MERMAID AND PIRATE

A mermaid finds a pirate who shares her love of storms.

Rough weather is imminent, and both protagonists are excited. Tossed by the waves, the pirate’s supplies tumble into the ocean. Just as the mermaid dives to save his supplies, the pirate casts his net to retrieve them. Instead of securing his provisions, he captures the mermaid. They try to communicate, but what the pirate hears from the mermaid is “Glub glub!” The mermaid hears “Aargh” from the pirate. Despite the language barrier, however, the pirate helps the mermaid out of the nets, and the two become friends. The mermaid watches as the pirate dives deep to hide his treasure and then protects him from a hungry shark. The two part ways when the captain of a passing ship rescues the pirate, but they continue to think about each other before reuniting one day. Brimming with sweetness, the illustrations add a Disney aesthetic to this simple tale of the burgeoning bond between two very different friends. The characters’ “languages” are displayed in a large, colorful font; the acks, aarghs, and lubs should delight listeners during read-alouds, as will the tender conclusion. Both the pirate and the mermaid present as Black. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A winsome tale of unexpected friendship.