Book Type: Novel Author: E. Nesbit Pages: 181 Summary(goodreads.com): When four siblings journey to the seashore for a holiday, one of them unwittingly summons the sister ofa mermaid who is captured by a circus, and the children set out to save the imprisoned being. After a daring midnight rescue, the children's reward is an incredible journey beneath the waves and into the hidden kingdom of the mermaids. But they soon find themselves in a race against time as they struggle to prevent a war and save their new underwater companions Here is a triumphant tale by one of the finest storytellers to ever write for children, and a pioneer of fantasy literature for this age group. My Review: I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a very cute read, and I found it unique and original. The children are very adventurous, and I love their appreciation of the sea and all the creatures of the ocean. The book was actually pretty funny at times as well, and I laughed while reading this. The mermaid in this book is very spunky and spiteful at first, but then she warms up to the children once they join her in an undersea adventure. I believe Nesbit created her character perfectly; she is gentle and kind, but also strong and determined and her tail is described as having the appearance of a mackerel :) Although I did like this book, there was a few issues. Although the concept of the book is interesting and imaginative, the style of the language is a bit antiquated, and this can be either a bit boring or hard to understand for some readers. Unfortunately, the story did not pick up until almost half way into the book, while the rest of the book flat lined. However, the book had a neatly tied ending, and there was even a cute romance! This is a great summer read that everyone, especially mer-readers should check out at least once. I give this book (****) 4 stars. -Sirenita The Selkie