The Little Mermaid

By Jerry Pinkney

A sea princess trades her voice for legs, facing a choice between friendship and family.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 662 ratings

48 pages

$18.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Melody, a curious sea princess, dreams of life beyond the waves. She sacrifices her voice for legs to meet a mysterious girl on land. But when danger threatens her ocean home, Melody must decide between staying with her new friend or returning to save her family. This reimagined tale of love and sacrifice challenges Melody to find her true self and reminds us all to never give up our voice.

From the publisher

In this captivating reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic, Caldecott medalist and bestselling artist Jerry Pinkney conjures a poignant friendship story and an epic tale of redemption – the definitive new version for our time.Melody, the littlest sea princess, is not content just to sing in the choir of mermaids like her sisters. She is an explorer who wonders about what lies above the water’s surface . . . especially the young girl she has spied from a distance. To meet her requires a terrible sacrifice: she trades her beautiful voice for a potion that gives her legs, so that she may live on land instead. It seems like a dream come true at first. But when trouble stirs beneath the ocean, Melody faces another impossible choice – stay with her friend, or reclaim her true identity and save her family.

Legendary artist Jerry Pinkney’s singular reinvention of this tale about love and sacrifice empowers young, twenty-first century girls with the strong message that “you should never give up your voice . . . for anyone.”

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