Plain Jane and the Mermaid

by Vera Brosgol

Overview

Eisner Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year
An NPR Best Book of the Year

From Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared author Vera Brosgol comes an instant classic graphic novel that flips every fairy tale you know on its head!

Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter. It’s a good plan!

Or it would’ve been, if he wasn’t kidnapped by a mermaid. Jane must venture underwater to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?

Already love Vera’s work? Don’t miss her first novel, Return to Sender!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250379948
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	05/07/2024
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	124 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her first two graphic novels, Anya’s Ghost and Be Prepared, were published by First Second, and her debut picture book Leave Me Alone! was a 2017 Caldecott Honor Book. She’s also worked on storyboards for several animated films, including Coraline and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her dog Omar, a mere two hours from the sea.

Editorial Reviews

Eisner Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year
An NPR Best Book of the Year
On ALA's 2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year

"A cabaret of tropes and figures from many tales we know and love, spun anew. Flecks from Alice in Wonderland, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Beauty and the Beast sparkle across the pages of this graphic novel like antique glitter." New York Times

"This rollicking tale of an insecure girl finding her strength and breaking from tradition is another triumph for Brosgol." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"In a story bolstered by a wonderful cast, an otherworldly setting, and poignantly accessible feelings, Brosgol once again captures magic, menace, and humanity." –Booklist, starred review

"Complex characters, twists and turns, and beautiful artwork blend harmoniously for a perfect read that will jump-start the ­imagination." –School Library Journal, starred review

"A funny and fast-paced feminist adventure masterfully told through the comics medium." –Horn Book Magazine, starred review

"Few writers can communicate the teenage mind as astutely or with such wit as Vera. This book captures themes of beauty, love, and finding oneself, and exposes the lies we tell ourselves and the truths we won’t admit. Nothing plain about it." —LeUyen Pham

"A pride-filled treatise and a charming riff on fairy tales." —Kirkus

"Jane’s open, expressive face easily carries the story through wordless sections, and her sharp honesty is immediately endearing." –Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB)

From the Publisher

2024 NPR Best Book of the Year, Long-listed
2025 Eisner Award Winner, Winner

EBOOK COMMENTARY

2024-02-17
After her parents’ sudden death, brown-haired, pale-skinned Jane is threatened with eviction from her family home.

Despite her low self-image, based on years of shallow, fatphobic taunts from her parents, Jane suggests a deal to discontented fisherman Peter, who’s thin and has blond hair and blue eyes (as well as being vapid and arrogant). They’ll marry, and then she can inherit her fortune, and he can enjoy the luxurious lifestyle he craves. It seems like a great plan, until Peter is taken captive and imprisoned underwater by a mermaid. The determined Jane seeks magical assistance and heads to the mermaid village at the bottom of the sea to retrieve Peter. Brosgol’s illustrations provide much of Jane’s characterization through her delightfully expressive face, which shines with pleasure and grimaces in disgust; her round eyes are alert to all the charms of the sea. Fortunately, she’s rescued by an acerbic, grumpily appealing seal, who educates her about the sea’s perils. This story is an explicit response to society’s valuing of beauty and contempt for its absence, especially when it comes to girls and women. Pitted against a slender, cruelly vain mermaid who weaponizes her looks, Jane emerges as a thoughtful, tenacious hero who’s learning to appreciate her own value. Brosgol redeems the occasional preachiness with her portrayal of Jane as an individual—funny, flawed, and triumphant.

A pride-filled treatise and a charming riff on fairy tales. (author’s note, beat boards, coloring process) (Graphic fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews