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March 9, 2017 by Betsy Bird

Cover Reveal: The Mermaid by Jan Brett

March 9, 2017 by Betsy Bird   3 comments

It may be a personal opinion but I’ll stand by it; Children’s books need more octopuses.  The reason is simple.  The octopus is a truly fascinating creature.  Now in 2017 a couple of my favorite illustrators have already tackled the octopus in all its tentacular glory.  David Wiesner, for example, has a picture book out with Donna Jo Napoli called Fish Girl that features an octopus prominently.  Don’t confuse that book with today’s cover reveal, though.  Today, we reveal the cover for Jan Brett’s latest.  A departure for Ms. Brett in many ways, the book is oceanic, Okinawan, and tentacular.  Just the way I like ’em.

Here’s the description:

A striking, under-the-sea version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears as only Jan Brett could create. When Kiniro, the mermaid, comes upon a gorgeous house made of shells and coral, she can’t resist going inside to have a look around. The octopus family is not at home, but the baby octopus’s breakfast, chair, and bed are just right for Kiniro. The bed is so irresistible, she falls asleep. That makes for quite a surprise when the octopuses return home. But the baby’s shock at discovering a mermaid in her bed is forgotten when Kiniro gives her a very special gift.

Intricate, colorful scenes of an underwater paradise transport this classic fairy tale to a magical land inspired by the seas off the coast of Okinawa, Japan. Chock full of fish and fauna and adventure, this mermaid’s story will enchant readers of all ages.

Curious?  Little wonder!  Now enjoy the cover:

MermaidTheir pupils are rectangular and horizontal like goats.  Is not that fascinating?

On shelves August 29th. Many thanks to Rhalee Hughes Perry for the reveal.

Filed under: Cover Reveal

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About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

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About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barbara Carney-Coston says

    March 9, 2017 at 6:31 pm

    How delightful! Looking forward to reading this.

  2. Noontz says

    March 13, 2017 at 3:41 pm

    While I too am happy to see the octopus represented in picture books, I feel like the squid is getting a raw deal, and not just in sushi restaurants. Why are there so few squid books? And why, when they do get a bit a bookspace, are they so often portrayed as narcissists and blowhards? And don’t get me started on cuttlefish. I call on picture book publishers everywhere to correct the cephalopod imbalance in children’s literature.

    • Elizabeth Bird says

      March 13, 2017 at 11:03 pm

      And the award for Best Comment to a Blog on 3/13/17 goes to . . . . YOU! Extra points for the phrase: “cephalopod imbalance”.

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