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Title details for A Mermaid Girl by Sana Rafi - Available

A Mermaid Girl

by Sana Rafi
Olivia Aserr
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
A young girl celebrates the experience of wearing a burkini for the first time in this lyrical and heartwarming picture book that casts a fresh light on timeless summer activities, and celebrates cultural traditions and intergenerational bonds.
Summer is here and Heba is so excited to wear her new, yellow burkini to the community pool for the first time! She can't wait to look like the other mermaid girls in her family and sparkle like the sun.
 
But when Heba arrives at the pool and her friends start asking her questions about her new special swimsuit, she feels like she's standing out too much. Suddenly her burkini seems like a bad idea.
 
Luckily Mama helps Heba to find strength in the mermaid girls who came before her. Feeling more connected to the women of her family, Heba is ready to show her friends that she can do all the same things that they can do—handstands, summersaults, and dives off the diving board—even while wearing her yellow burkini.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 28, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780593327623

  • Languages

    • English

  • Levels

    • Lexile® Measure: 570
    • Text Difficulty: 2-3

  • Reviews

    • School Library Journal

      July 29, 2022

      PreS-Gr 3-This joyful book celebrates the pleasures of swimming for hours in the summer with friends, but even more importantly it will introduce many children to the word "burkini," the type of swimwear used by many Muslim women and girls. The story begins with Heba modeling her brand-new, bright yellow burkini for her mother. Together, they anticipate a wonderful day at the pool where Heba will "shimmer and glisten" in her new swimsuit. Upon arriving at the public pool, where a diverse group of children and their parents are splashing and swimming, Heba is met with doubt about her attire by her friends. Suddenly, Heba is overwhelmed with doubt and believes she doesn't fit in. Her mother helps her to find the courage to embrace her differences and her heritage. After Heba leaps off the diving board, her friends realize she can do in her burkini whatever they can do in the pool, from racing to dancing to diving. Before long, the three friends have entered the realm of imaginative play underwater, where the slanting rays of the summer sun transform each of them into "twinkling" mermaids. Aserr's digital illustrations are bright and cheerful, capturing the pleasures as well as the concerns of the special day. VERDICT A wonderful summer book that raises cultural awareness while celebrating simple joys of a day at the pool.-Sally A. James

      Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read

subjects

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:570
  • Text Difficulty:2-3

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