The Tail of Emily Windsnap

The Tail of Emily Windsnap
by Liz Kessler

Grades 4 & up

Fantasy

North of Nowhere
A Year Without Autumn
Philippa Fisher (series)

Book Summary:
Emily is a typical seventh grade girl who is trying to find friends, do well in school, and have a good relationship with her mother. At her first swimming lesson, she is surprised to discover she is far from typical--she is a mermaid! She tries to keep the truth hidden from everyone else, while she explores a new underwater world, but someone who knows her secret is determined to keep her out of the water.

Book Review:
Although the main character is in seventh grade, this book is well-suited for upper elementary readers. It is not very complicated, it's reasonably predictable, and the writing style is fairly simplistic. It remains a favorite with many readers, in part because the plot fulfills so many fantasies - a girl worried about losing a friend finds a new, exciting friend, she solves a mystery, she re-unites her family and discovers her birth father has always loved her, she has a moment of revenge on someone who has wronged her, and she has a cool super power: she's a mermaid! There's a lot of fun in this adventure, and this is the first book in a series.

"The water reminded me of those advertisements where they pour a ton of melted chocolate into a bar. Warm, and silky smooth. I felt as if I were melting with it as we swam."
p. 48