Book Type: Folktale and legend collection Author: Mary Pope Osborne Pages: 96 Summary(amazon.com): The book presents legends and tales that have stirred the imaginations of people. From Andersen's Little Mermaid to Nigerian Fish Husband, these sea spirits all determine their own fate. My Review: I have read countless books on different collections of mermaid stories, legends and tales from around the world, but I think Osborne wrote one of the best books on this particular mer-subject. This book takes you through time and into many different cultures, some of which include Native American, Asian, Russian and many more! A common theme throughout the stories Osborne chose for her fabulous book is that, like the summary concludes, all of these mermaids and/or sea spirits chose their own fate, which if you think about it, is seen in many other mermaid books. Each of the mermaids presented in this collection are strong, devious, sometimes even evil and defiant, however, some are soft, gentle and kind.
There is a wide variety of different personalities in this book, so everyone can connect with many of the stories. In addition, I really love how Osborne simplified these classic tales that were often written in a language that might pose as strange or confusing, and worded them in a way that was easy to understand and follow, but didn't write them in a juvenile fashion. Readers will also love the fabulous artwork that begins each story, which helps visualize the plot even further. This really is a great read, and I hope to buy this soon! I give this book (*****) 5 stars. -Sirenita The Selkie