Secrets abound on Mermaid Island
Written: Jul 07 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Fairytale as well as realistic appeal, likeable characters, simple readability
Cons: Nothing more than a few instances that could have used some editing.
The Bottom Line: It's simple yet likeable, as are the characters found within.
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| dandj's Full Review: Judith Wade - The Secret of Mermaid Island |
Bonnie Campbell is miserable. She's been dragged away from all of her friends and potential plans for the entire summer so that her mother can do endangered plant research on Mermaid Island. Bonnie is expected to love it as much as her mother did when she vacationed there growing up, but she has some serious doubts. Who could love a place with such a ridiculous name? She'd rather be anywhere but hanging out on some remote island while her mother traipses through the woods and writes her paper. She wishes she could be as excited, if only for her mother's sake.
The presence of a library and a red-headed girl her own age may be just what she needs to drum up some of that much-needed enthusiasm.
That young girl is Bobbie Van Gelderen, and her aunt was best friends with Bonnie's mother during those long ago summer vacations. Bobbie is determined to show Bonnie the island's delights and convince her what a wonderful place it is. Their first stop is The Frollop Shop. Frollops are the island's special treats invented by Mr. Davis. All anyone knows is they're a frozen pop, sort of like a soda, with a dollop of ice cream. The other ingredients are secret.
Frollops aren't the only secret of Mermaid Island. A well-known celebrity owns a home by Yeoman's Beach and tries to keep it quiet. The residents, of course, are very aware of his presence. It's difficult to miss a house practically as big as a castle, surrounded by a ton of fenced-in land. Not to mention, he arrives by helicopter. He may soon have issues with remaining private to the rest of the world, though.
A mysterious company wants to develop Yeoman's Beach, turning it into a community of exclusive vacation homes. The impact of this on the natural beauty of such a large piece of untouched land is not something that is taken lightly by the islanders. Many are determined to put a stop to it, including Bonnie.
You see, Bonnie has discovered the biggest secret of all. Invisible to most people are the brilliant colors that appear in the waters off that particular beach. With those colors comes something that Bonnie can barely believe she truly sees. It can't be real, can it? Yet, the evidence is undeniable. She must find out who wants to develop the beach and why, and figure out how to stop it before it destroys what exists there. Will she be able to? Perhaps with the help of her new friends...
The Secret of Mermaid Island is the first book in a trilogy by Michigan author Judith Wade. Written for what I assume to be ages 9-12, the prose absolutely reflects the intended range. There is nothing flowery, or particularly outstanding, about Wade's writing. It's simple yet likeable, as are the characters found within. There were a few minor issues that could have used some editing, but they weren't anything that would necessarily stand out to those meant to read it.
While secrets abound on the fictional island, they do not so much in reality. It's obvious what Bonnie finds beneath the ocean's beautiful hues, and there are clues as to who is behind the development project. The draw of this series, however, is not in whether it can keep its readers guessing, but rather in the fairytale story combined with an idealistic summer spent at the beach. In fact, this would be the perfect set of books for a young girl to take as reading material on her own summer vacation. I'm sure it could even be enjoyed by a mother or two who may have fond memories of summers similar to Bonnie's . . . with or without the benefit of a real mermaid.
The Mermaid Island Trilogy
The Secret of Mermaid Island (you are here)
The Mermaid's Gift
Mermaid Dreams
Recommended:
Yes
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dandj
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Member: Danielle Reid
Location: Michigan
Reviews written: 439
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