20 Magical Mermaid Books to Love
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If you have a child who loves mermaids, get them mermaid books! Matching a child’s interest to good children’s books means more reading time.
Why? If we match a child’s interest with good books about those topics, then MORE reading will happen!
Plus, mermaids are exciting magical creatures!
Who wouldn’t want to read and imagine that mermaids are real?
I’ve found the best picture books, chapter books, and middle grade books for your fantasy readers. So dive into the waters of these enchanting mermaid books…
Magical Mermaid Books
Baby Touch and Feel Mermaid by DK
ages 0 – 4
Explore textures as you swim to the palace, feel your shimmery tail, meet seahorses with funny fins, and more.
How to Meet a Mermaid by Sue Fleiss, illustrated by Simona Sanfilippo
ages 4 – 8
Every hundred years, the mermaids come to shore. And you can meet one if you follow the steps in this book! First, you’ll need to make a crown for her using shells, coral, grass, driftwood, and tumbled glass. If you stand by the ocean, she’ll see you and you can give her the crown, maybe even giving you a fin so you can swim with her. Rhyming, colorful, and playful, this is sure to inspiring lots of crown-making crafts.
How to Catch a Mermaid by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Andy Elkerton
ages 4 – 8
Do you want a mermaid friend? What can you do to catch her? You must be very clever — and this book will tell you how.
The Mermaid by Jan Brett
ages 4 – 8
This mermaid picture book is actually an underwater Goldilocks story! The Octopus family isn’t home, but Kiniro explores their food and their house without them. What will happen when the family returns?
The Little Mermaid by Jerry Pinkney
ages 4 – 8
Melody trades her voice for legs so she can live on land. When her home is in trouble, will she return home or stay on land? It’s an updated, empowering version of the original fairy tale.
Can I Give You a Squish? by Emily Neilson
ages 4 – 8
A merboy learns to respect people’s physical boundaries (no squishes). This book will be useful in classrooms to teach respecting boundaries.
Mabel A Mermaid Fable by Rowboat Watkins
ages 4 – 8
What’s weird about Mabel doesn’t have a mustache like the other members of her family. Uncomfortable with this fact, she hides. While she’s hidden, she meets an octopus named Lucky who is also hiding because he only has seven legs. They hit it off and discover that just like the sea slugs, they’re both amazing as they are.
Mermaid School by Joanne Stewart Wetzel, illustrated by Julianna Swaney
ages 4 – 8
It’s Molly’s first day of mermaid school. Molly makes friends, learns new things, and has fun.
All About Mermaids by Izzy Quinn
ages 4 – 8
This book explains that mermaids are real and are closely related to us. Then, it elaborates on the characteristics of mermaids and their lifestyles. Beautiful jewel-toned illustrations and interesting information will appeal to readers.
Mermaids Activity Book (Scratch & Sparkle)
ages 6 – 9
Color, do puzzles, and make crafts in this mermaid-themed activity book.
Emily’s Big Discovery by Liz Kessler, illustrated by Joanie Stone
ages 5 – 7
Emily learns she’s a mermaid by accident when she takes swimming lessons at school. When she tests out her tail in the ocean, she meets a new friend who helps her figure out how to be a mermaid. A fun, imaginative story for mermaid-loving kids.
Undersea Mystery Club Problem at the Playground by Courtney Carbone, illustrated by Melanie Demmer
ages 6 – 9
A creative, entertaining mystery story with adorable full-color illustrations that shows the power of problem-solving, listening, and working together. Violet and her best friend, the always hungry narwhal named Wally, need to find out who is sabotaging the playground. Helpful back matter provides information and photos about decorator crabs, narwhals, and civil engineers.
The Sunken Ship Mermaid Days by Kyla Lukoff, illustrated by Kat Uno
ages 6 – 8
Mermaid Vera and her friend Octo-kid Beaker go on adventures in Tidal Grove. In this easy reader book of short stories from Acorn books, they explore a sunken ship.
Mermaid Tales by Debbie Dadey
ages 6 – 9
If your child is a fantasy and mermaid fan, these adventure mermaid books about friendship will keep them reading with plenty of good books in the series.
Third Grade Mermaid by Peter Raymundo
ages 6 – 9
Even mermaids have spelling tests and swim team. Cora must get her spelling grade up or she’s off the team. But that’s not all– an angry shark, a helpful gigantic shrimp, and friendship troubles make this an entertaining undersea adventure.
The Scaredy Cat: Purrmaids by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen
These mermaid kittens live in Kittentail Cove underwater. When Coral’s friends want to explore a new place, Coral is scared to swim that far from home. What can she do to overcome her fears?
My Secret World of Mermaids by Tamara Macfarlane and Ellie Wharton
ages 6 – 9
Merfolk live in every body of water and protect the ocean. This book is a wonderful guide to mermaids — it gives you information about the different types of mermaids like Sonni who is a merboy protector of Fjords and shares a story stories about a girl named Ruby who meets a mermaid named Ionie.
The Magical Underwater Activity Book by Mia Undersood
ages 4 – 9
These Button Books activity books are Pura Vida Mom’s kids’ FAVORITES. Read facts about the world of real and magical plants and animals under the sea. You’ll also get the chance to color, make crafts, solve puzzles, draw, sticker, and write. Learn about mermaids, pollution, sharks, and more.
The Tail of Emily Windsnap
ages 8 – 12
For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep her away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery – about her own identity, the mysterious father she’s never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water’s surface.
A Natural History of Mermaids by Emily Hawkins, illustrated by Jessica Roux
ages 7 – 12
Dense with text and illustrations, this huge tome details mermaid anatomy, behavior, lifecycles, enemies, different kinds of mermaids in the world, underwater garden plants, and much more.
Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
ages 10+
If you like strong girl power books, you’ll love this story of five mermaids who journey to find each other and the sea witches. An ancient evil is being unleashed and is not just trying to kill the girls but also planning on enslaving or killing their communities. My kids and I found this book series very entertaining.
Above World  by Jenn Reese
ages 12+
This series packs in action and adventure with such creative storytelling, and I highly recommend it! Humans live in tech-dependent, animal-morphed groups that were lab-created for different climates and the groups have mostly remained separate from each other. (Mer people, snake people, centaur, bird people.) The main character, Aluna, a Kampii (a mer), has left her clan in order to discover why the clan is dying. In Mirage, she and her unique group of friends must try to convince the Equian colonies that the evil Karl Strand is trying to take over Above World.
What is the classic literature about mermaids?
Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” and “Undine” by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque are some of the older mermaid stories.
What is the mermaid fairy tale called?
“The Little Mermaid” by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen is the original fairytale that Disney adapted for its movies.
What is the symbolism of mermaids in literature?
Mermaids can symbolize many things. In some literature, they symbolize birth, renewal, and growth. In other books, mermaids symbolize individuality, sensuality, and the sacred feminine.
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