The Mermaid's Tail

Aussie Nibbles

by Raewyn Caisley

Crystal longs to be a mermaid. So her mother makes her a flashing silver tail. But the tail doesn’t feel real enough, until the night Crystal wears it to bed…

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crystal had been a fairy once, but that was when she was three. Now she was bigger, she wanted to be a mermaid.

She has wild woolly hair like a mermaid. She would walk with her ankles together. She could hold her breath underwater in the bath. Why can't she be a mermaid?

Her mum stays up late one night sewing a mermaid tail for her. It was shiny with glistening sequins. She wore her tail on a stool while having breakfast. She wore it at the beach. She wore it at school. She wore it when Dad took her to the pool. She jumped into his arms time and time again. But she started to get cold and tired.

What would happen if she wore her tail at night?

She dreamed a wonderful dream about being in the ocean with a dolphin.

I loved this book, it's just like little children using their imagination to have an adventure.

Then what would she do? There are always other adventures in the world.

[Helen Pugsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I L O V E D this book as a kid and begged-- BEGGED my mom to crochet me a mermaid tail. I dug it so hard. Found it in the shed tonight.
I read this as an adult (obviously) and I was like "Nice!" Ya know, Crystal wasn't bullied for being different. Her classmates were like "Aw shid, Crystal's a mermaid. That's rad as Hell!" And she was a mixed race kid. Which is also rad! For some reason all the media with actual representation got slept on in the 00's.
Personal note: My sister is Krystall and had dark skin and curly hair. Rad af to see another Crystal just living her best life.

10/10 would let a child read/read to a child.

[Bridgette Adams]

I liked the book very much and it was very fun and it was cute too.