The Mermaid in the Millpond

by Lucy Strange, Pam Smy (Illustrator)

History and myth entwine in this atmospheric tale of freedom and friendship from bestselling author Lucy Strange and acclaimed illustrator Pam Smy.

Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel – a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison with no way out.

Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it's all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water.

But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape …

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mermaids, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Historical, Short Stories

73 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2022

About the author

Lucy Strange worked as an actor, singer and storyteller before becoming a secondary school English teacher. She now lives and writes in the heart of the Kent countryside with her partner James, their baby boy and a tortoiseshell cat known as Moo.

Our Castle by the Sea is Lucy’s second novel for children, following her critically acclaimed debut, The Secret of Nightingale Wood.

Reviews

[Thibault Busschots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bess is a child who works at a rural cotton mill, ran by a cruel man who scares the children working for him with horror stories about a deadly creature in the millpond. Bess doesn’t believe in the stories, thinking he just tells them to keep his workers from running away. But one day, she sees the water stirring …


The cotton mill is a very simple setting, but it’s a very effective one. It takes us back to a time where children were worked as slaves to operate giant machines, where disaster could strike at any time and death always lurked around the corner. Bess feels trapped in this hopeless situation. All she wants is to escape from the nightmare she finds herself in. And she’s not the only one.


What a delightful little story. It’s a very short story. But the author didn’t need a lot of words to show that she’s an absolute master of her craft. Getting the historic setting and the characters to come to life with such few words is actually quite difficult, yet she makes it look so easy. The author delivers a heartbreaking punch to the gut with powerful themes like poverty, friendship, kindness and freedom. And she follows it up with a heartwarming hug from the bottom of her heart. A very easy recommendation.

[Rosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: I knew this would be a great book because I had heard of this author’s children’s fiction works. But I wasn’t prepared for it to be so fabulous! Mind you, the story is quite dark.

Story:

11 year old Bess has left the London workhouse to work in a rural cotton mill on the promise of good food and shelter. Unfortunately, she finds herself overworked and underfed. She is antagonistic with the other poor orphan labourers who share the same gloomy dorm with no hope of escape. Right outside her dorm window is a pond, but they’ve been warned against entering it as there is supposed to be a monstrous mermaid dwelling in it. The only good thing in Bess’s life is the new entrant Dot, who makes a way into Bess’s reluctant heart. With regular beatings, work struggles reaching intolerable levels and a scary mermaid outside, will Bess be able to escape her situation? And maybe help Dot too? And what about the mermaid – is she even real?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Beth.

The title and the cover already tell you that there's a mermaid in the millpond and this will probably conjure up the image of a light, fluffy, magical story about a mermaid. But the mermaid is more of a secondary character in the story and the focus is more on Bess and Dot. I’m just mentioning this so that children/guardians opt for this book with the right expectations. It is not like the Disney version of “The Little Mermaid”.

Unlike typical children’s fiction, this story is quite dark and depressing. When a child character declares "You have to be selfish to survive", one can only imagine what sort of horrors she had undergone until that point of her life. Bess, with all her façade of aggression and strength, is still a broken-hearted little girl and you can’t help but feel for her in this story. She is determined to deal with life without anyone’s support, but how far can one go alone? Is it a sign of weakness to accept help from those who genuinely offer it? These are just two of the many questions the book provokes you to ponder upon.

Though the year in which the story is set isn’t mentioned, it is clearly a historical one, set at least a century ago. And this is brought out very well in the atmosphere created by the author. The picture of the depressing life in the workhouse and the mill dormitory, the physical punishment regularly doled out to the orphans, the hard working conditions for the underage labourers – all of these would not be ideas modern children would be familiar with, nor comfortable with. But we all learn from the mistakes of the past, and all these dark ideas can be very thought-provoking and insightful about human behaviour. Both Bess and Dot go through so many hardships in this story but the way they come together and make a plan to somehow get out is beautifully written.

This is a pretty quick read as the book is in large font and is categorised as "hi-lo" -- high interest, low ability-- so the content is age-appropriate for the target reader but the text is edited to suit a lower reading age. This increases the appeal of the book as it will surely reach out to a wider audience with this kind of approachable writing.

There are striking BW illustrations throughout the book, and these greatly add to the appeal of the story.

The ending is not exactly tied in a neat bow but it is on a hopeful and happy note. I would have loved to know what happens next. But as the title suggests, the highlight is the mermaid, and that arc of the story is more or less completed in this book. Perhaps there will be a sequel telling us how life continues for brave little Bess and brave little Dot.

Overall, this is a beautiful story of hope and courage and determination and friendship. Though gloomy in its content, it shows how important it is to have hope and to never give up. As Dumbledore said, “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” I really enjoyed my first book by Lucy Strange and look forward to reading her other children’s fiction works.

4.5 stars. Suitable for readers aged 8+.

My thanks to Barrington Stoke and NetGalley for the ARC of “The Mermaid in the Millpond”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.




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[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read, probably less than an hour. It made a good read aloud, the characters and story held our attention. The story focuses on two girls who have been sent from the workhouse to work in a mill until they are 21 years old. They are unhappy and harshly treated and long for escape. The supernatural side of the story was well told, it was enjoyable how it drew on folklore such as Jenny Green Teeth and made it seem more plausible. We enjoyed the conclusion but wanted to know more and we were left hoping there would be a sequel.

An ideal read for those who find it challenging to read a longer book but want more from a story. This was well written and atmospheric, this could certainly be enjoyable for older children, smaller children might find some parts upsetting or frightening, but nothing too bad happens. The cover is beautiful and there are several illustrations inside too.

[S. ≽^•⩊•^≼ I'm not here yet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bess is a hurt child who worked at a London workhouse, she was looking for a fresh start, now working at a rural cotton mill but, nothing can heal her. She believes if be tough and uncared can survive,
BUT
"Sometimes the only way to save yourself is to save someone else..."

Dot, a new girl is kind to Bess and kindness could be spread. Bess starts to remember herself before being hurt. They want to find their chance in a better place.
People say there is a Mermaid in the lake in the Millpond, not like the fancy one in the beautiful stories but a monster. However, Bess doesn't believe in the mermaid but, the creature doesn't seem to care!
Maybe the mermaid is just alone and hurt like Bess, what if she needs help too?!

Many thanks to Barrington Stoke and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read The Mermaid in the Millpond by Lucy Strange, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 06 Jan 2022
Review Date: 09 Nov 2021

[Matthew Elliot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rtc.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Extremely short story about a girl from a workhouse who is taken to work at a cotton mill that has a mermaid living in the pond outside. The two share a kinship of sorts when they both realise that they're trapped.

I think this would serve as a really good introduction to children learning about the Industrial revolution, cotton mills and the hardships of child labour during the Victorian age. It touches very briefly on the topics, offering a guiding hand and a light touch instead of hammering the subject home. The inclusion of a fantasy element with the mermaid offers a nice bit of magical relief and lightness to the story.

Well written, beautiful pictures scattered throughout and a great read for younger children.

[Beth Cato · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book for the younger middle grade set (age 8+) absolutely charms with its dark yet hopeful story and fantastic illustrations. Bess is a recently-orphaned girl at a Victorian factory. Life is hard--abuse is rampant, hours are long, and the adults are awful. Bess isn't surprised by the cruelty of life anymore, though, and she doesn't want to make friends with other workers like Dot. Why get close to someone, to be hurt again? But when she realizes the rumored mermaid in the millpond is real--and trapped in a horrible place, just like her--she understands she's not the only one who suffers... and that burdens are easier when they are shared by friends.

I adored this book. Yes, it is grim and realistic in its depiction of factory life, but it's also about empowerment, hope, and friendship. The illustrations are wonderful, too--moody and eloquent, and they add a lot to the story. I would have loved this book as a child, and I love it now, too.

[Marcella · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I don’t believe in mermaids, I think desperately. But the creature in front of me doesn’t seem to care whether I believe in her or not.”

In tegenstelling tot de andere Lucy Strange boeken is deze niet-vertaalde novelle meer een 8+ dan een 13+ in taalgebruik. De thematiek, de spooky vibes en de verwijzingen naar Shakespeare maken dit echter een best lastig boekje. Maar ik genoot wel van dit mysterieuze, sprookjesachtige verhaal met een scherp randje.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dickensian horror story of child labour, grief and cruelty, told by the skilled Lucy Strange.
Young Bess is newly arrived at a mill in the countryside. She had been living with her actor mother, learning about backstage work at a Covent Garden theatre. After her mother's death, Bess was sent to a workhouse, and when offered another, possibly better, opportunity outside London, she took it.
Of course, it wasn’t a good opportunity, as Bes becomes an indentured servant for the mill, doing dangerous work in a dangerous and loud workplace, and is mistreated along with all the other children. When another girl tries to befriend her, Bess resists, afraid of the loss she could potentially feel with a new friendship. Bess also discovers a fantastical surprise in the millpond.

Lucy Strange is terrific at writing about loneliness and grief from a child’s perspective. I was pulled into this narrative immediately, and could deeply feel Bess’ loss and her desire for freedom. This was echoed by Dot’s desire to escape to find a better opportunity elsewhere, and in the amazing creature they find in the millpond.

The illustrations by Pam Smy are terrific also, showing us the children's grim surroundings, the grief and the hope in the girls' eyes.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Barrington Stoke for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story and it's themes of friendship, accepting help when you need it, sacrificing for others, and freedom. I would have devoured this book when I was young. I loved the accuracy of the historical setting and that the book didn't shy away from the hardships of being a child in a Victorian age workhouse, without getting too graphic. This would be an excellent book for a struggling reader since it has short chapters, wonderfully drawn pictures to break up the text, and easy to understand wording. I love when books for young readers have a fascinating story while still teaching them a bit of history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for access to this arc!

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't believe in mermaids, I think desperately. But the creature in front of me doesn't seem to care whether I believe in her or not.

The blending of historical fiction with magical realism was brilliant, and the burgeoning friendship between Bess and Dot got me in all the feels. I had no idea this was a Barrington Stoke book when I reserved it at the library, so I was expecting a full-length novel, but this worked perfectly as a short story. I love endings that feel more like beginnings.

[Mathilde Paulsen]

Review and rating to come.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Bess' mother dies and she's sent to the workhouse, the best escape seems to be signing on to work at a cotton mill in the countryside. But far from being a means of keeping herself safe, the mill is abusive and awful - and haunted by the specter of a mermaid in its pond. Could the mermaid in the millpond be as dreadful as the tales suggest, or is she, like Bess, simply trapped in a terrible situation?

This novella manages to seamlessly weave together fear, folklore, and a lovely message about how kindness really is almost always the answer. After her mother's death from consumption (because what else do people die of in Victorian stories?), Bess is convinced that she's at fault because she insisted on being kind to a sick child on the street. She's barricaded her heart away, and not even the friendly hand of Dot, another mill girl, can get through her self-imposed barriers. It's the mermaid, who is definitely more wild creature than Ariel knock-off, who shows Bess that maybe not everything is as bad as it seems, and that by sealing herself off she's really only hurting her own heart.

While it is a bit on the nose towards the end, this is still a lovely middle grade read. Language and theme-wise, it could skew younger, but there are some scenes that may be disturbing for elementary-age readers, so I'd err on the side of caution. The illustrations are haunting as well, which absolutely works for the story, but again, makes this a better choice for middle grade readers than anyone younger.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bess learned that being nice to someone caused her mother to die, so is determined to never make friends with anyone ever again, when she is sent away from the workhouse to a cotton mill in the country.

Dot won't take no for an answer, and is determined to be friends, none the less.

The scene is the 1800s when the industrial revolution forced children to work in the mills, and lose fingers and limbs, and work long hours with little food or pay. It is a wrteched time, and very much a world that Dickens would have recognized.

This story is all that, but there is something more. A mermaid lives in the pond, and the children are told she eats people.

Bess has seen here, and been punished for doing so.

From there the friendship, and the mystery of the mermaid grows.

It is a quick easy read, and exciting, for young readers.

To me, I would have liked more, but it ends at a good point. Perhaps there will be other stories with these two girls? Who knows.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ideal for those with dyslexia and other reading challenges, this has them reading of Dickensian workhouse times, with just a splash (tee hee) of magic.

For my full, and highly positive, review, please click on:- http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/T...

[Anjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read many fiction books that target a younger audience. At least, not in comparison to the rest of the books I do get through in any given year. Surprisingly, many of the ones I have picked up come under the historical fiction category.
This is one such book. One point that struck me, besides the choice of a monstrous mermaid being the central character, was the idea of workhouses and owning the deed to a child (or that's what it amounts to in the long run). It is not very graphic but does not shy away from pointing out the misfortune that befell children who had no one to care for them in long-ago London. It limits itself to beatings and starving as punishment, which some older children may be able to read and question how such a society functioned and if and by how much times have changed. I think it is a topic that children would find alarming but have the aptitude to dig deeper. Parents should obviously know this point before letting any younger ones read it.
Moving on to the story itself, it is short and an almost graphic novel. It has chunks of text bookended by drawings, making it a very immersive experience. Bess is eleven and works in a cotton mill. She has worked in one in the city previously, but the current one has a myth of a mermaid in the surrounding waters. She does not like to think of her past or make friends. She ends up doing both over the course of the story. It is a sad story, and I see potential in continuing it as a series. There is also resilience in it, providing some hope for its characters.
I would recommend it to readers and children whose parents think they can read it without feeling unduly sad about the state of things.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[jess (bibliophilicjester)]

First, the important things. This was a really beautiful (and somewhat dark) story with illustrations that were perfect for the tone. It's short, but it still has the thing I associate most with strange's characters...they feel historically accurate yet are able to push against what's expected of them in a believable way. It's also the type of story where the feeling of it will stick with you long after you've finished reading. Will I remember the characters' names? Unlikely for my brain. But I will definitely remember the atmosphere. This is a book I pre-ordered and read it as soon as it arrived today!

A random confusion. Goodreads lists this as 120 pages, but it's 83. Which is a big number difference, but I guess the same idea of it being a short book. Story. Tale. Whatever. It's short lol

And the reason my rating is blank: this book literally makes me sneeze and my eyes tear. This happened with the comfort book by Matt Haig (which was a much worse reaction) and I left that blank too. It smelled like laundry and I was allergic to it. It's currently in a Ziploc bag with paper towels in it. This one...I guess it's either the paper used or whatever was used to make the pages yellow. I opened the book, turned to the first page, and immediately sneezed and started scratching my eyes.

So yeah, my star rating would inevitably reflect my allergic experience, which isn't fair. This book is lovely. Please read it if you're interested. I hope it doesn't make you sneeze too 😅😅

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mermaid in the Millpond is an excellent book - a mixture of social history and mythical fantasy but with the key message of liberation from imprisonment and the binds of friendship in adversity. The illustrations of Pam Smy add to the sense of brooding despair and darkness . When Bess is orphaned she finds herself placed within a workhouse /mill and then begins her battle to escape.But in doing so she encounters a mermaid who is also trapped within a river and so she embarks upon her journey to freedom. The story does not flinch from the violence of the era but is told in a sensitive manner building up the readers empathy and desire for Bess ( and her friend Dot) to escape and also the sense of mystery as to what is living within the river.
This is a book I will highly recommend to colleagues in KS2 and will be enjoy sharing with story listeners and readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely exquisite book for young readers. My 8 and 10 year olds are huge fans of Lucy Strange. You are guaranteed a riveting read every time. In this story, we meet Bess, who finds herself lonely and trapped in a gruelling job at a rural Mill, after leaving the work house. There are rumours of a strange and dangerous creature in the nearby pond. Yet Bess finds that they have more in common than you might think. An emotion and beautiful book. #themermaidinthemillpond #lucystrange #netgalley

[Ceinwen Langley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you have or know a sweet kid with a taste for the eerie, gloomy, and macabre? Then The Mermaid in the Millpond is for them!

This perfectly creepy, gorgeously illustrated story follows Bess as she tries to survive and escape a children's workhouse in Victorian England. But she's not the only prisoner... a frightening mermaid has gotten stuck in the millpond and needs her help to escape.

Author Lucy Strange doesn't soften the realities of life as a child labourer for her young readers. The squalid, dangerous conditions Bess lives and works in are described in Dickensian detail, complete with cruel and abusive overseers. But it's not all grimness and despair. Bess finds hope in the friendship of another young girl, and the book ends on a very sweet, optimistic note.

I'd recommend this book for young readers between the ages of 7 - 10, perhaps with some parental guidance to help explain and contextualise some of the darker moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for letting me read this dark little tale.

I received this book as an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elisa Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Strange's newest offering is definitely on the dark side. This is no tale of pretty, feminine mermaids. Instead, a fish like creature with 'teeth like a Pike' and 'webbed fingers' greets you in the first chapter. However, this is a novella full of longing and loss in the main character, Bess and her troubled beginnings. Beautifully written as expected and at only 80 pages long, perfect for quick heart warming read on a dark night.

Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel– a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison, with no way out. Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it’s all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water. But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape?

[Catherine Pinkett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written short book. The artwork simple but very effective. How young children were put to work in the mills from a very young age and mistreated is the mainstay of the story. A touch of magical realism in the form of a mermaid is interweaved. Very thought provoking read.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and punchy. It doesn't shy away from the horrors of the workhouse (it may be a cotton mill in the countryside but it's still a workhouse). The friendship between Bess and Dot is lovely. Awesome mermaid too!

[Rianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute kort boekje. Heel erg makkelijk te lezen, maar ook een leuk verhaaltje. Had van mij nog wat langer gemogen door iets van een toekomst er in te schrijven. Nu moet je zelf bedenken wat er gaat gebeuren.

[Marion Cleborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for providing me with a digital ARC!

Mermaid in the Millpond is an eerie story that you can’t put down. Combining historical fiction and monsters, this story is a bite-sized treat I’d recommend to most anyone.

Bess works at a cotton mill just outside of London, where she is abused. She plans an escape, ignoring the rumors of a monstrous mermaid who lives in the pond just outside. However, those rumors might be more true—and dangerous—than she had ever imagined.

This book was described as “hi-lo,” meaning the content is advanced, but the writing style is suited for a younger age. I loved that! It makes it a quick and easy read. It’s super engrossing, so much so I read it in one sitting! And despite being chapter-book length, it had content that is serious and mature. This story also features beautiful illustrations that really add to the atmosphere. Highly recommend it!

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a greatly enjoyable novella that follows Bess, an 11-year-old orphan who leaves a London workhouse with promises of a better life at a cotton mill. Unfortunately, her new environment is yet another prison where conditions are harsh and children are treated cruelly. To make matters worse, there are rumours of a monstrous mermaid lurking about in the pond nearby... 🧜‍♀️

Entwining myth, fantasy and history, the author weaves a vivid story that also sheds light on child labour in the 1800s, when orphaned children were often subjected to abuse, hunger and punishment while being made to perform dangerous jobs in workhouses of the past.

The illustrations further add to the dark and grim tone of the book, making it an atmospheric read reminiscent of 19th-century England. But despite the bleak setting, it's also a story of hope and friendship.

I found the ending abrupt and wished the book was longer, but overall this is a fantastic read and ideal for the publisher's target audience.

I received an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley.

[keely ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little book. It made me happy reading it :)

[Alice Visser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a massive fan of Barrington Stoke books, not only because they appeal to the struggling and reluctant readers I work with, but also because they engage with complex themes in a concise and engaging way. The Mermaid in the Millpond is no exception. It is historical fiction with a magical touch. Bess’s mother has died and she is forced to do hard labour in a rural cotton mill where children are relentlessly exploited and beaten. There are rumours of a creature in the pond – and this creature turns out to be just as trapped as Bess and her friend Dot.

This was an engaging and very quick read with vivid illustrations. One area for improvement: the advance copy I read didn’t have historical information at the end; I would appreciated learning more about the historical mills (this may come in the published version).

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Mermaid in the Millpond” reads like a middle grade Victorian novella - a shorter, darker Frances Hodgson Burnett classic if you will. Strange’s atmospheric writing paired with Pam Smy’s illustrations drew me in right out of the gate. I also appreciated the new take on mermaid lore, the Ophelia allusions and the unflinching look into the life of child labourers. The ending felt a bit abrupt but I still enjoyed the book very much, swiftly adding two more books by Lucy Strange to my TBR. I’m quite eager to read her longer works.

My advanced reading copy was kindly provided by Barrington Stoke and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

[Joya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was super cute and I think that it is a story that many children will love.