The Tail of Emily Windsnap

The Tail of Emily Windsnap

Liz Kessler

Candlewick, 2004

208 pages

Grades 3-6

Fantasy

Emily Windsnap series #1

For a girl raised on a houseboat in a port town it is strange that Emily doesn't know how to swim and that her single mother seems to be afraid of the water. At twelve years old Emily finally takes a swimming lesson and something miraculous happens. Not only does the water feel like home, but her legs tingle and begin to transform into a tail, perfect for swimming. Emily is surprised and fears that this new development will make her social status worse than it already is. Late at night she privately tries to swim again--and the same magical transformation takes place. Swimming alone at night leads Emily to a new friend, Shona, who exposes her to the underwater mermaid life. Emily is not sure why she can transform into a mermaid. but thinks there may be a connect with Mom's fuzzy past and absentee father. Marriage between merpeople and humans is strictly forbidden and those who break the law are sent to an underwater prison. Could Emily's father be alive and incarcerated for an illegal marriage? And why doesn't Mom remember anything? Emily must work through her new discoveries, while learning who to trust and overcoming the bullies and haters.

I read this book almost twenty years ago when it first came out and loved the concept. My mermaid-want-to-be daughter loved the whole series. After further reflection, and two decades, I think this series serves a purpose for mermaid lovers, yet is not the best written title out there. Kids love the idea of actually being a mermaid or princess and escaping from their dreary lives. This concept alone is enough to sell the book to potential readers and the light adventure and mystery behind Emily's abilities will keep them turning pages. It is light and frothy, while remaining very readable and the target audience will leave satisfied and continue on in the series. Better written books with more developed characters are certainly out there, but not ones that explore a realistic contemporary girl actually converting to a mermaid for kids who has graduated from early chapter books, but not quite ready for more advanced middle grade fiction like Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman. Fans can also try the Philippa Fisher series about a girl who discovers that she has a fairy-godsister for more realistically magical dreams come true.