Sun, surf, and tropical breezes—too bad this mermaid’s perfect vacation is about to turn into a menacing mystery!
In the fourth installment of Hélène Boudreau’s breezy, fun and “unputdownable” Real Mermaids series, our favorite mer-girl Jade can’t think of a better way to celebrate peace in the underwater mer-world than with a tropical vacation in the Bahamas with her family and BFF.
Soon, Jade is enjoying the tropical sunshine, all-you-can-eat buffet, and island day trips. But when Jade gets lost in the island’s famous waterfront Straw Market, something doesn’t feel quite right. A body splashes into the water as a cruise ship enters the harbor and a teen boy selling conches from his boat behind the market knows more than he’s willing to admit.
With no body, no leads, and no other witnesses, though, the local police don’t seem too concerned. Maybe Jade’s imagination has been acting up on her, just like Cori said, considering everything she’s been through in the past few months.
But with Mom and Dad off on a honeymoon excursion it wouldn’t hurt to check things out, would it? Little do Jade and Cori realize, they are about to uncover more secrets about the splashing body, dangerous cruise ship cargo, and more questions than answers lurking in the nearby Caribbean waters.
Praise for Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings:
“Bravo to Hélène Boudreau for hitting the bull’s-eye with a fresh, affectionate, eatery twist on the classic coming-of-age-story.”—New York Journal of Books
“The author keeps suspense high…while tapping straight into young teens’ angst about friends, enemies, and boys.”—Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Hélène Boudreau never spotted a real mermaid while growing up on an island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, but she believes mermaids are just as plausible as giant squids, flying fish, or electric eels. She now writes fiction and nonfiction for kids from her land-locked home in Ontario, Canada. Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings was a 2011 SCBWI Crystal Kit Member Choice award finalist. Visit, heleneboudreau.com.
