One sentence summary
When twelve-year-old Mia gets a magical seashell as a birthday present, she decides to put it to use to try and catch a mermaid – and embarks on an extraordinary adventure to find out the truth about mermaids in the process.
Book genre
Mystery and adventure
Main topic of the book
How to Catch a Mermaid is a children’s book about a young girl’s extraordinary journey to discover the truth about mermaids.
Key ideas
- Adventure and exploration
- Using imagination to solve problems
- Friendship and teamwork
- The power of believing in yourself
Main parts of the book and a short summary
Part One: The Adventure Begins
Mia wakes up on the morning of her birthday to find a mysterious seashell outside her bedroom window – a gift from her Grandfather. Despite being warned not to, she decides to use the shell as bait to try and catch a mermaid and her best friend Lily joins her on her mission.
Part Two: Exploring the Deep
Mia and Lily uncover mysterious secrets as they travel deeper and deeper underwater on their mission to find a mermaid, eventually coming across a magical kingdom populated by mer-people who have been hiding from humans.
Part Three: The Final Challenge
The mer-people set Mia and Lily a challenge in order to prove they are worthy of being trusted: if they can make it back to the surface of the water without the help of the magical shell, then they will be granted their wish of seeing a real mermaid.
Part Four: The Truth Revealed
After successfully completing the challenge, Mia and Lily are taken to meet the mermaids – who reveal some surprising truths about their own world.
Key takeaways
- It’s important to believe in yourself and have faith in yourself and others.
- Teamwork and friendship can help you achieve great things.
- Action and exploration can help you uncover amazing secrets.
- Sometimes it’s better to use your imagination than rely on facts and rationality.
Author’s background and qualifications
Adam Wallace is an Australian author, illustrator, and speaker. He has published over sixty books for children, won numerous awards, and presented at schools and festivals around the world.
Target audience
This book is aimed at children aged 8 – 12 years old.
Publisher and first publication date
How to Catch a Mermaid was first published in July 2014 by Two Lions in the US.