Mabel: A Mermaid Fable (Mermaid Book for Kids about Friendship, Read-Aloud Book for Toddlers)

by Rowboat Watkins

Overview

A lovely and laugh-out-loud picture book from the award-winning author of Rude Cakes and Most Marshmallows.

A silly read-aloud tale for kids about being yourself! Mabel isn't like the other mermaids. Lucky isn't like the other octopuses. But when they find each other, they discover that true friendship isn't about how you look, and that sometimes what we are searching for is right under our noses.

The inimitable Rowboat Watkins is back with another humorous tale about being true to yourself.

• A delightful, inspiring read-aloud book for toddlers that celebrates gender diversity and difference
• Stylish, accessible art brings this story of being true to yourself to hilarious life.
• Rowboat Watkins is a 2010 Sendak Fellow and Ezra Jack Keats honoree.

Young readers of Julian Is a Mermaid, Mary Wears What She Wants, and Exclamation Mark will find much to love in this tale that celebrates individuality and acceptance.

• Read-aloud books for kids age 3–5
• Books for teachers and librarians
• Gender, differences, being yourself

Rowboat Watkins was a recipient of the 2010 Sendak Fellowship, his book Rude Cakes was an Ezra Jack Keats Honor Book, and the New York Times praised his most recent title, Most Marshmallows, as "exquisite." Rowboat lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452155272
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	03/24/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	449,280
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Rowboat Watkins was a recipient of the 2010 Sendak Fellowship, his book Rude Cakes was an Ezra Jack Keats Honor Book, and the New York Times praised his most recent title, Most Marshmallows, as "exquisite." Rowboat lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/23/2019

“What was weird about Mabel was that she had no mustache at all.” Everyone else in her family does: her father wears an impressive drooping affair, her mother and sisters sport delicate curls, “even her baby brother had a tiny baby mustache.” Mabel tries to avoid attention, hanging “seaweed falsies” awkwardly off her features, and “hiding in holes/ along the ocean floor.” When she meets a new friend with a difference—an octopus named Lucky—things improve. “What can you do with eight legs that you can’t do with seven?” Mabel asks. “Count to eight,” Lucky says. “I can teach you to count to eight!” Mabel says confidently, a seashell covering her snoot. While the fable’s trajectory seems clear from the outset, deft characterization and detailed worldbuilding by Watkins (Most Marshmallows) transcend the formulaic. Coupled with her open-hearted consideration, Mabel’s sideways glances of embarrassment and dismay offer a winning vulnerability. “Nudibranch!” is the bullying cry of Mabel’s peers, and Watkins’s artful renditions of these beautiful sea slugs, undersea corals, and other marine life provide visual fireworks that amplify the story’s compassionate message. Ages 3–5. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

03/20/2020

PreS-Gr 2—Mabel the Mermaid feels self-conscious because she does not have a mustache like the rest of her family members. She attempts disguises but still feels embarrassed. Other sea creatures make fun of Mabel, so she spends her days hiding in holes along the bottom of the sea. One day, she meets an octopus who is also hiding (he has seven legs instead of eight). Mabel thinks he is perfect the way he is, and a friendship quickly develops. The two learn that friendship is not based on appearances and that they are beautiful just the way they are. Their newfound friendship boosts their confidence, and they face the world boldly, together—a strong message of positivity. The full-page illustrations, created with mixed media, are colorful and vibrant, illuminating the beauty of the ocean floor and its inhabitants. VERDICT This is a refreshing story of difference, acceptance, friendship, and self-confidence. A recommended purchase.—Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

School Library Journal

2019-12-08
A mustacheless mermaid learns to embrace her difference.

In this gorgeous ocean setting, Mabel's "dad had a mustache. Her mom had a mustache….Even her baby brother had a tiny baby mustache." Mabel doesn't, and she's horribly embarrassed about it. She tries to disguise her lack with shells or kelp, but when a pufferfish yells "nudibranch!" in her direction, she takes it as an insult and decides to hide in holes under the sand. While hiding she comes across a seven-legged octopus named Lucky, and together the two learn that their missing appendages don't mean they have to miss out on anything. It's a warm story of friendship, with countless rich details in the illustrations: a treasure-strewn ocean floor and fabulously expressive nudibranchs (a kind of sea slug). Watkins' prose style is fun to read aloud, clipped and spare, though there are a few awkward moments of dialogue between mermaid and septopus. Both message and basic plot are well covered in picture books, however, and this one doesn't particularly rise above the rest in delivery. Still, the presence of both mermaids and mustaches may heighten its appeal to a broader audience.

A somewhat special book about being special. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews