National Mermaid Day
The Funtastic Festivity Booklists compile stories that relate to fun and festive days so that readers of all ages can join the celebration with a good book!
Splish, splash! Tomorrow, March 29, is National Mermaid Day! With their shimmering tails, mesmerizing songs, and the promise of adventure beneath the waves, mermaids captivate our imaginations and continue to appear in stories of the past and present.
So, where did the idea of mermaids come from? It’s believed to be from the Syrian goddess Atargatis, who was described as having a fish-like tail like a mermaid. She was charged with the protection and good fortune of her people, which is not too far off from some of today’s iterations of mermaids as symbols of independence, self-discovery, and strength.
Whether they are pictured as ethereal beings from ancient myths or modern-day symbols of empowerment, let’s celebrate mermaids and their many stories today!
Bilingual Baby Touch and Feel Mermaid / The Little Mermaid, by DK (DK) — Fiction, Picture Book, Fantasy, Spanish, Concepts, ages 0-3.
Cadence and Kittenfish: A Mermaid Tale, by Judith L. Roth; illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett (Starry Forest Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Friendships, Fantasy, ages 4-6.
Don’t Tell Him I’m a Mermaid, by Laura Kirkpatrick (Sourcebooks Young Readers) — Fiction, Prose, Family / Community, Friendships, Series, ages 7-12.
The Little Mermaid, by Metaphrog (Papercutz) — Fiction, Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Romance, ages 7-12.
Mermaid, by Happy Yak; illustrated by Lucy Semple (The Quarto Group / Happy Yak) — Fiction, Board Book, Animals, Imagination / Play, Humor, ages 0-3.
Mermaid Academy®: Maya and Rainbow, by Linda Chapman and Julie Sykes; illustrated by Lucy Truman (Nosy Crow) — Fiction, Illustrated Prose, Animals, Fantasy, Series, ages 7-12.
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Candlewick Press) — Fiction, Prose, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQIA+, Teen.
Mermaids, by Theresa Jarosz Alberti (North Star Editions / Focus Readers) — Nonfiction, Prose, Science / Nature, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Series, ages 7-12.
Mermaids Are the Worst!, written and illustrated by Alex Willan (Simon & Schuster / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) — Fiction, Picture Book, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Humor, Series, ages 4-6.
Mermaids’ Song to the Sea, by Dianna Hutts Aston; illustrated by Renée Kurilla (Astra Publishing House / Hippo Park) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Environment / Sustainability / Recycling, Fantasy, ages 4-6.
Plain Jane and the Mermaid, by Vera Brosgol (Macmillan / First Second) — Fiction, Graphic Novel, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Teen.
Uni the Unicorn: Mermaid Helper, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illustrated by Brigette Barrager (Random House Books for Young Readers) — Fiction, Picture Book, Folklore / Fairytales / Myths, Animals, Action / Adventure, ages 4-6.
Celebrate mermaids today and every day by reading a book!
List compiled by CBC’s resident holiday celebrator, Sommer Wissner. Check out other book lists on our blog.
