Review by Booklist Review
Guillain details the lore surrounding mermaids in this offering from the Mythical Creatures series. She establishes parameters; describes famous mermaids in literature, art, and film; and compares the tales that developed in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and the Caribbean. She also notes other fantastical water creatures and reviews the data for and against mermaids as verifiable beings, concluding that they don't exist but make for great stories. Succinct text, large type, short chapters, and frequent Did You Know? boxes make this text easily accessible for emerging readers. The sidebars provide discreet factoids ( Mermaids are female ) that are sure to pique children's interests. Illustrations (ranging from original drawings to fine-art reproductions to maps and photos) appear on nearly every page; Slade's artwork is somewhat pedestrian, but reproductions are well chosen, and maps and photos are clear and informative. Appended with solid, basic back matter.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
