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The Little Mermaid: Guide to Merfolk
Learn everything you ever wanted to know about mermaids and more from Disney's new live action film The Little Mermaid inside this gorgeous guidebook!
From Prince Eric’s royal library, this beautiful guidebook deep dives into the legends and lore surrounding the mermaids and their world from The Little Mermaid live action film. Learn more about the Seven Seas and the mermaid princesses who rule them, discover stories of sirens and sea witches, and come to know the legend of the coral moon. With gorgeous full-color illustrations throughout, this book is perfect for any reader who can’t get enough of mermaids.
If you like this book, you may also want to consider adding these Disney books to your
From Prince Eric’s royal library, this beautiful guidebook deep dives into the legends and lore surrounding the mermaids and their world from The Little Mermaid live action film. Learn more about the Seven Seas and the mermaid princesses who rule them, discover stories of sirens and sea witches, and come to know the legend of the coral moon. With gorgeous full-color illustrations throughout, this book is perfect for any reader who can’t get enough of mermaids.
If you like this book, you may also want to consider adding these Disney books to your
192 pages, Hardcover
Published April 11, 2023
14 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 16, 2023
I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. It’s a copy of a book on merpeople that Prince Eric‘s mother, Queen Selina, gifts to him to try to convince him that merpeople are bad, but as you see through his little notes written throughout the pages, he decides just the opposite - that humans and merpeople should unite and get along. Some of his notes made me laugh out loud as I read them. He definitely has some sarcasm when reading about the supposed “dangers” of merpeople. The information about merpeople - specifically Ariel, her sisters, King Triton, and Ursula, is fascinating to read. The illustrations in the book are absolutely stunning as well! You can definitely see where the art style takes inspiration from the original movie. I would highly recommend this book!!
June 3, 2023
Essie Review: 🐾Good for sneak snuggles with mom as she reads and cannot see me being cuddly🐾
Welcome to yet more of Disney's merchandising but this one based upon their newest attempt to make money on Disney Renaissance nostalgia.
First of all this book attempts to take a few notes from J. K. Rowling in making this a type of guidebook for one of the main characters instead of a textbook as supposedly that character may no longer be in school. As a result it includes the whole "Property of Prince Eric" on the title page although the reader will find out that it actually was given to him from his adopted mother to change his attitude on merfolk thus technically it isn't his property but that of his adopted mother, which is also later verified since the composer of these records tips his hat to the same queen not that far into opening the book.
Unfortunately, though, this presentation otherwise could take a few pointers from J. K. Rowling for the cover art still includes the newest model of Ariel on the cover, which to the reader's attention shouldn't be known at this moment, while it would be more dignified to have a somewhat older seeming tome or one with perhaps an nod to the original Little Mermaid if art must have been included. And secondly there is no interesting nom de plume such as Newt Scamander or Kennilworthy Whisp that would put an author geared towards this newest Disney realm instead of the heavy cast of author plus three illustrators.
The book is written so much so that it wants to remind the reader of the movie that an appearance of Ursula appears in the sightings of merfolk in the Saithe Sea of 1010 although how the humans were able to distinguish her as a sea witch I would love to know. Furthermore there is suggestion that Ariel's grotto was once found including that notorious fork (just when is this book supposed to be aged?) thus leading the narrator to ponder that merfolk are just as curious and the predestination that humans and merfolk can live together in harmony as they once did with even a prophecy that can only be completed upon the finishing of 2023's The Little Mermaid.
There is a nod to the original material of Hans Christian Anderson in the fact that over and over they state mermaids cannot cry although this is contested since others say they can cry pearls. Furthermore there is also mention at one point in which the mermaid was said to have passed as sea foam.
On the pages of Sea Levels there is an wrong portrayal of the blobfish yet again and the blanket octopus is also portrayed incorrectly on its own ocean level page. Furthermore for the book supposedly being rather modern we are still including extinct prehistoric whales (no particular species mentioned), sea dragons and even sea hydras?
The book itself doesn't really provide much new mermaid insight into the already standing lore for such creatures. It does consider the fact that there are both merfolks and sirens but doesn't quite differentiate among the two since Ariel sings and there is the supposed facts that merfolk reach their status based on their singing voices so is Ariel a dangerous siren along with her sisters?
The rest of the book after that goes into building the merfolk community as a New Age commune with each mer-individual having an animal companion based upon the personality of the mermaid (this is rather new), by exploring their celebrations, their superstitions, athletics, their resourceful of ocean items, etc. This is further compounded that merfolk are magical creatures who live by the different types of moons and suns while providing these names as well as their usages (and so uncreative with an ocean full of interesting beasts they would just name them mostly after fish?) as well as including human-named constellations? I thought this was suppose to be the narrator's exploration into a little known subject of mermaids but it seems that he may himself be a
transformed merman with all this insider information he is spouting thus being rather implausible in a world severed of harmony.
Movie discrepancies showcase Perla with a different hair color thus she looks different than her film character while the water nokk is a possible ode to Frozen 2
And again when is this book suppose to take place? Along with the fact that the fork is already in Ariel's grotto, the last sighting is listed in the early 1700s and they somehow have a knowledge of the trenches as well as a submersible I call BS on this whole book. Especially given the age that this book is supposed to take place in there is a homosexual story included in the back with the legends in The Legend of the Dagger Shell, which in the right annals of history would have been scowled upon for being not only homosexual but also quite interspecies as well.
The comments that Eric leaves throughout the book itself seem almost childish and really don't add anything. Twice does he mention comments that reflects songs in the film while also having in his hands the way of breaking the spell to Ariel's misfortune. Too bad he didn't think about re-reading the book at that moment.
Plus fun facts for those who can read between the lines. This book takes place in the 18th or 19th century on an island where the main export is sugar cane. Plus the only one out of the palace who seems to favor the library is Prince Eric. Just repeating the information thought important enough to be included in the book.
For what it was it was a rather decent read but a slog since it was two-thirds longer than it should have been including all the foreshadowing as well as information that shouldn't have been known. Honestly I would have split the book to include the first as a work-in-progress of gathering basic mermaid information and then made a second as compilation between Eric and Ariel that adds all the merfolk cultural information since it only makes sense that someone from down under would be able to provide that information to curious readers.
Welcome to yet more of Disney's merchandising but this one based upon their newest attempt to make money on Disney Renaissance nostalgia.
First of all this book attempts to take a few notes from J. K. Rowling in making this a type of guidebook for one of the main characters instead of a textbook as supposedly that character may no longer be in school. As a result it includes the whole "Property of Prince Eric" on the title page although the reader will find out that it actually was given to him from his adopted mother to change his attitude on merfolk thus technically it isn't his property but that of his adopted mother, which is also later verified since the composer of these records tips his hat to the same queen not that far into opening the book.
Unfortunately, though, this presentation otherwise could take a few pointers from J. K. Rowling for the cover art still includes the newest model of Ariel on the cover, which to the reader's attention shouldn't be known at this moment, while it would be more dignified to have a somewhat older seeming tome or one with perhaps an nod to the original Little Mermaid if art must have been included. And secondly there is no interesting nom de plume such as Newt Scamander or Kennilworthy Whisp that would put an author geared towards this newest Disney realm instead of the heavy cast of author plus three illustrators.
The book is written so much so that it wants to remind the reader of the movie that an appearance of Ursula appears in the sightings of merfolk in the Saithe Sea of 1010 although how the humans were able to distinguish her as a sea witch I would love to know. Furthermore there is suggestion that Ariel's grotto was once found including that notorious fork (just when is this book supposed to be aged?) thus leading the narrator to ponder that merfolk are just as curious and the predestination that humans and merfolk can live together in harmony as they once did with even a prophecy that can only be completed upon the finishing of 2023's The Little Mermaid.
There is a nod to the original material of Hans Christian Anderson in the fact that over and over they state mermaids cannot cry although this is contested since others say they can cry pearls. Furthermore there is also mention at one point in which the mermaid was said to have passed as sea foam.
On the pages of Sea Levels there is an wrong portrayal of the blobfish yet again and the blanket octopus is also portrayed incorrectly on its own ocean level page. Furthermore for the book supposedly being rather modern we are still including extinct prehistoric whales (no particular species mentioned), sea dragons and even sea hydras?
The book itself doesn't really provide much new mermaid insight into the already standing lore for such creatures. It does consider the fact that there are both merfolks and sirens but doesn't quite differentiate among the two since Ariel sings and there is the supposed facts that merfolk reach their status based on their singing voices so is Ariel a dangerous siren along with her sisters?
The rest of the book after that goes into building the merfolk community as a New Age commune with each mer-individual having an animal companion based upon the personality of the mermaid (this is rather new), by exploring their celebrations, their superstitions, athletics, their resourceful of ocean items, etc. This is further compounded that merfolk are magical creatures who live by the different types of moons and suns while providing these names as well as their usages (and so uncreative with an ocean full of interesting beasts they would just name them mostly after fish?) as well as including human-named constellations? I thought this was suppose to be the narrator's exploration into a little known subject of mermaids but it seems that he may himself be a
transformed merman with all this insider information he is spouting thus being rather implausible in a world severed of harmony.
Movie discrepancies showcase Perla with a different hair color thus she looks different than her film character while the water nokk is a possible ode to Frozen 2
And again when is this book suppose to take place? Along with the fact that the fork is already in Ariel's grotto, the last sighting is listed in the early 1700s and they somehow have a knowledge of the trenches as well as a submersible I call BS on this whole book. Especially given the age that this book is supposed to take place in there is a homosexual story included in the back with the legends in The Legend of the Dagger Shell, which in the right annals of history would have been scowled upon for being not only homosexual but also quite interspecies as well.
The comments that Eric leaves throughout the book itself seem almost childish and really don't add anything. Twice does he mention comments that reflects songs in the film while also having in his hands the way of breaking the spell to Ariel's misfortune. Too bad he didn't think about re-reading the book at that moment.
Plus fun facts for those who can read between the lines. This book takes place in the 18th or 19th century on an island where the main export is sugar cane. Plus the only one out of the palace who seems to favor the library is Prince Eric. Just repeating the information thought important enough to be included in the book.
For what it was it was a rather decent read but a slog since it was two-thirds longer than it should have been including all the foreshadowing as well as information that shouldn't have been known. Honestly I would have split the book to include the first as a work-in-progress of gathering basic mermaid information and then made a second as compilation between Eric and Ariel that adds all the merfolk cultural information since it only makes sense that someone from down under would be able to provide that information to curious readers.
April 28, 2023
Per leggere la recensione in blog cliccare qui:
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
https://ilconfinedeilibri.blogspot.co...
April 19, 2023
4.5 Stars ✨
May 14, 2023
Loved the drawings.
May 4, 2023
Beautifully written!! Makes you truly believe there’s a world down there. The illustrations are so whimsical and breathtaking!! Loved every bit!!
September 26, 2022
I got an advance copy. Eric Geron has done it again with a sweet story about our mermaid and her merfolk. Great job, I loved it!!
June 13, 2023
Este libro me hizo emocionarme más por la película que el trailer mismo, y miren que el trailer ya me tenía emocionada.
Se trata de un libro de investigación dentro de la historía. En él un aventurero nos cuenta sus descubrimientos sobre el mundo de las sirenas y los tritones. Resulta, las fuentes de este señor deben de ser increíblemente buenas, pues cuenta con mucha información no solo de su mar, sino del resto de los oceanos.
El libro se encuentra dividido en secciones, y cada una de ellas despliega toda la construcción de un mundo del cuál me hubiera gustado ver más en la película, no porque la película no fuera buena justo como estaba, lo fue, pero este libro tiene tanta contrucción de mundo, que quieres saber más y más, y quieres que increíbles historias se construyan con ello.
Mis partes favoritas:
— Las costumbres de cada uno de los mares. Cada mar es reinado por una de las hermanas de Ariel, y cada uno tiene sus propías costumbres, colores, fiestas y construcciones de hogares.
— Las hermanas de Ariel. Obviando el hecho de que el setenta por ciento del mundo es gobernado por la misma familia (lol), en el libro cada una de ellas tiene su propia personalidad e ideas, de nueva cuenta, me hubiera encantado ver más de ellas en la película, especialmente, gobernando.
— Los cuentos del final. Al final vienen como diez cuentos diferentes, historias de sirenas, hombres y mujeres, que enriquecen bastante el mundo.
— Las notas de Eric. Eric es un niño (y está bien, porque Ariel también), y su personalidad y pensamientos idealizados son bien descritos en unas cuantas palabras que él pone en los margenes de las páginas.
En general, un buen libro que expande el libro de la película, de una forma que te hace desear una segunda parte en la historia (o hasta una serie), para poder ver más de todas las princesas Tritón, y no nada más de Ariel.
Se trata de un libro de investigación dentro de la historía. En él un aventurero nos cuenta sus descubrimientos sobre el mundo de las sirenas y los tritones. Resulta, las fuentes de este señor deben de ser increíblemente buenas, pues cuenta con mucha información no solo de su mar, sino del resto de los oceanos.
El libro se encuentra dividido en secciones, y cada una de ellas despliega toda la construcción de un mundo del cuál me hubiera gustado ver más en la película, no porque la película no fuera buena justo como estaba, lo fue, pero este libro tiene tanta contrucción de mundo, que quieres saber más y más, y quieres que increíbles historias se construyan con ello.
Mis partes favoritas:
— Las costumbres de cada uno de los mares. Cada mar es reinado por una de las hermanas de Ariel, y cada uno tiene sus propías costumbres, colores, fiestas y construcciones de hogares.
— Las hermanas de Ariel. Obviando el hecho de que el setenta por ciento del mundo es gobernado por la misma familia (lol), en el libro cada una de ellas tiene su propia personalidad e ideas, de nueva cuenta, me hubiera encantado ver más de ellas en la película, especialmente, gobernando.
— Los cuentos del final. Al final vienen como diez cuentos diferentes, historias de sirenas, hombres y mujeres, que enriquecen bastante el mundo.
— Las notas de Eric. Eric es un niño (y está bien, porque Ariel también), y su personalidad y pensamientos idealizados son bien descritos en unas cuantas palabras que él pone en los margenes de las páginas.
En general, un buen libro que expande el libro de la película, de una forma que te hace desear una segunda parte en la historia (o hasta una serie), para poder ver más de todas las princesas Tritón, y no nada más de Ariel.
August 13, 2023
Fun, informative, imaginative book with beautifully done sketches and even a bit of educational value as the first half includes some real facts about the ocean, its layers, and real creatures (albeit mixed in with legends and myths like sea dragons and what looks to be like an easter egg featuring the water horse from Frozen 2).
The second half is when it starts diving into more info about the characters in the movies and their territories. It was an interesting read, but I wish they could have collaborated more with the writer of "Against the Tide" since that book is set as the official prequel to the movie and also addresses the characters and their territories. It would have been awesome if the two books didn't contradict each other. Oh well. 🤷♀️
They also messed up Ursula's spell for Ariel which was disappointing as it wouldn't have taken much to look it up to make sure it matched.
The BEST part about the whole book is Eric's notes. I loved reading those for more insight into his character as well as humorous breaks from the text here and there. (One of my favorites is in the section talking about royal advisors for the sea king. 😁 )
Overall, it is a beautiful book and an interesting read. If you love mermaids in general and enjoy fantasies and legends you will most likely enjoy this book. If you are getting it simply for the Ariel factor, the first half might drag a little but Eric's notes make it worth it if nothing else. I for one love mermaids, fantasies, legends, AND Ariel so I enjoyed the whole book. 😊
The second half is when it starts diving into more info about the characters in the movies and their territories. It was an interesting read, but I wish they could have collaborated more with the writer of "Against the Tide" since that book is set as the official prequel to the movie and also addresses the characters and their territories. It would have been awesome if the two books didn't contradict each other. Oh well. 🤷♀️
They also messed up Ursula's spell for Ariel which was disappointing as it wouldn't have taken much to look it up to make sure it matched.
The BEST part about the whole book is Eric's notes. I loved reading those for more insight into his character as well as humorous breaks from the text here and there. (One of my favorites is in the section talking about royal advisors for the sea king. 😁 )
Overall, it is a beautiful book and an interesting read. If you love mermaids in general and enjoy fantasies and legends you will most likely enjoy this book. If you are getting it simply for the Ariel factor, the first half might drag a little but Eric's notes make it worth it if nothing else. I for one love mermaids, fantasies, legends, AND Ariel so I enjoyed the whole book. 😊
October 16, 2024
i liked the second half where it explains about the different characters from the new movie more than the first. it was very fun and interesting to see the different kingdoms the sisters rule over, i wish it had been explored more in the movie.
this guide implies that eric read a book that included a chapter on ariel complete with a drawing in which he annotated “she reminds me of my jade little mermaid” and another chapter that explains how the sea witch can turn a mermaid into a human in exchange for her voice. and he doesn’t make the connection. he must’ve read the book recently too because ariel’s mom’s death is marked at 15 years before the book’s publication. the guide could not have been published earlier than 1888 as that is when one artifact is dated. queen selina is mentioned by name in the guide too. then eric says this is his favorite book, yet he somehow forgets all about it when a mysterious voiceless woman who looks exactly like the mermaid princess who rules over the sea closest to him shows up
gonna get the next first gay disney characters being the merman and fisherman from the legend of the dagger shell
this guide implies that eric read a book that included a chapter on ariel complete with a drawing in which he annotated “she reminds me of my jade little mermaid” and another chapter that explains how the sea witch can turn a mermaid into a human in exchange for her voice. and he doesn’t make the connection. he must’ve read the book recently too because ariel’s mom’s death is marked at 15 years before the book’s publication. the guide could not have been published earlier than 1888 as that is when one artifact is dated. queen selina is mentioned by name in the guide too. then eric says this is his favorite book, yet he somehow forgets all about it when a mysterious voiceless woman who looks exactly like the mermaid princess who rules over the sea closest to him shows up
gonna get the next first gay disney characters being the merman and fisherman from the legend of the dagger shell
June 27, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations and the deep research that went behind the setting of the movie, but the tone of this book was so preachy, it felt like being lectured all along. You need to accept cultures different than your own (the cultures of the underwater kingdoms described in this book are completely ripped off from human existing countries). You need not to litter the ocean. You need to accept LGBT couples. What I was looking for was a getaway to a fantasy setting, not a reminder of our world’s hottest topics. If I had been looking to read about any of that, I could have simply picked up a newspaper.
A special mention to Denise Shimabukuro and Arianna Rea is needed. The first is known for her gorgeous work for the Disney Fairies book from the early 2000s, and her style is still perfectly recognizable in the illustrations for this book; the second is a compatriot of mine, author of the Monster Allergy series, which I recommend you check out if you still haven’t.
A special mention to Denise Shimabukuro and Arianna Rea is needed. The first is known for her gorgeous work for the Disney Fairies book from the early 2000s, and her style is still perfectly recognizable in the illustrations for this book; the second is a compatriot of mine, author of the Monster Allergy series, which I recommend you check out if you still haven’t.
July 16, 2024
Yes i’m 20 years old, yes this is for kids, MIND UR BUSINESS! I’m healing my inner child 🥰!! If you know me you know how much i love the little mermaid, (and the live action is no exception!) so finally getting to read this was such a delight! I thought since it’s obviously targeted towards a younger audience that i would find it a bit cheesy and too childish for my taste, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed it! The way the author managed to expand on the lore of mermaids, giving us such rich information about them and the different cultures that exist within that world made it all the more whimsical, and you know how much i love a bit of whimsy ✨ so so fun, highly recommend if you love TLM! 🧜🏽♀️💜✨
June 26, 2023
This book was wonderful! It truly felt like a history book filled with all the culture, legends and environments under the sea! My favourite part was probably getting to read a bit more about Ariel's sisters and the seas the rule, since they didn't give any insight into their backstories in the movie. I liked the nod to concerts merfolk in Ariel's kingdom have, since they changed the beginning to the coral moon in the live action but it's still a thing in their culture. The art is so beautiful too! I love the fact that it's a book from prince Eric's library, you can tell even more how generous, empathetic and curious he is!
July 26, 2023
I couldn't find a decent description of this book online, but I sure am glad that I decided to take a chance on it anyway. I ended up loving this book! It is written as a guidebook by an explorer in the fictional world of the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid with lots of notes by Prince Eric. The informational part of the guidebook is very interesting and helps flesh out a lot more of the fictional world the story is set in. This information is wonderfully paired with sketched drawings. I also loved Prince Eric's notes as they help the reader to learn more about him as a character. I won't say anything more except that you should read it if you're a fan of The Little Mermaid.
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August 13, 2025Des dessins magnifiques, mais un texte moins à la hauteur et un contexte qui ne fait pas trop sens avec le film. Les commentaires d'Eiric auraient pu être un plus, s'ils n'avaient été si enfantins et répétitifs. Visuellement plaisant, ce livre aurait mérité davantage de réflexion pour à la fois emporter le lecteur dans son univers et s'accorder davantage au film. Une lecture en demie-teinte.
Beautiful drawings, but the text is somewhat disappointing and the context doesn't really make sense with the film.
Beautiful drawings, but the text is somewhat disappointing and the context doesn't really make sense with the film.
December 28, 2023
Was hoping this would be more like this big book about faeries I had when I was a kid and loved so much but can’t remember the name of. Something that felt informative but magical and would be fun to read with my daughter. The illustrations are beautiful, and I love the concept, but the language and structure are too complex for what I imagine would be the key demographic age group who could really enjoy this book.
April 9, 2023
If you liked the NYT bestseller Hocus pocus spellbook, this book has same charming fun style. At 188 pages, it goes over the history of all the mermaid sisters, king triton, Ursula, as well as unbelievable artwork!!!
I felt so lucky to find a copy at a bookstore in NYC! It doesn’t even come out til Tuesday 4/11!
You will read it over and over.
I felt so lucky to find a copy at a bookstore in NYC! It doesn’t even come out til Tuesday 4/11!
You will read it over and over.
June 28, 2023
It has beautiful illustrations and a lot more depths about the merfolk, so for those that loves legends and want to know more about the little mermaid world this is a must read book!
For me personally, I think there's not enough legends here but then again it's enough for trivia of the little mermaid world's myth.
For me personally, I think there's not enough legends here but then again it's enough for trivia of the little mermaid world's myth.
August 8, 2023
This is actually such incredible world building!! The amount of mermaid lore... oh wow I want more movies set in this world so we can see all this SO BAD. and Eric's annotations are so cute and give more insight into his character and so perfectly capture who he is in the movie. Amazing. Disney really did something right with this.
June 1, 2023
Loved this so much, learning more about Ariel’s sisters and their Kingdom’s and all the lores and legends and matching it up with the movie.
And Eric’s little notes throughout are sooo cute, he’s such a prince 🫶🏾
And Eric’s little notes throughout are sooo cute, he’s such a prince 🫶🏾
February 19, 2024
Gorgeous artwork of creatures that inhabit the seas, both fantasy and real. Sadly, the text didn't do anything for me, it all feels disconnected and uninspired. I should add that I have not watched the movie, so I'm probably not the target audience.
August 4, 2024
Gorgeous book with evocative illustrations (though they could've been more diverse). Lots of fun information to enjoy if you don't consider it strictly canon to the movie. (Though it is funny to me to imagine Eric knowing exactly who Ariel is and what she looks like when he meets her.)
June 5, 2025
Stooooop this book is so cute? The little notes from Prince Eric all the way through it, ADORABLE! If you love the little mermaid (especially the live action) you will adore this book. The sketches throughout are stunning!!
May 26, 2023
This was a cool read. It definitely shines a light on so many things that I felt were hinted at in the live action movie. So I enjoyed reading a lot of that stuff.
June 3, 2023
3.75 out of 5 stars! This is a good companion book to the new live action movie, and readers will like it.
July 9, 2023
I am always here for more mermaid lore!
August 7, 2023
So much fun!
August 21, 2023
Las ilustraciones son bellísimas sin duda.
El apartado de las leyendas fue mi favorito, quisiera más!!
El apartado de las leyendas fue mi favorito, quisiera más!!
September 9, 2023
Beautiful illustrations and fun backstory for the movie (that I saw four times in theatres)
October 21, 2023
Cute expansion of the newer litte mermaid universe
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews