THE MERMAID MOON

A friendship-focused modern fairy tale in an idyllic seaside village.

One night each year, on the Mermaid Moon festival, sea creatures float through the picturesque town of Merporth, frolicking alongside the cheerful villagers. Merrin, a light-skinned mermaid whose long red hair may invite comparisons to Disney’s Ariel, is at last old enough to join the other creatures, and she can’t wait to go to her best friend Molly’s house. Molly, a light-skinned, brown-haired human, often visits Merrin, diving underwater or sitting with her by the sea, but tonight will be different. With an emphasis on camaraderie, this tale sees Merrin having a fun night out with Molly. Paragraphs of text in a small black font make this an option for a slightly older or more patient audience. Mixed-media art shimmers, with appealing blue-greens bringing to life Merrin’s sea home and deep blues depicting the sky on the night of the Mermaid Moon festival. Still, the story lulls overall, with only one brief conflict—it seems Merrin may not make it back to the sea before “the moon’s reflection disappears from the sea,” which would spell death for her cove’s magic. The solution is creative yet too swiftly and neatly found to satisfy readers. Molly is an uncomplicated character, defined by her love of Merrin, evidenced by jars of sea ephemera in her bedroom. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Close to enchanting but not quite.