Mermaid and Pirate

by Tracey Baptiste, Leisl Adams (Illustrator)

Overview

A mermaid and a pirate build a friendship through kindness, empathy, and shared adventure in this heartwarming picture book by New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste, with bright, bold illustrations by Leisl Adams.
 
Glub glub…
 
Aargh...
 
Mermaid and Pirate cannot understand each other. They speak different languages and come from different worlds. But they’re quick to lend a hand, or a tail, when the sky grows stormy and waters get rough, and a friendship is born. Sometimes kindness and generosity speak louder than words.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643750774
Publisher:	Workman Publishing Company
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	269,302
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Tracey Baptiste is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous middle-grade novels, including Minecraft: The Crash, The Jumbies series, and African Icons, and has made a splash with her picture books Looking for a Jumbie and Because Claudette. You can visit her online at www.traceybaptiste.com.

Leisl Adams is a director, storyboard Artist and illustrator. She is the author and illustrator of the graphic novel Batter Royale, for young adults. You can visit her online at www.leisladams.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/24/2023

In Baptiste’s sweet tale of oceanic connection, a mermaid and a pirate, each portrayed with brown skin, exult in storms. “She liked to roll with the waves and dance to the beat of the rain on the sea.... He liked how the wind whipped the water and snapped the ropes.” When lightning breaks the mast of the pirate’s ship, and both beings move to secure it, the mermaid becomes tangled in the pirate’s net. Though their attempts at communication reveal a language barrier (the pirate hears “Gloop” when the mermaid says “Thank you”; the mermaid hears “Aarrgh” when the pirate says “You’re welcome”), they become friends, together engaging in undersea adventures. After a separation, the two even meet again later, swimming together toward the horizon. Using paneled spreads and dual perspectives, Adams’s animation-style art is an ideal match for Baptiste’s lighthearted story, which illustrates how being different need be no impediment to bonding. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Brimming with sweetness, the illustrations add a Disney aesthetic to this simple tale of the burgeoning bond between two very different friends...A winsome tale of unexpected friendship."—Kirkus Reviews

“Created with a pleasing palette, the illustrations have an appealing, cartoonlike simplicity…well worded and concise, the text tells the story of a friendship overcoming obstacles.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-01-12
A mermaid finds a pirate who shares her love of storms.

Rough weather is imminent, and both protagonists are excited. Tossed by the waves, the pirate’s supplies tumble into the ocean. Just as the mermaid dives to save his supplies, the pirate casts his net to retrieve them. Instead of securing his provisions, he captures the mermaid. They try to communicate, but what the pirate hears from the mermaid is “Glub glub!” The mermaid hears “Aargh” from the pirate. Despite the language barrier, however, the pirate helps the mermaid out of the nets, and the two become friends. The mermaid watches as the pirate dives deep to hide his treasure and then protects him from a hungry shark. The two part ways when the captain of a passing ship rescues the pirate, but they continue to think about each other before reuniting one day. Brimming with sweetness, the illustrations add a Disney aesthetic to this simple tale of the burgeoning bond between two very different friends. The characters’ “languages” are displayed in a large, colorful font; the acks, aarghs, and lubs should delight listeners during read-alouds, as will the tender conclusion. Both the pirate and the mermaid present as Black. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A winsome tale of unexpected friendship. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews