Stella & Marigold: Mermaids and Mix-Ups: Book 2

by Annie Barrows, Sophie Blackall (Illustrator)

Overview

From the creators of the New York Times–bestselling Ivy + Bean comes the second book in a fun and funny new series about two small sisters with very big imaginations.

This charming and critically acclaimed early chapter book series follows the everyday adventures of siblings Stella and Marigold. In this second book, Stella and Marigold receive a purple present—a book for them to list all their friends. That’s when they discover they need to make more friends!

But how? With magical recipes to make snow fall? With lots of nice Band-Aids? How about a mermaid candleholder? The two sisters are full of ideas and plans. Maybe they turn out, or maybe they don’t, but one thing is for sure: By the end of this book, readers will be the best of friends with Stella and Marigold.

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED: Book 1 in the series, a USA Today and National Indie bestseller, shined with critics, receiving four starred reviews!

BELOVED CHILDREN’S BOOK CREATORS: Annie Barrows is the author of The Magic Half and bestselling The Best of Iggy series. Sophie Blackall is the award-winning illustrator of over 50 books for children, including the 2016 Caldecott Medal winner Finding Winnie and the 2019 Caldecott Medal winner Hello Lighthouse. Together, they are the dynamic duo behind the Ivy + Bean series.

GREAT FOR NEWLY INDEPENDENT READERS: With lots of adventure, a dynamic relationship that captures an enormous range of emotions, and colorful pictures, this series is perfect for emerging readers. Humor is also one of the best enticements to get and keep kids reading. This unlikely duo will have readers LOL-ing!

STRONG RELATIONSHIP: The warm, loving relationship between Stella and Marigold is at the heart of this book. Parents looking for a positive depiction of the ups and downs of sisterhood will love this series, but it will also resonate with fans of more general friendship duos. The series has the same familiar settings and family relationships as Ivy + Bean, with just a sprinkle of magic.

WONDERFUL GIFT: Sophie Blackall is uniquely able to create illustrations that are both gorgeous and hilarious, making this book series a gift joyfully given and very happily received.

Perfect for:

• Independent readers age 6-9
• Parents, teachers, and librarians seeking entertaining elementary school chapter books
• Gift-givers looking for an early readers series for kids who enjoy stories full of humor and heart
• Readers who love such bestselling book series as Ivy + Bean, Junie B. Jones, Beezus and Ramona, Dory Fantasmagory, and Princess in Black

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781797226033
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	09/09/2025
Series:	Stella and Marigold
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	116
File size:	76 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Annie Barrows is the New York Times bestselling author of many books for both children and adults, including the beloved Ivy + Bean series, which can also be seen on Netflix; The Best of Iggy series; and the adult bestselling novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. She lives in Northern California.
Sophie Blackall is an award-winning illustrator whose books are beloved around the world. Her previous books include If You Come to Earth, Ruby’s Wish, and the Ivy + Bean series, as well as Hello Lighthouse and Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, both of which were awarded the Caldecott Medal. She lives in New York.

Hometown:

Berkeley, CA

Date of Birth:

August 24, 1962

Place of Birth:

San Diego, CA

Education:

University of California at Berkeley, B.A. in Medieval History; Mills College, M.F.A. in Creative Writing

Editorial Reviews

"An inviting…amusing offering for children transitioning from beginning-reader books.” —  Booklist

“Some things may come and go, but sisterly friendship like this will stand the test of time.” — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2025-05-30
The sisters introduced in the remarkableStella & Marigold (2024) tackle friendships and unnerving sirens.

When the siblings’ well-meaning cousin gives them each a journal, Stella discovers that the notebooks contain 25 lines where they can write in the names of their best friends. Both Stella, 7, and Marigold, 4, feel sharp pains of inadequacy at not having nearly enough pals. What follows are their attempts to make more friends, from their babysitter to their upstairs neighbor and their classmates. In one particularly fraught sequence, Marigold steals a disturbingly toothy (but very funny) mermaid candle holder from her upstairs neighbor; she plans to pretend to find it so he’ll be grateful to her. Of course, the heart of the series lies with the relationship between its titular sisters, and the two are as close as ever; a scene where they briefly contemplate running away from home cements their mutual dedication. While the text isn’t quite as hilarious as in the first volume, the art may actually be funnier (thanks to the mermaid), with its loving depiction of the realistically nuanced sororal relationship that made the first book a hit. Readers need not be familiar with the earlier installment to enjoy this latest. Both sisters present white; their community is diverse.

Some things may come and go, but sisterly friendship like this will stand the test of time.(Early chapter book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews