Mermaids, sea-maidens, sirens, or water nymphs. Whatever you wish to call the mythical half-human, half-fish, sea-dwelling creatures, stories of mermaids have enchanted listeners for thousands of years in cultures across the globe. Young readers who love fantastical tales and stories of wonder and magic will love these mermaid books for tweens (ages 8-12).
This diverse selection of mermaid books features mermaids off the coast of Scotland, Caribbean jumbies, modern day Ariels, graphic novels and even classic children's books. So dive right in to the depths of the ocean! No scuba gear necessary.
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To Catch a Mermaid by Suzanne Selfors
Sixth grader Boom Broom brings home a hideous, hostile, ill-mannered merbaby from the fish market. He lives with his eccentric family, including a self-absorbed sister, reclusive father and Viking cook. The adoption of the merbaby sets off such a chaotic, hilarious chain of events that you can't help but wonder how in the world everything will be resolved. Ages 8 and up.
MORE: Fairy Tale Novels for Kids
Secrets of the Last Merfolk by Lindsay Littleson
The narration of this imaginative tale alternates between the voices of Finn, a boy who's come to the Scottish coast for Christmas holiday with his father, sister and new stepmother, and Sage, a girl who lives with her two environmental-activist moms and brother in a cabin nearby. The two kids meet and discover that merfolk live in the nearby waves but are being threatened the Great Eel. Ages 9 and up.
MORE: Scottish folklore and fairy tales
The Sea Fairies (series) by L. Frank Baum
Find it: Amazon | Project Gutenberg (free)
If you've read the entire Oz series, you know about Trot and Cap'n Bill. The author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz wrote this engaging fantasy story about a girl, Trot, and Cap'n Bill, a sailor with a wooden leg, who have magical adventures underwater before they get to Oz. Follow up with more adventures of Trot and Cap'n Bill in Sky Island. Ages 8 and up.
MORE: Middle Grade Books Featuring Strong Princesses
Sea Sirens: A Trot & Cap'n Bill Adventure (series) by Amy Chu, illustrated by Janet K. Lee
This graphic novel is more than just an adaptation of L. Frank Baum's classic novel, Sea Faries, into comic book form. Trot, a Vietnamese surfer girl who hates schoo,l brings her grandfather, who has dementia, to the beach with her. That day she is pulled beneath the waves with Cap'n Bill and her feline surfing companion, where they find themselves in the middle of a battle between feuding sea creatures. Ages 8 and up.
Rise of the Jumbies (series) by Tracey Baptiste
I really enjoyed this middle grade novel. It's the second in a series that began with The Jumbies. Set in the Caribbean and influenced by local folklore, this tale follows Corinne LaMer as she and her friends pursue a thrilling but dangerous quest to fetch a treasure for Mama D’Leau, the Jumbie who rules the ocean. Ages 8 and up.
MORE: Middle Grade Fantasy Novels with Diverse Protagonists
Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Maddie is loving her first experience visiting Grandmère's home in the bayou. It's so much more magical than living in the city and there might even be a mermaid living in the water's mysterious depths! But then an oil spill threatens the delicate balance of the bayou and Maddie must figure out a way to save the wonderful world she now loves. Ages 8 and up.
MORE: Historical Fiction with Strong Female Protagonists
Whatever After: Sink or Swim (series) by Sarah Mlynowski
Mlynowski's Whatever After series includes updated versions of classic fairy tales for the tween set and are great fun for those who like fractured fairy tales. Abby and her brother, Jake, are transported through a mirror to the world of The Little Mermaid. Once there, they decide to try and change the unhappy ending of the the original story. No doubt your kids will want to read the entire series. Ages 8 and up.
The Tail of Emily Windsnap (series) by Liz Kessler
This is the first book in Liz Kessler's popular, best-selling series about a seventh grader who makes the startling discovery that she is part mermaid. She sets off to find her merman father and learns the secrets of the sea. While reading this book, I knew it would be extremely appealing to kids, mostly because I would have loved this series when I was younger. Start your child on this first book, and they'll spend the summer finishing up the series, and isn't that always the goal? Ages 8 and up.
MORE: Books like The Land of Stories
Secrets of Selkie Bay by Shelley Moore Thomas
Cordie and her three sisters live with their father on the coast of Ireland in a seaside town that profits off tales of the mythic selkies, seals who can shed their skin to become humans on land. Their father used to research the local pixie seals, who have now all mysteriously disappeared. Their mother has disappeared too. When Cordie spins a tale for her sister, Iona, the younger sister becomes convinced their mother is a selkie, returned to the sea. Be prepared for a surprise ending! Ages 8 and up.
Fish Girl by David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli
This stunning graphic novel, will pictures by Caldecott-winning illustrator, David Wiesner, is an intriguing version of Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairy tale, The Little Mermaid. A mermaid lives with other sea creatures in a three story building transformed into a giant aquarium exhibit. A man who calls himself Neptune the Sea God charges admission to those hoping to catch a glimpse of "Fish Girl." When a "land" girl discovers and befriends the mermaid, she starts to learn the truth about how she came to live in the aquarium and starts to experience what might happen if she escapes her cage. Fish Girl is an excellent choice for a wide age range. Younger readers will enjoy the friendship and adventure aspect of the story, but older tweens and teens will see poignant parallels with how ruthless men emotionally manipulate women. Ages 9 and up.
MORE: Science Fiction and Fantasy Graphic Novels
The Animal Family by Randall Jarrell, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
Find it: Your Library | Amazon
This quirky and sweet book is from 1965. A hunter lives alone near the sea. One day he meets a mermaid, who comes to live with him and they start to make a live together. When the hunter brings home a bear cub, the endearing family starts to grow, eventually including a lynx kitten and then a young boy. I recommend Jarrell's book with its lyrical prose and thought-provoking revelations as a read aloud, rather than as an independent read. Ages 8 and up.
Mermaid Tales from Around the World by Mary Pope Osborne
Find it: Your Library | Amazon
Magic Tree House author, Mary Pope Osborne, has gathered and retold 12 mermaid tales from different cultures. Your mermaid-loving kids will enjoy learning there is more to mer-lore than Hans Christian Anderson and Disney. The illustrations and Osborne's background explanations of the stories make this well-worth picking up at your local library. Ages 10 and up.
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