The Girl and the Mermaid

The Girl and the Mermaid is the beautiful new book by winning duo Hollie Hughes and Sarah Massini. The front cover is shiny and sparkly, showing the main character Alina and her new companion from the sea. Alina lives with her Granny in a traditional lighthouse but we learn from the text that Granny is aging and is entering a forgetful world which worries Alina.

One day, Alina sees a mermaid who beckons her into the ocean and they begin a wondrous under the sea journey with pirates, whales and a merfolk castle. Alina is able to capture old and new stories by returning to Granny with a seashell which relights the dark lighthouse and Granny's heart and soul.

The Girl and the Mermaid touches on Granny becoming elderly and the magic that grandchildren can have in supporting their journey and calming their fears. This is delicately woven in and dealt with positively by the author. The rhyming text is a joy to read and the illustrations are exquisite.

This book was read to a class of 6-7 year olds who thoroughly enjoyed it and understood that "anything can happen in a story."

Suggested Reading Age 5+

Alina and her Granny live in a lighthouse by the sea: a home filled with the warmth of Granny's magical stories. 

But Alina is worried. Granny's memories and stories are starting to fade away, and she doesn't know how to bring them back. Then one day, she meets a mermaid on the rocks near the lighthouse - and she's swept into a magical deep-sea adventure that will change everything.

The Girl and the Mermaid is a beautiful book, reminding us of the importance of story telling. Told through simple rhyme, the text skips along at such a joyful pace. Wonderfully enchanting, young readers can experience rhyme at its best or use the motivation or message in the book to retell their own Grandma's story. Maybe start with a 'recorded interview' where a Grandparent can retell their favourite story or memory; this could be shared with the whole class and then later developed into story writing.

A book which inspires and reminds us of the importance of the spoken word and keeping alive stories of young and old.

Picture book / Reviewed by Louise Gahan, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+

The Girl and the Mermaid is a wonderful tale, with beautiful water-colour illustrations that will grab the attention and heart of the reader. Follow the heart-warming story of Alina, her Granny and their lighthouse. Each evening, Granny and Alina share tales of mermaids from beneath the sea. But as time passes and Granny ages, these tales become faded and forgotten. Wishing she could bring back the memories and tales, Alina's heart breaks for her ageing Granny. Until one day, she spots a mermaid on the rocks nearby. 'Swim with me', the mermaid cries. Knowing that Granny's tales are true, Alina bravely follows on and discovers the many, many wonders of the deep sea.

Back at the lighthouse, Alina knows that as Lighthouse keeper, it is now her job to keep these tales alive and spread them far and wide. The Girl and the Mermaid is a wonderful book to share with children that not only exposes children to diversity through text, but also provides many opportunities for creative writing, description and drama.

Picture book / Reviewed by Maria Faithorn, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 5+