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The Singing Mermaid

Book Synopsis

Dive into the adventure with The Singing Mermaid, a delightful tale from the stellar picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard.

With brilliant rhyming verse, bright and distinctive illustrations, this story is loved by children and parents alike.

Tempted by the promise of fame and fortune, the Singing Mermaid joins a circus. The crowds love her, but the poor mermaid is kept in a tank by the wicked circus owner Sam Sly, and she soon longs to return to the freedom of her ocean home . . .

Enjoy more stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: Sharing a Shell, The Princess and the Wizard, and Sugarlump and the Unicorn.

Our Review Panel says...

A sparkling rhyming story from the fantastic storytelling dream team of Julia Donaldson and illustrator Lydia Monks (also known for What the Ladybird Heard).

The book is about a singing mermaid who is sneakily lured by Sam Sly’s big promises of fame in his circus. The mermaid sadly discovers that the reality doesn’t match the promises and wishes to go back to her beloved home. Unable to leave, she calls upon the help of new friends to make her escape back to freedom.

At its heart this is a simple story that values team work and friendship as the route to happiness and shows that all that glitters is not necessarily gold. Many children love mermaid characters, and others will simply enjoy the defeat of the sly baddy and the triumph of the unlikely heroes. Julia Donaldson’s excellent rhyming verses make this really fun to read aloud, and children really enjoy the bright, textured illustrations.