Stella & Marigold: Mermaids and Mix-Ups

Gr 1-3–Book two of Barrows and Blackall’s captivating new chapter book series finds sisters Stella (age seven) and Marigold (age four) on an adventure about making friends. It all starts with a gift of purple notebooks in which the sisters are to list all their favorites, including their best friends. Looking at the 25 lines on each page, the sisters realize that they need to make more friends if they’re going to fill up the book. Misadventures ensue as they go about making friends by trying out magical ideas (thinking hard enough to make it snow), thought-out plans (making their own Band-Aids), and less wise strategies (stealing a mermaid candleholder). Family, schoolmates, teachers, and neighbors help Stella and Marigold in their quest with caring input and logical consequences. Youngsters will find the sisters relatable and their search for new friends sweet and humorous. Readers will appreciate the sisterly bond shared by the girls and the kindness shown to them by parents, teachers, and neighbors. Parents will especially appreciate the caring relationship between the sisters. Blackall’s watercolor illustrations enhance the text with a sense of magic and the whirlwind of childhood, firmly endearing the gentle duo of Stella and Marigold to both new and returning readers. The sisters are cued as white.