The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids

PreS-Gr 1—This book is similar to Paquette's The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies (Tanglewood, 2009). Now on a mermaid hunt, the children look from tidal pool to open beach and everywhere in between. They wonder what sea dollars will buy at the mermaid market, and imagine the fabled creatures cavorting with crabs, dolphins, and seahorses. The frolicking mermaids are, of course, all around, but are unseen by the children until a message in a bottle leads them to the mermaids' hiding place. Readers will no doubt delight in being able to see the clearly visible mermaids when the characters cannot. Letourneau's illustrations follow in Christa Unzner's footsteps in "Fairies" (Minedition). Beach and underwater scenes are photographs superimposed with cartoon images of fabulous mermaids. Periodically readers see the children, whose outfits and appearance change throughout. The artwork is a welcome relief to Paquette's bland text, which is sprinkled with words in different colors and fonts, leading to the false belief that there might be a glossary. Purchase where Paquette's previous picture book has done well or where mermaid stories are a must-have.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH