Mermaid Mary Margaret [Hardcover]

Lynn E. Hazen (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

Mary Margaret is a spunky ten-year-old girl with a tough mission. Her mother has asked her to accompany her recently widowed grandmother on a cruise to the Greek Islands. Mary Margaret wonders if she'll really be able to help her grandma get the rest, relaxation, and recuperation she needs, or if she'll just be in the way on this seniors-only cruise.

But in time Mary Margaret makes new friends, helps her grandmother say good-bye to Grandpa, and finally has a chance to fulfill her being-a-mermaid dream by joining in a beachside wedding dressed as a mermaid. Along the way she learns a little about the ancient world, a little more about herself, and a lot about delighting some grown-ups who need a little red-headed mermaid in their lives. A smart and sensitive story told through the journal entries of a very precocious mermaid-in-training.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–Mary Margaret, 11, longs to be a mermaid so much so that when she leaves for a cruise of the Greek Islands with her grandmother after her grandfather's death, she steals her sister's bikini top for a mermaid costume and then worries about her sister's reaction. She worries, too, about her grandmother, who is quiet and despondent for most of the trip. Fortunately, there are plenty of other things, both on and off the ship, to occupy her attention. She wonders if she'll ever get the chance to meet Miss Victoria, the glamorous singer who performs every evening. There are the museums and sights that await her whenever the ship docks. Then, she is asked to be a mermaid flower girl in Miss Victoria's beach wedding, and she is ecstatic. Written in diary format, this novel is reminiscent of Carol Weston's "Melanie Martin" series (Knopf), but for a younger audience. Mary Margaret is an appealing character with an authentic voice and believable concerns and interests. Her grief over her grandfather's death and her concern about her grandmother add tenderness and emotional depth to the novel, while her obsession with mermaids (which has apparently earned the disapproval of her Catholic school teachers) lightens the mood. Overall, this is an entertaining travel story.–Ashley Larsen, Woodside Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Lynn Hazen lives in Northern California. She studied writing at the Vermont Institute of Children's Literature. This is her first book for children.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books (June 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582348693
• ISBN-13: 978-1582348698
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,654,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lynn E. Hazen, M.A., M.F.A., writes books for children and young adults filled with humor, heart and hope. Kirkus praised her young adult novel, SHIFTY, as "a realistic story that resonates." SHIFTY was chosen for VOYA's Top Shelf Fiction, as a CCBC Choice, and as a Smithsonian Notable. Lynn's books for younger readers include: CINDER RABBIT, THE AMAZING TRAIL OF SEYMOUR SNAIL, BUZZ BUMBLE, and MERMAID MARY MARGARET.

Lynn earned an M.F.A. in Writing for Children & Young Adults at Vermont College where she won the Houghton Mifflin Scholarship. She also holds an M.A. in Education from San Francsico State University and a B.S. in Applied Behavioral Sciences from U.C. Davis.

Lynn lives in Northern California and enjoys giving presentations at schools, libraries, conferences, and literary events. She teaches classes in Writing for Children & Young Adults at Stanford Continuing Studies. Check her website for a free downloadable teacher's guide, a cool SHIFTY Card activity (again with free pdfs & how to video) and more. www.ShiftyTheBook.com See also www.LynnHazen.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mermaid Mary is wonderful!, June 7, 2004

By 

Eli Sparrow "Pensez le matin que vous n'irez ... (Belmont Heights, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mermaid Mary Margaret (Hardcover)

After reading this book (voraciously on my lunch hour) I found myself thrown back into my own childhood. It's a great read for adults as well as late elementary school aged kids. Mermaid Mary is charming and determined! This book made me feel (as a 27 year old woman) the way the Ramona books made me feel as a kid. It helped me to remember what it feels like to trust your gut instincts and be true to yourself. MMM embraces who she is and blooms as a result. I remember all of these feelings! Her trip with her grandmother as a companion in place of her recently passed grandpa is touching, exciting, and reminded me what it felt like to loose a parent and deal with that loss. Not only do I identify with Mermaid Mary, but I feel that there is a piece of her in all young girls. This book gets five stars from me and reminds me to embrace the dreams that I have that might seem silly or unimportant in the big scheme of things. Not only is the book GREAT, but there is a very fun interactive website that can be used in conjunction with the book for classroom or homeschooling purposes! (www.MermaidMary.com) I will be following this authors career and look forward to treasuring more books as fast as she can write them. I hope to see my collection of childrens and junior literature expand with Lynn Hazens name showing up frequently on the spines!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Touching New Novel for Middle Readers, September 2, 2004

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mermaid Mary Margaret (Hardcover)

Spunky ten-year-old, Mary Margaret is forced to face a tough mission, when her Mother asks her to accompany her recently widowed Grandmother on a trip to the Greek Islands, where she is hoping to dump the ashes of her beloved dead husband in the ocean. Mary Margaret doesn't know if she's the one who should be attending the cruise with her Grandmother. After all, it's a seniors-only cruise, and Mary Margaret's Grandmother is taking it to get away from life for a bit, and to participate in a little rest and relaxation. However, after a bit of time, Mary Margaret meets many new friends, helps her Grandmother to properly say goodbye to her husband, and gets to fulfill the dream that she's always had, which is to be a mermaid, which she gets to do when she is asked to participate in a beachside wedding.

Lynn E. Hazen has proved that she can compete against the big dogs in the world of writing with her first novel MERMAID MARY MARGARET. Mary Margaret is a spunky character, who is filled with love, questions, curiosity, and intelligence. She is wise beyond her years, even if she doesn't know it yet, and her outspoken personality shines through in her many, wonderful journal entries. Come aboard the cruise with Mary Margaret, and learn everything you need to know from a ten-year-old, red-headed, mermaid-in-training. You won't be disappointed.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic story girls will love, November 30, 2005

By 

P.S. Turner "writer" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mermaid Mary Margaret (Hardcover)

Mermaid Mary Margaret is a wonderful story that really captures the feelings of a young mermaid-obssessed girl. It is funny, touching, and tender all at the same time. This would be a great gift for kids about to go on a cruise!