circleofreadersdruid's review
3.0
This book has a lot of heart, but there are some weaknesses. The text and illustrations don’t always match. (On the first page the mom is supposedly mad, but she looks like she’s smiling.) I’m pretty sure the pages are out of order, but even taking that into account, some of the phrasing is a little awkward. (“I search the waves for my freckle-faced chum.” No.) And if you’re going to say someone’s using a microscope at the beach, I want to see someone using a microscope at the beach! (Not the microscope perched precariously on a rock above the ocean.)
I loved the strong relationship between Kenzie and her mom; it’s always lovely to see mothers and daughters enjoying each other’s company. The author’s note at the end is great. I enjoyed learning about the author, her connection to the ocean, and real live kids who are fighting water pollution. And really, truly? I liked the story. It was sweet and lovely and true. I bet there are a lot of mermaid fankids out there who are going to adore this book!
I loved the strong relationship between Kenzie and her mom; it’s always lovely to see mothers and daughters enjoying each other’s company. The author’s note at the end is great. I enjoyed learning about the author, her connection to the ocean, and real live kids who are fighting water pollution. And really, truly? I liked the story. It was sweet and lovely and true. I bet there are a lot of mermaid fankids out there who are going to adore this book!
pib003's review
3.0
This unfortunately didn't hit from me. I swear some of the pages were out of order, did anyone else feel that way?
lelliereads's review
4.0
Very cute children's book. It starts in conversation like a typical picture book and then switches to verse when "the little mermaid" finally gets to go to the beach. Lovely illustrations and cute message about being who you are and cleaning up the beach!
Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
agudenburr's review
3.0
Important message but slow delivery that will lose your audience. A story of a young girl who loves spending time in the ocean. While swimming with her mermaid tale she finds more trash than ocean creatures. The girl decides to start a clean up effort to make the oceans clean again.
seullywillikers's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
A gorgeous and inspiring read about a little girl name Mermaid Kenzie and her mother, who love the ocean and all of its life, and Kenzie learns about the importance of cleaning up to keep our oceans healthy.
pandalovesbooks's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
mysterymom46's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sammiimarriiee's review
3.75
I won a physical copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway. I’m a preschool teacher/nanny with a degree in early childhood development and my opinion reflects my background. The illustrations are beautiful. I love the diverse representation of characters. The amount of words per page is perfect to keep young readers/listeners focused. I love that there is rhyming, it’s one of my favorite things about most children’s books. I love that this promotes environmental friendly practices.
The idea behind the book is good, but I feel like execution didn’t work out. The mermaid incorporation felt weak. Another thing that really stood out is that the sentences aren’t grammatically correct, I know most children’s book fudge the lines on this but I feel like it should still be stated. Sentences that are spoken either read from a page of a book or in normal conversation that are not grammatically correct creates a bad foundation for language in early childhood.
Overall I give this book 3.75/5. I will incorporate it into my classroom library because it’s a beautiful book, representation and environmentally friendly factors. If a child were to ask me to read it, I would read exactly how it’s written but also repeat myself with the correct grammatical sentences.
librarianryan's review
informative
slow-paced
3.0
This book has a great message, but it is long. Way too long. Kenzie likes to be a mermaid. She likes to spend her day at the beach but sometimes her explorations are meet with garbage. This garbage she will help clean.