The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids is a picture book written by Ammi-Joan Paquette and illustrated by Marie LeTourneau. This book combines real photographs of a trip to the beach with paper cut outs of mermaids and other creatures. The story is about children who visit the beach on a day where there are not many people around to look for mermaids. They make sand mermaids (like snow angels), visit tide pools, watch crabs, collect shells etc. all with the idea of what the mermaids would do with those objects and things. Nature facts about the beach and what can be seen there, come together in a beautiful book.

The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids is the newest addition to the Tiptoe Guide series that explores nature and the joy of fantasy in childhood (and beyond). The combination of beach and ocean facts with the sheer fun of seeking mermaids will delight readers both young and old. Who wouldn't enjoy searching for mermaids.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Rock that Conch Shell!

(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic copy of this book for review through NetGalley.)

I was six years old when Splash first came out; and, although I probably didn't get to watch it for a few more years, once I did I was officially hooked on mermaids. I used to swim around the pool with my legs mentally fused together, pretending that I was diving to depths much greater than our paltry four feet. I didn't get to go to the beach often - the nearest one prohibited swimming due to pollution - so on those rare occasions when I was able to visit, my mom practically had to drag me home. To this day, I still have a thing for mermaids (and Daryl Hannah).

I wish I had a copy of The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids twenty-five years ago.

With the help of author Ammi-Joan Paquette and illustrator Marie LeTourneau, imaginative kids (and their frazzled parents) can turn an otherwise mundane day at the beach into a magical outing in search of mermaid friends. Collect sand dollars to temp mermaids out of hiding - and trade at the market. Make sand mermaids to let them know that you stopped by. Leave them some kelp or Queen Anne's Lace for snacking. Play hide and seek in the water. Be creative!

As cute and quirky as it is, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids could benefit from a design overhaul. Illustrations are superimposed on photographs of kids playing at the beach - but I think a fully illustrated book would better capture the whimsy this subject deserves. Likewise, the text is quite plain, and is placed on a white background - which usually takes up at least half of the page wherever text does appear. There's a ton of white space here, and not a whole lot of artistic flourishes outside of the pictures. The overall effect just doesn't quite do justice to the subject matter.

However, I love that Paquette and LeTourneau included mermaids and children of color - including male and female mermaid trackers. Mermaids are wicked awesome, and there's no reason boys can't enjoy them too!

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The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids by Ammi-Joan Paquette
ISBN: 9781933718590
Illustrated Colorful children book about how to track a mermaid on the sand at the beach
by their footprints. Also shows pictures of various things that can be found at the beach
where you might see a mermaid: tide pools, shells that resemble a mermaids comb or use it
as a necklace. Mermaids hide on each page according to what's being said so it's also a
puzzle type book for a child to locate the mermaids.
One shell in particular holds the secret to where the mermaids are...
Gorgeous pictures! ( )