Orchard Books ISBN 9781408327647 £6.99
The second in a series of 4 books based in Venice and aimed at KS2 and early KS3, The Mermaid’s Sister continues the adventures of a magical royal dynasty as they face threats from a neighbouring city. Lady Mia is cousin to Olivia, the duchess of Venice; a ruler loved by her subjects for her command of magic and for saving the city from the flood. The story follows Lady Mia as she struggles to forgive her cousin for banishing her own mother and brother from the city, and this is what makes the book particularly unique. The turbulent emotional battles that these young girls face in a war of love, magic and treacheries will, I am sure, hold many parallels with the feelings and struggles that all young children face as they move from childhood to young adulthood. Webb has a beautifully lyrical style of writing, and manages deftly to reflect a historical period that would be traditionally difficult for a young audience to access. The notion that Venice lives on a bed of water that once upon a time was home to mythical water creatures vital to its survival is an enticing one, and I’m sure will be appealing to a range of ages. It is a great book to encourage more able readers who might be moving on to more challenging material. It would also be a lovely book to read aloud in class as the themes and moral battles faced within the story would make great starting points for a range of philosophical or circle time discussions – particularly as an introduction to politics and the idea that those with power might not always feel that they have free will. A great, fun read!
Laura Davies, Project Development Coordinator for Fair Foundations, Chwarae Teg
