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| Paperback ©2010 | -- |
Jade's fourteenth birthday means more than just an extra candle: a soak in a warm Epsom-salted tub of water exposes a mermaid's tale tached to her! She also discovers that her mother wasn't drowned after all but is a mermaid who is being held hostage by rogue merfolk intent on discovering the secret of changing into human form. Can Jade get the right kind of help to bring her mom back home? What begins as a coming-of-age story becomes a mildly suspenseful chase-and-rescue mission. There are subplots involving classic adolescent moments like Jade's first serious crush, a semi-serious third-wheel threat to a long-standing best friendship, and a single dad coping with his daughter's first period. The first-person narrative brings Jade's experiences up close and personal for readers who know what it's like to have secrets and feel like a fish out of water. A quick read, at times a little flat, with touches of humor; give this to girls not quite ready for snogging.
Kirkus Reviews (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)An appealing heroine, zippy prose and a preposterous plot make entertainment for young teens. Jade, nearly 14 and a bit on the chunky side, finally experiences her first period—but also discovers that she's part mermaid when she gets too comfy in her bath. Dad knew that Jade's mom was a mermaid, and no one understands how Mom could have drowned last year—until Jade discovers that she is being held hostage by an evil mer-couple in the local lake. Boudreau's characterizations ring nicely true, as Jade juggles her fight to free her mom with her own friendships and the unlikely interest of a popular, handsome boy. A nice sprinkling of wry humor keeps spirits up, but even for a fantasy, the plot conjures the term "eye rolling." A good fantasy makes readers believe; this one has enough dei ex machinae to populate Mount Olympus. However, the author keeps suspense high and her prose moving while tapping straight into young teens' angst about friends, enemies and boys. A talented writer aims too low but nevertheless produces light fun. (Fantasy. 10-14)
School Library Journal (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)Gr 5-8 Jade, 13, has enough problems. Her mom drowned a year ago, she's overweight, and her crush can't even remember her name. Then, she gets her period for the first time while trying on bathing suits for her best friend's pool party. At home, a relaxing bath in Epsom salts turns into a nightmare. She nods off in the tub and, upon waking, finds that her legs have been replaced by a scaly mermaid's tail. Her father doesn't seem surprised, only sad, and he reveals that she inherited this trait from her mother, a "Pesco-sapien," part fish, part human. The combination of salt water and the onset of puberty apparently triggered the change. Luckily Jade is able to return to her human state after some time out of the water. During a walk by the pier, she discovers that her mother is actually still alive and trapped in the lake by some not-so-nice mer-people. This leads to a frenetic, sometimes confusing, attempt to save her. Jade's father, who never seems to be able to get to his cell phone, is well-meaning but bumbling, leaving Jade mostly responsible for her mother's rescue. Flat characters and cheesy moments require the suspension of disbelief. Readers looking for an entertaining mermaid tale will be better served by Tera Lynn Child's Forgive My Fins (HarperCollins, 2010). Mandy Lawrence, Fowler Middle School, Frisco, TX
ALA Booklist (Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)
Kirkus Reviews (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)
School Library Journal (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2011)
Chapter One
I bolted upright in the bathtub and hacked a mouthful of water. A wave sloshed onto the tile floor.
"Jade?" Dad's knock sounded from the other side of the bathroom door. "You okay, honey?"
"Yea...yeah," I managed to say between coughs, embarrassed that I'd fallen asleep in the tub, freaked out that I must have slipped underwater. I took a long, shaky breath. "I'm fine, Dad. Thanks."
A shiver ran along my damp arm as I pulled a strand of hair from my mouth. What would have happened if I hadn't woken up? My thoughts turned instantly to Mom.
No. I couldn't go there...
"Can I get you anything?" Dad asked.
I rubbed my eyes and instantly regretted it. Epsom salt. Tear ducts. Ye-owch. Real smooth, Jade. But at least the cramps were gone.
"No, I'm good." I blinked through the haze to the counter where Dad's drugstore bag spilled over with Super Maxi 32-packs and extra-long panty liners. Hadn't I tortured the poor guy enough for one day?
"Call if you need me." Dad's footsteps moved away from the door and continued down the hall.
"I will."
But I wouldn't. I shouldn't.
Yes, getting my first period was a big deal, but I was almost fourteen, for crying out loud. I didn't need to run to daddy every time I had a puberty crisis. It had been a year since Mom drowned; it was time for me to start figuring things out on my own. Dad had enough to deal with.
Dim light from the streetlamp shone through the pebbled glass of the bathroom window. My eyes burned, plus my legs had gone numb and felt like they'd been set in a block of cement. It was late. I should get dried off, head to bed, and finally put an end to this cruddy day.
I braced my hands on the side of the tub and shook my legs to get the blood flowing, but the sight that broke through the foamy surface of the water made me forget the pep talk I'd just given myself about not bothering...
"Dad!"
The world tipped on its axis as I worked to make sense of what I was seeing. I blinked, trying to focus. What the heck had happened while I'd been asleep? Was I having some kind of allergic reaction to Epsom salt? Had someone slipped hallucinogenic drugs into that Slurpee at the mall?
Those and other crazy thoughts shuffled through my brain as I struggled to understand why, instead of legs, the lower half of my body was now encased in a shimmering tail of iridescent scales.
"Ohmigod! Dad!!" I shrank back against the tub, disgusted by what I saw, but the tail moved with me. A sharp breath threw me into another fit of coughing. I shook my head.
Hard.
Dad's footsteps clattered along the wooden floor in the hall.
"What is it?" His voice rang through the door.
"Call 911!" The words escaped between coughs.
The knob rattled. "Unlock the door, Jade! Let me in!"
I tried to haul myself over the side of the tub to stretch my hand toward the door, but my lower half flickered uselessly in the water.
"I can't..."
Dad jiggled something in the lock, no doubt one of his trillion Swiss Army knife attachments, but it proved useless judging by the curse words he muttered. Finally, he rammed his weight against the door. A rush of air filled the room as the door flew open and slammed against the wall.
I pulled a towel to my chest from the towel bar above the tub as Dad stumbled into the bathroom.
"Look!" I lifted the tail from the water and struggled to catch my breath.
Dad's whole body jerked as he took in the blue-green scales shining from the tail. He collapsed onto the toilet seat and leaned heavily against the vanity.
"Do something!" I wailed.
Dad sat, frozen in place. He stared, mouth open, at my half-girl, half-fish body. After what seemed like forever, he spoke.
"Oh, Jade...I'm so sorry..." He ran a hand through his hair. "Your mom and I were always afraid something like this might happen to you."
Excerpted from Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
It's hard being a pre-teen girl; it's even harder when you find out you're a mermaid! This is a fast-paced coming-of-age comedy novel that has adventure, mystery, and a touch of romance by Hélène Boudreau, nominated for a Canadian children's choice award for her middle grade novel ACADIAN STAR. If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail? Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever. Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown? Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke? This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...