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Julián #1
Sirenas
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2018)Rare book
38 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2018
74 people are currently reading
6814 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Love
7 books211 followersJessica Love is an actor and the author-illustrator of Julián Is a Mermaid. She has a BA in studio art from the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as a graduate degree from Juilliard. She has appeared in plays both on and off Broadway. Jessica Love lives in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,077 reviews
March 4, 2021
Julián makes me uncomfortable. I mean, the pictures are adorable and well done, and I would love to have one of him swimming with the stream of fish up in my bathroom. But every time you turn around, Julián is stripping down to his skivvies. I’m just not an au natural nudist kind of person, you know? But I'm not a glamour-girl either, so add lipstick and hair-out-to-there, and I feel like I’m getting a very mixed message.
He seems to have confused water mermaids with land mermaids, which are two entirely different species. I’m more of the water mermaid demographic.
Julian seems to be undecided, but ultimately picks the land mermaids.
Still, it’s a sweet little story, and one that should particularly resonate with those in a NYC kind of setting, where the public street is actually community space.
Drawings and message–despite not choosing the water mermaids–are fabulous. The watercolor is understated, in keeping with the watery theme, but there’s lovely pops of color to draw the eye. I love the representation of the curvy, old and wrinkly. Recommended for everyone who supports mermaids.
He seems to have confused water mermaids with land mermaids, which are two entirely different species. I’m more of the water mermaid demographic.
Julian seems to be undecided, but ultimately picks the land mermaids.
Still, it’s a sweet little story, and one that should particularly resonate with those in a NYC kind of setting, where the public street is actually community space.
Drawings and message–despite not choosing the water mermaids–are fabulous. The watercolor is understated, in keeping with the watery theme, but there’s lovely pops of color to draw the eye. I love the representation of the curvy, old and wrinkly. Recommended for everyone who supports mermaids.
January 5, 2018
When you walk into another person’s home, there’s always a distinct smell to the place. Homes absorb the lives of their occupants, and the end result is as much an olfactory experience a visual one. I love it when a friend moves house because when I walk into their new home it smells just like their previous place of occupancy, with just a twinge of difference. It is this experience of walking into a house and being overwhelmed by the sense of the place that I hope for in my picture books. When I enter a character’s house I want to almost be able to smell the shampoo in the carpet or the faint aroma of dinner from the night before. Imbuing a book with that kind of realism is beyond difficult, though. You cannot require an illustrator to be able to capture the intangible in their art. That’s why I bide my time and wait. And wait. And wait. And then one day, my waiting is rewarded. A book like Julián Is a Mermaid comes along and there. I can smell the apartment that Julián shares with his abuela. I’m there because Jessica Love has been granted a very remarkable gift. She can make paint reflect reality. Even when it's a reality that some people refuse to see.
Coming home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián’s subway car is suddenly boarded by three beautiful mermaids. Their gowns flow like tails, their hair moving like it’s caught the ocean currents, and everything about them is simply wonderful. In short order Julián begins to imagine himself as a mermaid and when he gets home he starts his own transformation. While abuela showers he turns plant fronds into hair, lacey curtains into a tail, and on his lips goes some lipstick. Caught by his grandmother he’s unsure of how to feel. That is, until she leads him by the hand to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. They join the throng and Julián knows he belongs. With minimal language and an abundance of love, the author/illustrator gives everyone with a mermaid inside of them a tale of sweet, near speechless belonging.
When children’s books break taboos it’s usually done in fits and starts. A book here, a book there. In this case we’re talking about picture books where boys identify with nonconforming ideals of gender identity and beauty. Over the years we’ve seen this tackled in a number of different ways. There’s been Sparkle Boy by Leslea Newman, I Love My Purse by Belle DeMont, Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino, Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah Hoffman, Big Bob, Little Bob by James Howe, 10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert, and (of course) William’s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow. [No word yet on when we’ll get this many similar titles for girls, but that’s a debate for another day] These books vary considerably in quality from title to title, but they all offer a challenge to society’s demand that boys look and act in a very specific way, and woe betide you if you’re different. The funny this is that even though Julián Is a Mermaid is just the latest in a long line, it feels to me like this is the one I’ve been waiting for all these years. These other books have specific messages, just like Julián, but unlike those books Julián’s story is more than just figuring out who you are. It’s about realizing that you aren’t alone and that there’s a great big welcoming community out there, if only you can find it. And sometimes, just sometimes, it’s just been around the corner from you all along. If those other books laid the groundwork, Julián is taking the message to the next level. It’s like Stephen Sondheim said. “No one is alone.”
A picture book is a conversation between pictures and words. Unless it’s wordless, of course. Then all bets are off the table. In this book, Love works with watercolor, gouache, and ink, and for her story to work much of the action must feel weightless. In a bit of inspiration Love lets us into Julián’s head pretty early on, allowing us to see him and he sees himself in wordless sequences that require no explanation. Interestingly the pictures appear to have been painted on brown paper, which was such an interesting choice. Of course, I got all kinds of distracted by the details Love has hidden along the way. In an early dream sequence, Julián imagines himself receiving a necklace from a large blue fish with white patterned scales. Later in the book, when his grandmother hands him his own necklace, she is wearing a dress made of the same pattern. Now look at the front and back endpapers. At the beginning we see Julián swimming beneath his abuela and her friends in the local pool. At the end of the book he’s reimagined them all as mermaids and the blue of the water, which was confined to the pool edges at the story’s start, has spilled over to fill the entire page.
And then there are the people. My favorite image in the book isn’t Julián in his mermaid dream sequence (though it is pretty good). It’s not the Mermaid Parade itself or the old ladies in the pool. It’s a simpler spread than all of those. Julián is dressed in his mermaid costume, walking down the street with Abuela, holding onto her arm. He asks “Where are we going?” and is about to pass an old man with high socks walking two wiener dogs and two young women, leaning on a brick wall, sipping something cool, mighty cool themselves. The first time I read this book I just stared at this sequence. Every single person in this picture is a real person. If you followed that old man you’d get to see exactly what his life is like. If you stayed with the girls you’d get wrapped up in the fun and confusion of their world. When Jessica Love illustrates a human being, her brush has weight. That person has life. Abuela herself has seen things. Things that have taught her that life is too short not to allow her grandson to grow to be the person he was meant to be. I think she knows exactly all the problems he may face later in life but on this day she’s going to give him something he can hold onto for a long long time. Something that will be able to sustain him as he grows up. She’s giving him his people. “Like you, mijo”, she says. “Let’s join them.”
I worked in New York City as a children’s librarian for eleven years, and now think I’ll live in the Midwest for, what I suppose will be, the rest of my life. This means I have a superpower. I am capable of reading a book both as a New Yorker, and as a Midwesterner. You have no idea how useful this power is. Things that I would have taken for granted in one part of the country can be seen as potentially baffling in another. Which brings us to the end of this book. Now I lived in New York long enough to be fully aware of the Mermaid Parade of Coney Island. It takes place once a year to welcome in the summer season. People of all stripes get decked out as mermaids or sea creatures or Neptunes and then parade down the wooden boardwalk, right before throwing fruit into the sea. Honestly, if you want to know anything about it you should read Melanie Hope Greenberg’s seminal picture book Mermaids On Parade. But I think it’s easy for people to forget that not everyone knows about this event. When I showed this book to a colleague they interpreted the ending differently than I did. For them, the finale was far more metaphor than reality. The boy’s abuela has taken him to the people that will understand and accept him so that he can discover himself fully. The fact that there is an actual parade out there with actual mermaids is almost superfluous in that light. Nice to see that the book works on multiple levels then.
I read so many picture books in a given week that they all have a tendency to run together in my brain. Maybe that’s why I’m so grateful when something stands out like Julián Is a Mermaid. Not simply because of its subject matter. I mean, I think I’ve shown that this is a road that has been well trod. What stands out here is the art, the characters, and the deeply felt emotions. That moment when Julián has been caught by his grandmother and she leaves him to get dressed is one of the most highly charged instances I’ve seen of someone waiting to find out whether or not what they feel (and, for that matter, who they are) is going to be embraced or denied. There is nothing about this book that is forgettable. In fact, you may have a hard time not thinking long and hard about it after you put it down. A book for mermaids and boys and girls and parents and teachers and booksellers and librarians and . . . aw, heck. Let’s just simplify things and say it’s a book for the human race. Lord knows there are some people out there that will need it. Let’s hope it finds the ones that need it most.
For ages 4 and up.
Coming home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián’s subway car is suddenly boarded by three beautiful mermaids. Their gowns flow like tails, their hair moving like it’s caught the ocean currents, and everything about them is simply wonderful. In short order Julián begins to imagine himself as a mermaid and when he gets home he starts his own transformation. While abuela showers he turns plant fronds into hair, lacey curtains into a tail, and on his lips goes some lipstick. Caught by his grandmother he’s unsure of how to feel. That is, until she leads him by the hand to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. They join the throng and Julián knows he belongs. With minimal language and an abundance of love, the author/illustrator gives everyone with a mermaid inside of them a tale of sweet, near speechless belonging.
When children’s books break taboos it’s usually done in fits and starts. A book here, a book there. In this case we’re talking about picture books where boys identify with nonconforming ideals of gender identity and beauty. Over the years we’ve seen this tackled in a number of different ways. There’s been Sparkle Boy by Leslea Newman, I Love My Purse by Belle DeMont, Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino, Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah Hoffman, Big Bob, Little Bob by James Howe, 10,000 Dresses by Marcus Ewert, and (of course) William’s Doll by Charlotte Zolotow. [No word yet on when we’ll get this many similar titles for girls, but that’s a debate for another day] These books vary considerably in quality from title to title, but they all offer a challenge to society’s demand that boys look and act in a very specific way, and woe betide you if you’re different. The funny this is that even though Julián Is a Mermaid is just the latest in a long line, it feels to me like this is the one I’ve been waiting for all these years. These other books have specific messages, just like Julián, but unlike those books Julián’s story is more than just figuring out who you are. It’s about realizing that you aren’t alone and that there’s a great big welcoming community out there, if only you can find it. And sometimes, just sometimes, it’s just been around the corner from you all along. If those other books laid the groundwork, Julián is taking the message to the next level. It’s like Stephen Sondheim said. “No one is alone.”
A picture book is a conversation between pictures and words. Unless it’s wordless, of course. Then all bets are off the table. In this book, Love works with watercolor, gouache, and ink, and for her story to work much of the action must feel weightless. In a bit of inspiration Love lets us into Julián’s head pretty early on, allowing us to see him and he sees himself in wordless sequences that require no explanation. Interestingly the pictures appear to have been painted on brown paper, which was such an interesting choice. Of course, I got all kinds of distracted by the details Love has hidden along the way. In an early dream sequence, Julián imagines himself receiving a necklace from a large blue fish with white patterned scales. Later in the book, when his grandmother hands him his own necklace, she is wearing a dress made of the same pattern. Now look at the front and back endpapers. At the beginning we see Julián swimming beneath his abuela and her friends in the local pool. At the end of the book he’s reimagined them all as mermaids and the blue of the water, which was confined to the pool edges at the story’s start, has spilled over to fill the entire page.
And then there are the people. My favorite image in the book isn’t Julián in his mermaid dream sequence (though it is pretty good). It’s not the Mermaid Parade itself or the old ladies in the pool. It’s a simpler spread than all of those. Julián is dressed in his mermaid costume, walking down the street with Abuela, holding onto her arm. He asks “Where are we going?” and is about to pass an old man with high socks walking two wiener dogs and two young women, leaning on a brick wall, sipping something cool, mighty cool themselves. The first time I read this book I just stared at this sequence. Every single person in this picture is a real person. If you followed that old man you’d get to see exactly what his life is like. If you stayed with the girls you’d get wrapped up in the fun and confusion of their world. When Jessica Love illustrates a human being, her brush has weight. That person has life. Abuela herself has seen things. Things that have taught her that life is too short not to allow her grandson to grow to be the person he was meant to be. I think she knows exactly all the problems he may face later in life but on this day she’s going to give him something he can hold onto for a long long time. Something that will be able to sustain him as he grows up. She’s giving him his people. “Like you, mijo”, she says. “Let’s join them.”
I worked in New York City as a children’s librarian for eleven years, and now think I’ll live in the Midwest for, what I suppose will be, the rest of my life. This means I have a superpower. I am capable of reading a book both as a New Yorker, and as a Midwesterner. You have no idea how useful this power is. Things that I would have taken for granted in one part of the country can be seen as potentially baffling in another. Which brings us to the end of this book. Now I lived in New York long enough to be fully aware of the Mermaid Parade of Coney Island. It takes place once a year to welcome in the summer season. People of all stripes get decked out as mermaids or sea creatures or Neptunes and then parade down the wooden boardwalk, right before throwing fruit into the sea. Honestly, if you want to know anything about it you should read Melanie Hope Greenberg’s seminal picture book Mermaids On Parade. But I think it’s easy for people to forget that not everyone knows about this event. When I showed this book to a colleague they interpreted the ending differently than I did. For them, the finale was far more metaphor than reality. The boy’s abuela has taken him to the people that will understand and accept him so that he can discover himself fully. The fact that there is an actual parade out there with actual mermaids is almost superfluous in that light. Nice to see that the book works on multiple levels then.
I read so many picture books in a given week that they all have a tendency to run together in my brain. Maybe that’s why I’m so grateful when something stands out like Julián Is a Mermaid. Not simply because of its subject matter. I mean, I think I’ve shown that this is a road that has been well trod. What stands out here is the art, the characters, and the deeply felt emotions. That moment when Julián has been caught by his grandmother and she leaves him to get dressed is one of the most highly charged instances I’ve seen of someone waiting to find out whether or not what they feel (and, for that matter, who they are) is going to be embraced or denied. There is nothing about this book that is forgettable. In fact, you may have a hard time not thinking long and hard about it after you put it down. A book for mermaids and boys and girls and parents and teachers and booksellers and librarians and . . . aw, heck. Let’s just simplify things and say it’s a book for the human race. Lord knows there are some people out there that will need it. Let’s hope it finds the ones that need it most.
For ages 4 and up.
June 19, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
There’s no getting away from the fact that Julian is a Mermaid is a gorgeous book filled to the brim with amazing watercolour style illustrations that capture what I believe is New York in perfect light.
The books, as you would imagine, is about a little boy called Julian. On his way home from swimming with his Nana they board a train. Onboard is three women dressed as Mermaids. Julian is mesmerised by them. They look so beautiful in their outfits that glisten and hair that swishes. He soon starts to daydream about being a mermaid and is sad when their stop arrives and he has to get off.
Once home with his Nana he decides he’s going to be a mermaid too and uses items that he can find (including the curtains) to make his outfit. But what will his Nana think when she sees him?
Now, I’ve heard a lot of people talk about this being a great book for ‘Pride Month’ or for the LGBTQ community because Julian dresses up as a mermaid. Whilst I don’t disagree with these views, I also feel that it shouldn’t just be placed in this category.
Whether being the mother of three boys or being in the UK is the reason I feel differently I’m not sure. What I see is a little boy who just got dressed up like a mermaid. My lads when they were little dressed up as all kinds of people, creatures, characters. Both male, female and robotic.
I feel the book is more to do with the way his Nana reacts to seeing Julian dressed as a mermaid and what she then does about it. It is also about Julian being able to dress as he wishes without people thinking he’s strange or telling him he can’t be dressed like that because he’s a boy. I also feel it is about family and the bond between a grandmother and her Grandson. Different generations.
It’s about inclusion and acceptance and also about being yourself. As I have stated it is a wonderful book that I truly enjoyed. There aren’t many words to the story, as the pictures tell the majority of it. It is a wonderful book that can be interpreted however you wish to interpret it – that’s the beauty of picture books.
There’s no getting away from the fact that Julian is a Mermaid is a gorgeous book filled to the brim with amazing watercolour style illustrations that capture what I believe is New York in perfect light.
The books, as you would imagine, is about a little boy called Julian. On his way home from swimming with his Nana they board a train. Onboard is three women dressed as Mermaids. Julian is mesmerised by them. They look so beautiful in their outfits that glisten and hair that swishes. He soon starts to daydream about being a mermaid and is sad when their stop arrives and he has to get off.
Once home with his Nana he decides he’s going to be a mermaid too and uses items that he can find (including the curtains) to make his outfit. But what will his Nana think when she sees him?
Now, I’ve heard a lot of people talk about this being a great book for ‘Pride Month’ or for the LGBTQ community because Julian dresses up as a mermaid. Whilst I don’t disagree with these views, I also feel that it shouldn’t just be placed in this category.
Whether being the mother of three boys or being in the UK is the reason I feel differently I’m not sure. What I see is a little boy who just got dressed up like a mermaid. My lads when they were little dressed up as all kinds of people, creatures, characters. Both male, female and robotic.
I feel the book is more to do with the way his Nana reacts to seeing Julian dressed as a mermaid and what she then does about it. It is also about Julian being able to dress as he wishes without people thinking he’s strange or telling him he can’t be dressed like that because he’s a boy. I also feel it is about family and the bond between a grandmother and her Grandson. Different generations.
It’s about inclusion and acceptance and also about being yourself. As I have stated it is a wonderful book that I truly enjoyed. There aren’t many words to the story, as the pictures tell the majority of it. It is a wonderful book that can be interpreted however you wish to interpret it – that’s the beauty of picture books.
June 14, 2018
Really nice. Great illustrations.
Parent caveat: your kids will probably feel like making costumes out of household items after reading this. Keep an eye on the drapes.
Parent caveat: your kids will probably feel like making costumes out of household items after reading this. Keep an eye on the drapes.
December 2, 2018
Each year my family reads all the Goodreads-award-nominated picture books, and we have been doing this for years. Everyone rates each book and adds a comment and it may (or may not) affect my overall rating. This is book #1 of 2018, and is one of my favorites of the year, but that view isn't widely shared with the fam.
Tara: 3 stars. Eh. Cute, but who are all the people at the end? Some festival?
Harry (13): 3.5 stars. I like the pictures.
Hank (12): 3.5stars. I like how he got to see the world of the mermaids.
Lyra (11): 4 stars. I like how he BECAME a mermaid. I like the drawings.
Jenn (family friend): 4 stars. I love the gorgeous painted illustrations and all the details. And I appreciate this story of a grandmother's acknowledgement and acceptance.
Dave: 5 stars. A kind of allegory, maybe in part about gender choices, but not necessarily so, which I like. Julian goes swimming at the Y with his Abuela every Saturday. One day on the subway they see three women dressed as mermaids. Julian is intrigued, goes home, makes up a costume so he could dress up as one. Abuela walks in to see him; that moment--the adult seeing the boy "dress up as a woman"---what do you do? What does Abuela do? She helps him accessorize! She lends him her pearls and takes him to the ocean where there seem to me many colorfully-dressed mermaids and lots of otherwise colorfully-dressed and happy people. Julian's people! That's what you do, as an adult, you help a kid find who he wants to be, not just what you want him or her to be! Lovely watercolor (or is it chalk?) illustrations.
Tara: 3 stars. Eh. Cute, but who are all the people at the end? Some festival?
Harry (13): 3.5 stars. I like the pictures.
Hank (12): 3.5stars. I like how he got to see the world of the mermaids.
Lyra (11): 4 stars. I like how he BECAME a mermaid. I like the drawings.
Jenn (family friend): 4 stars. I love the gorgeous painted illustrations and all the details. And I appreciate this story of a grandmother's acknowledgement and acceptance.
Dave: 5 stars. A kind of allegory, maybe in part about gender choices, but not necessarily so, which I like. Julian goes swimming at the Y with his Abuela every Saturday. One day on the subway they see three women dressed as mermaids. Julian is intrigued, goes home, makes up a costume so he could dress up as one. Abuela walks in to see him; that moment--the adult seeing the boy "dress up as a woman"---what do you do? What does Abuela do? She helps him accessorize! She lends him her pearls and takes him to the ocean where there seem to me many colorfully-dressed mermaids and lots of otherwise colorfully-dressed and happy people. Julian's people! That's what you do, as an adult, you help a kid find who he wants to be, not just what you want him or her to be! Lovely watercolor (or is it chalk?) illustrations.
August 18, 2018
I had not yet reviewed this fabulous children's book, which I read in June 2018, other than to rate it a fantastic five stars. However, I recently read a review by a goodreads acquaintance, that seems to have completely missed the point of the book, viewing little Julián as "disturbing." This upset me. We live in a troubling world, and I live in the current Trump Bigotocracy. I stand for equality for ALL. Period. No exceptions, no caveats. I wish that many of my friends and acquaintances, both online and in person, who voice their beliefs about equality, would follow through on that claim. This includes equality for all children, including the right of a child to express herself or himself. As an educator with real life experience of this issue, I can say that yes, for example, it can be difficult to balance the needs of that one little kindergarten boy in a tutu, against the concerns of "certain" parents of the other kiddos. However, it CAN be done with love and diplomacy and patience: and the help of an AMAZING school guidance counselor. As the parent of a transgender teen, I also have years of experience with my own child's need to express himself howEVER he chooses.
Wearing both of those hats, I will acknowledge that this book is certainly meant to be funny, cute, joyous, silly, and full of self-expression. I will also point out, though, because I'm up on my soap-box now, that the author clearly has an underlying message that any kind of self-expression should be supported, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD'S GENDER. IE: this book is NOT about mermaids; this book is about Julián. Below is my reply to my goodreads acquaintance's review, which can now serve as my basic review:
"I love Julián, and recommend this book to anyone who supports *kids* at all. As an educator who feels strongly that kids should always be allowed to express themselves, and as a parent of a transgender kid, I read a different message in this book: I think it's possible that, without using terms like "gender diversity" or "gender expression," the author is gently, joyously, and humorously supporting the right of a child to express himself any way he chooses. And yes, it's silly to see him outdoors in his undies, but to me it was more important to see his supportive grandmother, sharing her lipstick, loving him just as he is. The book blurb ends by describing this story as 'a jubilant picture of self love and a radiant celebration of individuality.' I think that says it all. : )"
I normally do not become this impassioned about my deepest personal views, on goodreads, nor do I "rant." This is the first time I have "publicly" said here that I'm the parent of a transgender kid. I fully expect that I'll have lost a dozen or more goodreads friends by tomorrow, because, sadly, I have a lot of experience with bigotry related to this topic. That's fine. However, I also fully expect to receive some positive comments to this review, because I KNOW that most readers are open-minded people, who are interested in views beyond their own, and read especially to explore the wider world. I encourage you to read Julián is a Mermaid. I encourage you to let your child read it. If you're the parent if a transgender or gender-diverse kid, I whole-heartedly recommend this book. Happy Reading!!
* edited for typos and layout issue, 8/18/18
Wearing both of those hats, I will acknowledge that this book is certainly meant to be funny, cute, joyous, silly, and full of self-expression. I will also point out, though, because I'm up on my soap-box now, that the author clearly has an underlying message that any kind of self-expression should be supported, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD'S GENDER. IE: this book is NOT about mermaids; this book is about Julián. Below is my reply to my goodreads acquaintance's review, which can now serve as my basic review:
"I love Julián, and recommend this book to anyone who supports *kids* at all. As an educator who feels strongly that kids should always be allowed to express themselves, and as a parent of a transgender kid, I read a different message in this book: I think it's possible that, without using terms like "gender diversity" or "gender expression," the author is gently, joyously, and humorously supporting the right of a child to express himself any way he chooses. And yes, it's silly to see him outdoors in his undies, but to me it was more important to see his supportive grandmother, sharing her lipstick, loving him just as he is. The book blurb ends by describing this story as 'a jubilant picture of self love and a radiant celebration of individuality.' I think that says it all. : )"
I normally do not become this impassioned about my deepest personal views, on goodreads, nor do I "rant." This is the first time I have "publicly" said here that I'm the parent of a transgender kid. I fully expect that I'll have lost a dozen or more goodreads friends by tomorrow, because, sadly, I have a lot of experience with bigotry related to this topic. That's fine. However, I also fully expect to receive some positive comments to this review, because I KNOW that most readers are open-minded people, who are interested in views beyond their own, and read especially to explore the wider world. I encourage you to read Julián is a Mermaid. I encourage you to let your child read it. If you're the parent if a transgender or gender-diverse kid, I whole-heartedly recommend this book. Happy Reading!!
* edited for typos and layout issue, 8/18/18
December 9, 2018
this is the most wholesome book I’ve read all year
August 9, 2019
This is fantastic!!!
I think my favourite part is Julian's Grandma (Abuela).
She is not only supportive and accepting of her grandson, but finds him somewhere he can be himself with other like minded individuals.
The illustrations are lovely in a hand painted fashion that doesn't require a lot of text.
I think my favourite part is Julian's Grandma (Abuela).
She is not only supportive and accepting of her grandson, but finds him somewhere he can be himself with other like minded individuals.
The illustrations are lovely in a hand painted fashion that doesn't require a lot of text.
July 30, 2024
Que bonita história de aceitação sem lições de moral! O mundo precisa de mais livros destes.
January 27, 2020
fulfilling book riot's 2020 read harder challenge task #18: Read a picture book with a human main character from a marginalized community.
review to come....
review to come....
March 19, 2019
Really touching quick book with minimal dialogue and beautiful art that's more of an instructive lesson for adults than a story for kids. I hope the mermaids were everything Julián hoped they'd be!
June 18, 2018
Unconditional Love within. Julian feels like a mermaid so his abuela takes him to a place to be around other mermaids.
I do love the art and the simple story of wanting to be who you are. This is so much fun and has the energy of Carnival to it.
The kids had fun with this book.
I do love the art and the simple story of wanting to be who you are. This is so much fun and has the energy of Carnival to it.
The kids had fun with this book.
January 29, 2023
A good picture book is like a beautiful moment. It puts a smile on your face. It makes you feel good and hopeful. It makes you feel like you can be a mermaid, if you want.
I wish there could have been books like this one when I was younger. I needed them more then. But I'm happy that they exist now.
I wish there could have been books like this one when I was younger. I needed them more then. But I'm happy that they exist now.
April 5, 2019
Julian enjoys dressing up. Inspired by seeing some colourful costumes he makes himself one from bits and pieces from his Grandmother's house then they go together to a parade. The illustrations are lovely, colourful and full of sunshine, some beautiful images of glamorously curvy older ladies in colourful clothes, busy enjoying life!
March 3, 2020
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
The fact that this is a PICTURE BOOK and hardly any narrative is included at all is what makes it brilliant. Well, that and the artwork. Those watercolors are 5 Stars. Because so much is left unsaid, Julian Is A Mermaid can be about whatever anyone wants it to be. Mermaids, imagination, expressing yourself, acceptance, all bodies are beautiful bodies, etc., etc., etc.
Of course since only children are amazing and adults are buttholes, this has made the far right’s hit list in order to challenge and/or ban it as well as the hit list of the far left arguing that “this is not Jessica Love’s story to tell.” Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh . . . . .
Good grief. Don’t buy the book or leave it on the library bookshelf if it’s not your cup of tea. But STFU about it so everyone else who isn’t offended by everything can enjoy it.
Really the only thing anyone should be bringing up about this story as far as I’m concerned? Who in the world has a Grandma that would let you rip down her fancy lace sheer curtains to play dress up and not whoop yo ass? I could have used one of those kinds of grannies when I was a kid!
The fact that this is a PICTURE BOOK and hardly any narrative is included at all is what makes it brilliant. Well, that and the artwork. Those watercolors are 5 Stars. Because so much is left unsaid, Julian Is A Mermaid can be about whatever anyone wants it to be. Mermaids, imagination, expressing yourself, acceptance, all bodies are beautiful bodies, etc., etc., etc.
Of course since only children are amazing and adults are buttholes, this has made the far right’s hit list in order to challenge and/or ban it as well as the hit list of the far left arguing that “this is not Jessica Love’s story to tell.” Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh . . . . .
Good grief. Don’t buy the book or leave it on the library bookshelf if it’s not your cup of tea. But STFU about it so everyone else who isn’t offended by everything can enjoy it.
Really the only thing anyone should be bringing up about this story as far as I’m concerned? Who in the world has a Grandma that would let you rip down her fancy lace sheer curtains to play dress up and not whoop yo ass? I could have used one of those kinds of grannies when I was a kid!
June 8, 2024
Libby app
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Story was sweet :) Loved how supportive his abuela was and didn't make him feel bad about how he wanted to express himself.
Artwork had some lovely parts but overall wasn't a fan of some it (not saying it's bad, just personal tastes).
Would recommend 👌:)
----
Story was sweet :) Loved how supportive his abuela was and didn't make him feel bad about how he wanted to express himself.
Artwork had some lovely parts but overall wasn't a fan of some it (not saying it's bad, just personal tastes).
Would recommend 👌:)
December 5, 2022
I've been eyeing this children's picture book for a while. Its art is immaculate and I knew I needed to get hold of a copy for my nephew (...and myself, of course!). I decided to buy the French edition because it was much cheaper than the English or German ones, and I can't say I regret my choice.
Julian est une sirène is the beautiful story of the young boy Julian who is fascinated with mermaids (and the people of his neighborhood who dress up like them). The story explores themes such as identity, relationships, (self-)acceptance and love.
One day, while on the subway with his mamita, Julian sees three women dressed up as mermaids. He becomes fascinated by them and starts dreaming of becoming a mermaid swimming in the sea. Back home, while his grandmother is showering, Julian fashions himself a mermaid outfit with a variety of materials he finds at home, including a potted plant and window curtains. After leaving the bath, his grandmother gives what seems a disapproving look and leaves for a while, just to return with a smile on her face and a pearl necklace for Julian. His mamita then takes him to the siren parade, where he gets to walk with all the other mermaids.
Jessica Love says she was inspired to write the book when she met a former partner's older brother, who had transitioned a few years before she began writing the book. According to Love, due to pushback from his family when younger, he was only able to transition after he was fifty years old. Talking to him inspired her to research the subject, including the available literature.
I've read some criticism of this story that talks about how it's harmful to portray "trans people as mythical creatures". I personally disagree with this interpretation of the story because it's too narrow for my liking. Of course, Julian (and his desire to dress up "like a siren" aka what is considered by most as girls' clothing) can be read as trans, but nowhere in the book is that expicitly said. He could also be gender-fluid, undecided, or just a cis boy who enjoys dressing up "like a girl/siren". The people he is fascinated with (e.g. the three women dressed up as sirens on the subway or the drag queen at the parade at the end of the book) don't seem to be trans, they are quite possibly queer/gay, but nowhere in the book is it indicated that these are trans folks.
Therefore, Julian's desire to dress like them doesn't necessarily have to be an expression of him identifying as trans. I personally read it as him not fitting the mold general society has set out for boys like him. On top of that, I don't think that this book fetishizes or mythologizes queer folks. Love was inspired by the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, an annual parade held in NYC where all kinds of people join and dress up as mermaids. Her depictions of these customs aren't overblown, they're quite realistic.
What really sold me on this book are actually Love's beautiful illustrations. They're so colorful, vivid and full of life, I could stare at them all day. Joyous doesn't begin to describe them. On top of that, I appreciate that Julian is a Black/Afro-Latin boy, as this representation is still rare in children's picture books, and something I am looking for especially for my nephew. The depiction of Afro-Caribbean culture (especially through the characters' bodies, hair, and clothes) is pretty authentic.
I understand the criticism that the abuela's immediate acceptance of Julian's choice of clothing isn't the most realistic, as trans- and homophobia are rampant in Latin communities, but I personally loved seeing Julian's relationship to his grandma because 1) it showed a different family model (it seems like Julian is being raised by her, not his parents) and 2) her acceptance sparks hope and shows that love is trumps all. (I would definitely be more critical of a depiction like this in a novel for teens and/or adults, but I think for a children's book whose target audience are children who have woke parents – let's be real, who else will be buying this book for their children – it's pretty accurate and realistic).
Overall, I'd highly recommend Julian est une sirène. If you're not sold by its art style alone, maybe its interesting themes (which will lay a great base for discussion with children of any age) will convince you.
Julian est une sirène is the beautiful story of the young boy Julian who is fascinated with mermaids (and the people of his neighborhood who dress up like them). The story explores themes such as identity, relationships, (self-)acceptance and love.
One day, while on the subway with his mamita, Julian sees three women dressed up as mermaids. He becomes fascinated by them and starts dreaming of becoming a mermaid swimming in the sea. Back home, while his grandmother is showering, Julian fashions himself a mermaid outfit with a variety of materials he finds at home, including a potted plant and window curtains. After leaving the bath, his grandmother gives what seems a disapproving look and leaves for a while, just to return with a smile on her face and a pearl necklace for Julian. His mamita then takes him to the siren parade, where he gets to walk with all the other mermaids.
Jessica Love says she was inspired to write the book when she met a former partner's older brother, who had transitioned a few years before she began writing the book. According to Love, due to pushback from his family when younger, he was only able to transition after he was fifty years old. Talking to him inspired her to research the subject, including the available literature.
I've read some criticism of this story that talks about how it's harmful to portray "trans people as mythical creatures". I personally disagree with this interpretation of the story because it's too narrow for my liking. Of course, Julian (and his desire to dress up "like a siren" aka what is considered by most as girls' clothing) can be read as trans, but nowhere in the book is that expicitly said. He could also be gender-fluid, undecided, or just a cis boy who enjoys dressing up "like a girl/siren". The people he is fascinated with (e.g. the three women dressed up as sirens on the subway or the drag queen at the parade at the end of the book) don't seem to be trans, they are quite possibly queer/gay, but nowhere in the book is it indicated that these are trans folks.
Therefore, Julian's desire to dress like them doesn't necessarily have to be an expression of him identifying as trans. I personally read it as him not fitting the mold general society has set out for boys like him. On top of that, I don't think that this book fetishizes or mythologizes queer folks. Love was inspired by the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, an annual parade held in NYC where all kinds of people join and dress up as mermaids. Her depictions of these customs aren't overblown, they're quite realistic.
What really sold me on this book are actually Love's beautiful illustrations. They're so colorful, vivid and full of life, I could stare at them all day. Joyous doesn't begin to describe them. On top of that, I appreciate that Julian is a Black/Afro-Latin boy, as this representation is still rare in children's picture books, and something I am looking for especially for my nephew. The depiction of Afro-Caribbean culture (especially through the characters' bodies, hair, and clothes) is pretty authentic.
I understand the criticism that the abuela's immediate acceptance of Julian's choice of clothing isn't the most realistic, as trans- and homophobia are rampant in Latin communities, but I personally loved seeing Julian's relationship to his grandma because 1) it showed a different family model (it seems like Julian is being raised by her, not his parents) and 2) her acceptance sparks hope and shows that love is trumps all. (I would definitely be more critical of a depiction like this in a novel for teens and/or adults, but I think for a children's book whose target audience are children who have woke parents – let's be real, who else will be buying this book for their children – it's pretty accurate and realistic).
Overall, I'd highly recommend Julian est une sirène. If you're not sold by its art style alone, maybe its interesting themes (which will lay a great base for discussion with children of any age) will convince you.
November 7, 2017
Prediction: 2019 Caldecott winner
November 9, 2019
Truth be told I indeed do find the internal messages featured in Jessica Love's Julian is a Mermaid about being yourself, about accepting who you are and what appeals to you, while certainly important and essential, also a bit too much of having been presented over and over again in far too many recently published picture books (although yes, I also very much consider Julian's abuela, I find his grandmother an absolute gem, especially that she does not ever verbally criticise her grandson after Julian has absconded with both her ferns and her drapery to make himself a mermaid costume but instead she simply hands Julian a necklace to wear and takes him to participate in a mermaid parade).
However, even though the featured messages presented and the lessons learned in Julian is a Mermaid (and both narrationally and visually) are definitely a trifle too typical and overused for me and in my opinion, I also have certainly and in fact absolutely aesthetically enjoyed and delighted in Jessica Love's colourful and exuberant illustrations, pictures that totally and absolutely do sweetly and engagingly demonstrate just how much fun young Julian has dressing himself up as a mermaid and furthermore that there is also nothing at all in any manner inappropriate or wrong with regard to either Julian loving mermaids and wanting to dress up as one or indeed with Julian being shown in just his underwear whilst he is donning his mermaid drapes and his fern headdress (not to mention that in the final illustration of Julian is a Mermaid, Jessica Love's illustrations clearly and delightfully show that the mermaid parade includes participants of all shapes and sizes and yes, also and equally both males and females).
However, even though the featured messages presented and the lessons learned in Julian is a Mermaid (and both narrationally and visually) are definitely a trifle too typical and overused for me and in my opinion, I also have certainly and in fact absolutely aesthetically enjoyed and delighted in Jessica Love's colourful and exuberant illustrations, pictures that totally and absolutely do sweetly and engagingly demonstrate just how much fun young Julian has dressing himself up as a mermaid and furthermore that there is also nothing at all in any manner inappropriate or wrong with regard to either Julian loving mermaids and wanting to dress up as one or indeed with Julian being shown in just his underwear whilst he is donning his mermaid drapes and his fern headdress (not to mention that in the final illustration of Julian is a Mermaid, Jessica Love's illustrations clearly and delightfully show that the mermaid parade includes participants of all shapes and sizes and yes, also and equally both males and females).
June 21, 2021
Sexualization of children is NOT OKAY.
Julián is one of those tricky books because on the surface, the story seems cute: a boy has a fanciful way of expressing himself through dress-up and finds others like him. And if that’s all it was, it would’ve been fine; a boy embracing his feminine nature through makeup and dress is all well and good, in my opinion. But this story takes it too far.
Julián spends 70% of the book scantily clad, in his underwear or a sarong. In one scene, after he undresses, a school of fish sweep through and magically remove his genitalia, replacing the bottom half of his body with a mermaid tail. If you think I’m exaggerating, I assure you, I am not. For those who aren’t aware, mermaids are an aspirational symbol for the transgender community specifically because they have no visible genitalia. Plus, there’s the matter of women being called “fish” in the gay community, which is another ball of wax.
Later, the author uses the sweet and trusted Abuela to introduce Julián to drag – an inherently sexual art form which should be exclusive to adults. The crowd appears to be a mix of transgender women and queens at a Pride parade. Now be honest, if you have ever been to a Pride parade, you know that it’s a gratuitous display of sexuality. It is not a place for developing minds.
Bottom line, we need to stop sweet talking children into gender transitioning. That is a serious ADULT medical decision. It’s normal for some young people to experiment with their image or go through phases (yes, most of the time, it’s just a phase!) Let kids be kids, then grow up to make their own decisions. They don’t need to attend sex parades in order to find themselves.
Julián is one of those tricky books because on the surface, the story seems cute: a boy has a fanciful way of expressing himself through dress-up and finds others like him. And if that’s all it was, it would’ve been fine; a boy embracing his feminine nature through makeup and dress is all well and good, in my opinion. But this story takes it too far.
Julián spends 70% of the book scantily clad, in his underwear or a sarong. In one scene, after he undresses, a school of fish sweep through and magically remove his genitalia, replacing the bottom half of his body with a mermaid tail. If you think I’m exaggerating, I assure you, I am not. For those who aren’t aware, mermaids are an aspirational symbol for the transgender community specifically because they have no visible genitalia. Plus, there’s the matter of women being called “fish” in the gay community, which is another ball of wax.
Later, the author uses the sweet and trusted Abuela to introduce Julián to drag – an inherently sexual art form which should be exclusive to adults. The crowd appears to be a mix of transgender women and queens at a Pride parade. Now be honest, if you have ever been to a Pride parade, you know that it’s a gratuitous display of sexuality. It is not a place for developing minds.
Bottom line, we need to stop sweet talking children into gender transitioning. That is a serious ADULT medical decision. It’s normal for some young people to experiment with their image or go through phases (yes, most of the time, it’s just a phase!) Let kids be kids, then grow up to make their own decisions. They don’t need to attend sex parades in order to find themselves.
January 24, 2019
This may be my favourite picture book that I've ever read. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. The expressions say so much by themselves. And Julián's abuela's unquestioning acceptance and affirmation makes me want to cry.
January 6, 2018
What Betsy said. http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production... (Can't imagine anything beating this for the 2019 Caldecott.)
August 23, 2025
Guys. Please read this it's so damned adorable!
Julián Is a Mermaidby Jessica Love is a children's book about a young boy named Julián who sees mermaids everywhere and wants nothing more than to be a mermaid himself.
Such a sweet story and the illustrations are fantastic. The images are bright and beautiful. I read this and then promptly made my wife read it and she liked it too.
If my son were back at home and young I'd be buying this for my own personal library, but for now I just read it as an ebook and wonder if fostering is a thing I could do. Maybe. I'm not super old or anything, but I wonder if I want to give up my reading time. Lol.
Please read this because it will make you as happy as it made me, I give you my word.
I recommend this and have to commend the author for such a beautiful / flawless piece of art.
Have you ever felt different on the inside and you close your eyes and imagine yourself swimming in the reeds of a great river, hair long and tangled before, with a flick of your muscular tail you free yourself, tumbling into the cold depths of the ocean...
Sorry, where was I? 🤣 Yes, I day dream on a regular basis and when we go to my favourite bay, it's a cove and the water is so still and clear — it's perfect for rock gathering. My wife looks for sea glass, but I love weird and unusual rocks more. I spend a lot of time upside down... Pretending I'm a mermaid gathering my treasures. Don't we all? -looks around curiously-
This book brings back so many happy memories of being hidden away somewhere I could day dream undisturbed. I still do it sometimes, when I can, but the dogs usually find me pretty quickly.
Julián Is a Mermaidby Jessica Love is a children's book about a young boy named Julián who sees mermaids everywhere and wants nothing more than to be a mermaid himself.
Such a sweet story and the illustrations are fantastic. The images are bright and beautiful. I read this and then promptly made my wife read it and she liked it too.
If my son were back at home and young I'd be buying this for my own personal library, but for now I just read it as an ebook and wonder if fostering is a thing I could do. Maybe. I'm not super old or anything, but I wonder if I want to give up my reading time. Lol.
Please read this because it will make you as happy as it made me, I give you my word.
I recommend this and have to commend the author for such a beautiful / flawless piece of art.
Have you ever felt different on the inside and you close your eyes and imagine yourself swimming in the reeds of a great river, hair long and tangled before, with a flick of your muscular tail you free yourself, tumbling into the cold depths of the ocean...
Sorry, where was I? 🤣 Yes, I day dream on a regular basis and when we go to my favourite bay, it's a cove and the water is so still and clear — it's perfect for rock gathering. My wife looks for sea glass, but I love weird and unusual rocks more. I spend a lot of time upside down... Pretending I'm a mermaid gathering my treasures. Don't we all? -looks around curiously-
This book brings back so many happy memories of being hidden away somewhere I could day dream undisturbed. I still do it sometimes, when I can, but the dogs usually find me pretty quickly.
Read
March 31, 2022An awesome, inspiringly penned and pictured tale of acceptance.
-Monty K.
-Monty K.
April 17, 2019
So beautiful, especially the illustrations!!
October 3, 2019
Worth the wait. I wouldn't recommend that you buy it unless you have an heir or students, but I read it on my mom's library's Overdrive on my laptop and it is clearly more than just another encouraging message book. It's about more than just loving what you love, but also about family (a supportive grandma in this family of 2) and community (oh, see where Abuela takes Julian!).
Very few words, nothing to do with being a drag queen or being gay or anything.... Julian thinks long hair & skirts with tail-shaped trains and the way they flow in the water are beautiful, and he desires to be as beautiful and graceful as the young women in his abuela's water-exercise class. Simple as that.
And yes, five stars, I wish everyone would read it. And fill trunks with dress-up materials for their children.
Very few words, nothing to do with being a drag queen or being gay or anything.... Julian thinks long hair & skirts with tail-shaped trains and the way they flow in the water are beautiful, and he desires to be as beautiful and graceful as the young women in his abuela's water-exercise class. Simple as that.
And yes, five stars, I wish everyone would read it. And fill trunks with dress-up materials for their children.
May 14, 2018
The art in this one nearly made me swoon. I read this to groups of grade 3/4 students this week and am happy that the only thing that made a few of the boys uncomfortable was seeing Julián in his underwear. We have come a very long way since I first started teaching.
July 10, 2019
This is a cute story about being yourself.
Julián sees some women dressed as mermaids on the subway, and he wants to be like them. While his grandmother is having a bath, he dresses himself up as a mermaid using a houseplant and some curtains. When his grandmother first sees him, she doesn't look very happy. Julián thinks he's going to be in trouble. But she eventually helps Julián with his costume, encouraging him to express himself.
I like the message here, and the illustrations are really lovely. People of all shapes, sizes, and colours are represented here. The scenes at the end are especially fun to look at.
I'd heard of this book and its message, and I'm glad I finally got a chance to read it. I'd definitely recommend this one to those looking for books about individuality and acceptance.
Quotable moment:
Julián sees some women dressed as mermaids on the subway, and he wants to be like them. While his grandmother is having a bath, he dresses himself up as a mermaid using a houseplant and some curtains. When his grandmother first sees him, she doesn't look very happy. Julián thinks he's going to be in trouble. But she eventually helps Julián with his costume, encouraging him to express himself.
I like the message here, and the illustrations are really lovely. People of all shapes, sizes, and colours are represented here. The scenes at the end are especially fun to look at.
I'd heard of this book and its message, and I'm glad I finally got a chance to read it. I'd definitely recommend this one to those looking for books about individuality and acceptance.
Quotable moment:
June 20, 2019
The last book read in my evening of reading diverse children's books. This one was pure fun. Julian is adorably drawn and there is a luscious array of fabric illustration - from bathing suits to Nana's pants and dresses. The final sea-themed parade was just lovely.
As always when I pick up children's books I want to see them converted to animated short-films, this one would be particular cool in that format.
As always when I pick up children's books I want to see them converted to animated short-films, this one would be particular cool in that format.
May 1, 2025
Das ist vielleicht das erste Bilderbuch mit nicht-weißen Menschen, das ich in der Hand halte. Damit nicht genug: der Junge Julian, der gerne eine Meerjungfrau (oder überhaupt eine Frau?) wäre, wird von seiner Großmutter nicht ausgeschimpft, sondern ermutigt. Wunderbar!
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