Brett, Jan. The Mermaid. Putnam, 2017. $18.99. unp. ISBN 978-399-17072-0. Ages 4-7. P8Q7
The story of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” moves underwater in this tale about mermaid Kiniro. With her friend Puffy (puffer fish), the dark-haired creature with an Asian appearance tries out the breakfasts, chairs, and beds of the octopus mother (Okasan), father (Otosan) and Baby. With the answer of “just right,” Kiniro goes to sleep in Baby’s clamshell bed, and Puffy protects her when the family returns.
Verdict: The watercolor illustrations are cluttered and can be confusing to the story—for example, Baby’s stingray “hat” that Kiniro replaces with a tiara. Jan Brett fans will love it.
Summer 2017 review by Nel Ward.
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