A Mischief of Mermaids

Gr 3–6—Nine-year-old Poppy Malone, whose parents are paranormal investigators, begins to wonder about mermaids when she notices inexplicable giggles and mysterious lights on the shore of the lake at night. She's not sure what to think until Nerissa, a young mermaid, comes ashore and befriends her. While the distracted Mr. and Mrs. Malone work on tracking aliens, Poppy's sister, Franny, accidentally swaps her legs for a tail by touching Nerissa's special cloak. Nerissa's mermaid friends try to lure Franny into remaining a mermaid forever, and it seems like she would love nothing more. Poppy, her twin brother, and Nerissa have a very limited time to attempt to convince Franny to ditch the tail and reclaim her legs. Harper's skill as a storyteller shines through in the solid characters and engaging plot. Substantial yet quick, Poppy's latest adventure will find an audience of eager readers.—Amanda Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, Madison, WI