Bad mermaids by Sibeal Pounder
Bloomsbury, 2017. ISBN 9781408877128
(Ages 8-11) Mermaids. Adventure. Fantasy. Author Sibeal
Pounder's new fantasy series explores the world of mermaids and
their adventures in the Hidden Lagoon. When Arabella Cod, Queen of
the Mermaids is captured, it is up to Beattie Shelton and twins Mimi
and Zelda Swish to rescue her. These young friends have enjoyed a
short summer break living in the human world with real legs.
However, after only two weeks they receive a mysterious crabagram
and have to return home. Their underwater kingdom is swarming with
biting piranhas and a new leader has taken control. With the aid of
a talking seahorse called Steve, Beattie, Mimi and Zelda investigate
the kidnapping, search for clues to the queen's whereabouts and try
to free the residents of the lagoon from the evil invaders.
Travelling in their Clamarado 7, the young mermaids follow Arabella
Cod's diary entries to each of the last places she visited. Each
location is beautifully unique. Hammerhead Heights is a huge
underwater canyon filled with thousands of mermaids swimming with
their special shark tails. Here they enjoy fishy fare at Jawella's
and soon eliminate Ray Ramona as a possible captor of their queen.
With piranhas patrolling the waters and mermaids limited in the
places they can swim freely, careful planning and teamwork is
needed.
Bad mermaids is an enchanting junior novel, with colourful
underwater characters, beautiful shell costumes, fancy tails and
delicious fishy menus. There are fun articles from the Mermaids'
newspaper, 'Clamzine', and rival reports from the enemies' point of
view. Sibeal Pounder's descriptive language, fun puns, alliteration
and imaginative descriptions make Bad mermaids a fun story
to read for ages 8-11.
Rhyllis Bignell