Once Upon A Tide: A Mermaid's Tale

by Stephanie Kate Strohm

Overview

"A lighthearted adventure." —Kirkus Reviews

Princess Lana is the youngest ambassador ever to represent her underwater kingdom, Clarion, at the Royal Festival on land. And even though it means trading her mermaid tail for a clumsy pair of legs—and worse, spending a week with her mother, who chose life on land over her children seven years ago—Lana can’t wait to prove her political chops.

But once on shore, nothing goes as planned. The children of visiting dignitaries spread nasty rumors about Lana and her brother eavesdropping on humans’ thoughts just because they can communicate telepathically underwater—never mind that their powers don’t work on land. Lana’s mom is wrapped up in the king of a neighboring kingdom, who turns out to be her new boyfriend. And despite her ambassador status, no one will let Lana near a single important negotiation or meeting.

Then an earthquake strikes Clarion, and though Lana’s desperate to rush to the aid of her people, her father insists she stay away indefinitely. As the days on land add up, nothing her parents tell her about the disaster makes sense. Soon Lana uncovers signs that more nefarious forces may be at work—and they could spell war for her people. Can Lana uncover the truth about what happened and protect those she loves before it’s too late?

In this splashing tale, Stephanie Kate Strohm blends the fantastical fun of being a mermaid princess with the difficulty of finding your footing far away from home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781368054430
Publisher:	Disney Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/14/2021
Series:	Once Upon a Tide Series
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	644,273
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Kate Strohm is also the author of Prince in Disguise; Love à la Mode; The Date to Save;It’s Not Me, It’s You; That's Not What I Heard; and Restless Hearts (Katy Keene #1). She lives and writes in Los Angeles. You can find her online at www.stephaniekatestrohm.com and on Twitter and Instagram @stephkatestrohm.

Editorial Reviews

2021-07-08
This little mermaid has some outsized ambitions that are tempered with reality, ocean style.

Lana, a 14-year-old half-mermaid, half-human princess, is unexpectedly appointed by her father, King Carrack of Clarion, to be an ambassador of his underwater kingdom. Lana is required to attend the Royal Festival, an important political gathering that takes place on the land above her ocean home. Her younger brother, Aarav, is delighted she is attending, and together, they make the transition to land. This involves growing legs—something that happens easily and instantly due to their human heritage—and reconnecting with their mother, Princess Hyacinth, with whom Lana has a distant, difficult relationship. This is further complicated by the appearance of her mother’s new boyfriend, King Petyr. The plot thickens when Lana’s new status as ambassador is denied, seemingly by her mother. Once she’s been on land for 10 days, Lana discovers her disturbing ability to read other people’s minds. A natural disaster in her underwater home challenges Lana’s natural leadership talents, and she heads back to the ocean underworld, but, increasingly aware of her political influence, Lana returns to her grandparents’ earthly palace, determined to reconcile with her mother and Petyr. The story reinforces the idea that you really can learn from your mother, however impossible that may seem—and, awkwardness aside, mind-reading can be fun. Main characters default to White; Lana has twin friends with Japanese names.

A lighthearted adventure. (Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews