- Picture Books
- Ages 3–6
- Fantasy
The Girl and the Mermaid
Book 2 of 2 in The Girl and theView the full series
A dreamy underwater companion to The Girl and the Dinosaur, full of mermaid magic, family feeling and Sarah Massini's glowing illustrations. It is a gentle fantasy read-aloud for children who like ocean wonder more than peril.
- Best for3–6
- FormatPicture
- Length32 pp
- Read aloud~6 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Rhyming
- Lyrical
- Literary
Tone
- Gentle
- Warm
- Whimsical
- Heartwarming
- Adventurous
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Alina loves stories of the sea, and one day she is drawn into a magical underwater adventure with a mermaid. Beneath the waves she discovers a world of wonder, beauty and mystery, but also a story shaped by love, courage and belonging. Like The Girl and the Dinosaur, this is a lyrical picture book rather than a noisy adventure: the appeal lies in the glow of the illustrations, the musical language and the feeling of a child stepping into a dream-world where imagination becomes real. Sarah Massini's artwork gives the ocean setting softness and sparkle, while Hollie Hughes' text keeps the emotional tone reassuring. It is best suited to young children who enjoy mermaids, sea creatures, magical journeys and tender read-alouds with a classic, giftable feel.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–6
- Read aloud · 3–7
- Independent · 6–8
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Workable
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Mermaid lovers
- Gentle bedtime
- Lyrical read aloud
- Beautiful illustrations
- Underwater magic
Avoid if
- Wants fast gags
- Wants realistic story
- Prefers high action
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Bedtime battles
- Anxiety and worry
In the classroom
How it works in school.
Lush, rhyming adventure picture books — lovely read-alouds for joining in and imaginative talk.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The specific delight is the underwater dream — Alina pulled into a magical sea adventure with a mermaid, a world of soft sparkle and family-shaped love beneath the waves. The Hughes / Massini companion to The Girl and the Dinosaur for the ocean-loving child.
- Secret world
- Adventure and freedom
- Friendship and belonging
- Magic powers
Why parents love it
The Hollie Hughes / Sarah Massini ocean-companion — lyrical text, glowing Massini illustration, gentle fantasy without peril. Tender giftable read-aloud for the mermaid-and-sea-creatures bookshelf.
- Beautiful illustrations
- Bedtime appropriate
- Great writing
- Conversation starter
In the series
The Girl and the.
2 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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