Mermaids in the Backyard by Catherine Hapka (review)

The sandy shores of Little Hermit's Island are fine for vacationing, but nine-year-old Lindy isn't interested in staying there permanently, especially since it means leaving behind her friends in Chicago. Her parents are trying to fulfill their dream of being seaside business owners, however, so Lindy's stuck in the beach town until further notice. Lindy's attitude changes drastically from bored to awed when she finds a mermaid stranded on shore during a storm and, after saving the mermaid and her fishy friend, becomes fast pals with the aptly named Sealily and her sister Coral. Considering that Lindy is not only BFFs with the mythical creatures but eventually even gets to visit their underwater world thanks to a magical sponge, this is pretty much wish-fulfillment at its best for young fans of mermaids and fantasy. The short, accessible sentences and familiar vocabulary (with a few cleverly disguised repetition exercises) put this well within the reach of early readers but don't detract from the story; details of the seaside setting bring the beach to life and Lindy is entirely relatable, both in her hesitation in a new place and her desire for friends. The monochromatic digital artwork is mostly flat, and it tends to obscure some important visual details, while several of the compositions are cluttered to the point of distraction. Still, the wide-eyed heroines have the familiar look of Disney's various princesses, and Little Mermaid fans will feel right at home here.