Thora: A Half-Mermaid Tale [Hardcover]

Gillian Johnson (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 2005 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

'Ten years at sea, ten years on land !' It's time for Thora -- half-mermaid, half-human -- to leave the sea and join the rest of us on dry land. She's ten now, and the Sea Shrew's prophecy says that her days on the deep are done. Leaving her mermaid mother and taking her pet peacock, Cosmo, Thora does her best to settle down in the seaside town of Grimli. But trouble is brewing -- as it so often is, when Thora's around -- and she comes face to face with Frooty de Mare, a fat-cat businessman who hates mermaids ! Thora's nothing if not determined, though. She'll stop Frooty's sinister plans, whether he likes it or not !

--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. Half girl and half mermaid, 10-year-old Thora moves to the odd little seaside town of Grimli in order to fulfill her destiny as revealed by a fortune-teller. With a buoyant attitude and a loving heart, she quickly befriends and helps many of the town's inhabitants, though her goodwill does not extend to all. Thora's distrust of a greedy local tycoon named Tooty Frooty proves to be well founded when his dastardly deeds threaten the welfare of her mermaid mother and the town he professes to help. Like Pippi Longstocking, Thora lives largely on her own (her mermaid mother cannot live on land) and ignores normal ways of doing things. With a light touch and a smattering of Briticisms, this entertaining fantasy will charm children who like their magic with its feet on the ground. The broad premise may be fantastic, but the details are precise and realistic. Lively, witty line drawings illustrate the action. The story will end all too soon for young readers who long for a loyal, unconventional, and confident friend like Thora. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“…this is a frothy, boisterous tale of insurrection that fans of Roald Dahl will find familiar and welcoming.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )

“The scribbly, black-and-white illustrations display an edgy, kinetic line reminiscent of Quentin Blake’s work.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (July 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060743786
• ISBN-13: 978-0060743789
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,525,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a great read for girls ages 8-11!, January 5, 2008

By 

E. Rudshteyn - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thora: A Half-Mermaid Tale (Hardcover)

Thora: A Half-Mermaid Tale is a delightful combination of comedy, adventure, and fantasy. Thora hereself is a unique character who brings fun whenever she shows up. Gillian Johnson slipped in many fun, witty lines that add humor to the book. There is a whole menagerie of delightful characters. Also, the comedy/fantasy turns into a mystery/adventure when Thora, with the help of her new friends, must rescue her mother. Overall, an excellent read for fans of authors such as Gail Carson Levine, and Roald Dahl! Enjoy!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Fantasy Book, April 25, 2006

By 

S. Page - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thora: A Half-Mermaid Tale (Hardcover)

My daugher is [...] and we came upon this book at a yard sale. She read it right away- we couldn't tear her away from it. This is definately the best book about a mermaid for her age group (8-10?). (She is a pretty good reader, so some people may want to wait a bit since it is recommended for 9 year olds).

My daughter believes in mermaids and the magic of knowing or becoming one, so this was the perfect book for her. She loved the plot and giggled at the whimsical humor that runs throughout the story. She insisted on showing us all the cute and funny pictures. It is now her FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME (and she has read a lot of books). She shared her book with other girls in their bookclub- and they all loved it too. Our only problem was that we couldn't find it for a while. Now that we know it is here at Amazon, we will tell all our friends. I am looking forward to giving her the sequel for her birthday.

Thank you Gillian Johnson for writing such a wonderful book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Happy 8 Year Old, June 24, 2008

By 

M. M. Anderson (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thora: A Half-Mermaid Tale (Hardcover)

Bought THORA for my 8 year old daughter last week because she is a big fan of EMILY WINDSNAP. It arrived on a rainy afternoon--perfect time. My daughter didn't stop reading until she was done. We had to go to the book store the next day and buy the others in the series (our library doesn't carry them).