Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep

July 1, 2006
Gr 4-6 -Emily is ecstatic. In "The Tail of Emily Windsnap" (Candlewick, 2004), she learns that she is a mermaid and reunites her human mother with her merman father. Now, the happy family is going to live together on an island smack dab in the center of the Bermuda Triangle. King Neptune himself has designated Allpoints Island as a safe place where humans and merfolk can coexist in peace. Even better, Emily -s mermaid buddy Shona is moving to the island as well. Unfortunately, Emily is still feeling a little different as she is the only half-human/half-mermaid hybrid she knows. In an attempt to impress the others, she unwittingly unleashes a monster sleeping at the heart of the island. To put it to rest, she must now face not only her fears but also her old rival from middle school, Mandy Rushton. Constantly shying away from taking responsibility for her actions, Emily opts for the path of least resistance time and again, only stopping the murderous kraken when forced to do so. The book comes across as overly simplistic much of the time and relies too heavily on coincidence and some unbelievably cheery endings. Just the same, mermaid lovers everywhere will undoubtedly enjoy this story. Consider purchase if the first book is popular." -Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2006
Gr. 4-7. The daughter of a woman and a merman, Emily is a girl on land and a mermaid in the water. Now the family lives on Allpoints Island, safe from the curious inquiries of humans and accepted by the merpeople community. In this sequel to " The Tail of Emily Windsnap" (2004)" , " our heroine's insatiable curiosity lands her in hot water. While investigating a mysterious lagoon smack in the middle of the ocean, Emily inadvertently rouses the dreaded monster Kracken. A vengeful Neptune, king of the ocean realm, visits the merpeople to express outrage at this turn of events: the Kracken was not supposed to awaken for another eight years, and now destruction threatens the island colony. Emily needs to fess up to her deed and take on the responsibility of calming the creature, a task rife with complications. High-action adventure, a plucky protagonist, and whimsical illustrations enliven this sea fantasy, which will be most thoroughly appreciated by series followers. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2006
In this sequel to [cf2]The Tail of Emily Windsnap[cf1], Emily wakes an undersea monster, threatening the world's safety and her family's happiness. Despite an imaginative setup, Kessler's story of mermaid peer pressure and pre-teen friendship is unengaging. Emily's motives are too shallow to elicit sympathy, her problems too simple to build interest. Black-and-white spot art illustrates each chapter.

(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)