidence of the merpeople to the British Society of Natural Science was unnecessary.
Overall this would be a lovely book that any child could lose themselves in for many hours.
It is full to the brim with facts and guidance for those interested in merpeople and the work the author has put into the book is considerable.
The illustrations are in a lovely vintage style and the found footage way everything is presented works really well.
I sadly felt that the story surrounding D'Arcy Delamare sneaking onto the ship and submitting her evidence of the merpeople to the British Society of Natural Science was unnecessary.
Overall this would be a lovely book that any child could lose themselves in for many hours.
December 24, 2023
A Natural History of Mermaids from the Notebook of Darcy Delamare, cleverly weaves historical content—i.e., the 1872 voyage of the HMS Challenger, a scientific ship of the British Royal Navy sent to chronicle the earth’s mysterious life forces below the ocean waves— with fictional information about mermaids. A strength of this book is weaving diary entries found in 2017 from Darcy Delamare, a female crew member disguised as a man, whose entries chronicle detailed descriptions of mermaids around the globe. The book weaves actual information, beliefs, legends, and mer folk sightings with high adventure on the seas.
August 30, 2022
Myths, legends, fantasy, and more and all about merfolk!
A wonderful study in full brilliant color of everything there is and ever was to know about merfolk through the ages.
The illustrations by Jessica Roux are delightful, colorful, vibrant, imaginative, and FANTASTIC!
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age.
I really want to get one for my local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
A wonderful study in full brilliant color of everything there is and ever was to know about merfolk through the ages.
The illustrations by Jessica Roux are delightful, colorful, vibrant, imaginative, and FANTASTIC!
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age.
I really want to get one for my local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children's Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
September 7, 2022
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is such a clever little book. The illustrations are beautiful, the mer-science is compelling, and the real science snuck in throughout the book is very interesting. So much time, thought, and effort must have been spent on this book. I am truly impressed. My one complaint is that, though only 33 pages, it felt long.
This is such a clever little book. The illustrations are beautiful, the mer-science is compelling, and the real science snuck in throughout the book is very interesting. So much time, thought, and effort must have been spent on this book. I am truly impressed. My one complaint is that, though only 33 pages, it felt long.
December 17, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was such a delightful book. I loved the journal style and the illustrations which is written by a fictional explorer Darcy Delamare who disguised herself as a man to claim a place on a scientific expedition HMS Challenger. Here is where she made the discover of some different sea creatures which in today's points of view are mermaids. I love how the story flows and it is short, but great.
I thought this was such a delightful book. I loved the journal style and the illustrations which is written by a fictional explorer Darcy Delamare who disguised herself as a man to claim a place on a scientific expedition HMS Challenger. Here is where she made the discover of some different sea creatures which in today's points of view are mermaids. I love how the story flows and it is short, but great.
September 12, 2022
A beautifully illustrated book/guide on mermaids. This book is not a story it’s a knowledge of what stems from mermaids legends. Accounts of sightings, the different characteristics of a mermaid, for example. A very interesting and fun read.
July 29, 2025
Ocena 4 ⭐️
Format papier
Zdecydowanie lektura dla trochę starszych dzieci. Dużo takiego „naukowego” tekstu plus bardzo obszerne opisy, co młodsze dziecko po prostu znudzi. Po za tym piękne ilustracje, ładne wydanie, ciekawa forma. Bardzo spoko
Format papier
Zdecydowanie lektura dla trochę starszych dzieci. Dużo takiego „naukowego” tekstu plus bardzo obszerne opisy, co młodsze dziecko po prostu znudzi. Po za tym piękne ilustracje, ładne wydanie, ciekawa forma. Bardzo spoko
Want to Read
September 15, 2022Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 23, 2023
I’ve been asked to use this book for writing with 9-11 year olds. I am not looking forward to it. I feel underwhelmed by it.
January 18, 2025
Such a beautiful book. It does a very good job of tying fiction and non-fiction together.
January 20, 2025
Podoba mi się idea syrenek polarnych, które nie są tak idealne jak disneyowe
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