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When the unlikely hero of Selfors's assured debut, a luckless sixth grader named Boomerang "Boom" Broom, inadvertently brings home a baby mermaid instead of cheap seafood from the fish market for dinner, he sets off a madcap chain of events that turns his house bright pink, transforms his bathroom into a tropical beach replete with banana tree and monkey, puts his little sister Mertyle's life in grave danger, and miraculously heals his dysfunctional family from the sudden and bizarre loss of his mother. The baby mermaid, the ill-tempered antithesis of Disney's Princess Ariel with razor-sharp teeth and green-seaweed hair, possesses powerful magic that, at first, makes Mertyle's unwitting wishes come true; but the merbaby also brings with it a deadly curse that soon afflicts Boom's sister in the form of a bizarre white fungus. With time running out, can Boom find a cure for his fuzz-covered sibling? Featuring some outlandishly funny characters (among them the villainous, "big-butted" principal Mrs. Prunewallop and Halvor, the family cook who models himself on Erik the Red), Selfors's adventure also subtly explores serious themes like grief, adversity and misfortune. In a nutshell-or, more fittingly, a conch shell-her nimble fantasy is about Boom's journey of self-discovery and the feeling that comes from achieving a seemingly unreachable goal. A few unresolved plot threads, notably to do with the mother, point to a sequel. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationGr 4-6
Sixth-grader Boom Broom's got it rough. His family is still reeling from the twister that came and left their tiny seafaring town so suddenly, sucking up Mrs. Broom. For Boom, that means dealing with a dad who refuses to leave his "safe" attic; a 10-year-old sister, Mertyle, who fakes every illness imaginable to keep from leaving the house; and a cook who thinks he's a Viking descendant. Just when it looks as if Boom's as low as he can get, a miracle happens. While sifting through the reject bucket at the docks for some dinner, he finds an incredibly hostile baby mermaid. He wants to use the creature to make the family some money, but Mertyle wants to adopt it. Unfortunately, such actions can have horrendous consequences, and soon the two children are face-to-face with some seemingly uncontrollable magic and a curse beyond their reckoning. This amusing story has lots of kid appeal. Selfors has conjured up great characters and settings, and her narrative voice never falters. Though a sequel would not be surprising, this book stands well enough on its own. It's sure to be a hit with any reader searching for something funny.
—Elizabeth BirdCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Suzanne Selfors is the author of Smells Like Dog, Smells Like Treasure, To Catch a Mermaid, and Fortune's Magic Farm. She lives with her husband on an island in Washington state where they are raising two children, a dog, a cat, and a flock of messy chickens.
Anonymous
Posted November 20, 2011
I finished this book and IT WAS THE BEST BOOK I EVER BOUGHT BESIDES THE HUNGER GAMES? P.S. YOU CAN GET IT FREE WITH ADOBY DIGITAL LIBARY
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 15, 2012
A very good book exciting thrilling interesting and joyful are all words to describe it I think that suzzane selfors is an amazing author.
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Posted July 2, 2011
Y is it so good
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 9, 2011
Pretty+cute%21
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 23, 2011
It is kind of sad. Is kick the ball against the wall a real game? The newspaper article at the end is funny.
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Posted March 20, 2011
i dident reed it yet but it looks good
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Posted February 5, 2008
This is a great book for kids with wide imaginations. It is a wacky story about how two kids find a merbaby and life goes upside down from there. The merbaby can grant wishes but can it save young Mertles life? This story will have you sitting on the edge of your seat for more.
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Posted November 21, 2007
I picked this up because the title was cute and I wanted to read a chapter book with my daughter that would keep her attention (she's 7). It's a clever story that has quirky humor and a good family lesson for children.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 17, 2007
Emotion and humor come through beautifully in this fantasy adventure. Most readers will relate to the trials and tribualations and of the main characters, and love that the story resolves itself with a positive message. The humor is quirky and enjoyable for kids, but has sophistication that adults can apprediate too. The book emphasizes the importance of strong family bonds without being at all corny which is important, and the 'mermaid' character is completely unconventional and has a refreshinly non- stereotypical personality. It is easy to paint pictures in your mind of the story as you read. The descriptions are well thought out and vivid with out being wordy. You will finish the book feeling like you have had your intelligence, sense of humor and sense of adventure spoken too all at once. I think kids as well as adults will appreciate that. I know I did, as well as several kids I know who have read it!!
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Posted December 3, 2008
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Overview
Boom Broom doesn't think his life could get any worse. Ever since his mother was swept away by a twister, his family has gone crazy. They refuse to leave the house and Boom and his sister Mertyle are looked after by Halvor, the Viking descendant who rents the room over their garage.When Boom finds a baby mermaid who seems to grant unlimited wishes, he thinks his luck has turned around. That is, until his sister is hit by the curse of the merfolk. Now Boom and his best friend Winger must find a way to return the merbaby to its mother and save Mertyle before it is too late.