Fins Are Forever

Gr 6—9—In the opening pages of this charming sequel to Forgive My Fins (HarperCollins, 2010), half-human, half-mermaid Waterlily has her life planned out. As of midnight on her 18th birthday, she will renounce her title as future queen of the undersea kingdom of Thalassinia in exchange for life on land with her human true love, Quince. Her only concern? Passing her SATs. Then a turn of the tides brings bratty cousin Doe to her doorstep. Exiled without her Mer powers for acting on her grudge against humanity, Doe must learn to appreciate the human world before being welcomed back to the sea. And it's Lily's responsibility to teach her how to do so. All is going swimmingly until an unexpected blast from Lily's past washes ashore and proposes an unorthodox way to unite the two worlds. Now Lily is caught in a riptide between what her heart wants and what her head knows is right. Childs has crafted a delightful tale populated with likable characters and imaginative settings. With mermaid fiction on a rise in popularity, this bubbly, lighthearted romance is sure to make a splash.—Alissa J. LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI