Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau follows Jade who falls asleep in the tub and wakes up suddenly with a tail. She soon learns that her Mother was a mermaid. What she doesn't understand is how her mother the Mermaid drowned. While walking by the lake she hears a voice and falls in and finds out that her mother is alive but has been kept as a prisoner in the lake. Jade must figure out how to save her mother and keep her secret safe.
This was a very cute middle grade novel. Jade is a spunky kid who doesn't need anyone to come to her rescue. I loved the relationship that she has with her father and it's nice to read a book about a girl who has such a good relationship with her father. It is a sweet and quick read that young readers will enjoy.
Appropriateness: Jade is fourteen and acts like a middle schooler. There is some period stuff that might make boys uncomfortable but besides that there is nothing inappropriate in the book. There is a bit of romance which is mostly a crush. I would recommend this book to readers 9-14.
