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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
I love the joyous illustrations of an African American mermaid with a huge flowing afro in this cute mermaid book. It's worth purchase for that alone - more Black mermaids, please! The story is cute enough, about a plucky young mermaid who collects shiny things and desperately wants a fallen tiara that's sunk down into the bottom of a scary ravine. There's a bit of creative problem solving involved. Hand this one to young mermaid fans, particularly fans of Jerry Pinkney's recent adaptation of The Little Mermaid (which also stars a Black mermaid).
This picture book has gorgeous illustrations and a nice message about endurance and problem-solving. The story has some gaps and issues in it, but it's nice as a whole, and people who are interested in a resourceful mermaid character will enjoy this.
The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, but the story is lacking. I did like the ending, but it wasn't supported by the rest of the story.
adventurous
lighthearted
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I didn't know I was waiting on a mermaid book featuring a brown-skinned girl with a ton of curly hair, but...I'll take it! The message is simple and easy to process. The illustrations are either vibrant or murky relevant to the drama in the story. Add this to your collection of cutie pie reads!
Oona is “brave and curious,” “and a little bit salty, like the ocean where she lived.” She and her otter companion Otto are treasure hunters. They find all number of things, but this adventure story is about their friendship and that “one special treasure Oona could never quite reach.”
First and foremost, I love that Oona features a Black mermaid. Figueroa’s digital rendering is charming, that hair, outfit, and tail--to say nothing about the level of expression Figueroa wrings out of this character. Oona dictates the mood more than the environment does (e.g. sadness even in the sun sequences). She is joyous, intelligent, lucky, befriended and creative. Oona is full of life, even when she is dispirited by failure.
It’s worth noting that Oona tries and tries again and still fails. And her feeling down isn’t short-lived. DiPucchio writes a girl who failed and then took a nap before engaging in less-passionate pursuits (though still great). Oona “was missing her spark,” but DiPucchio & Figueroa were not missing opportunities for levity (e.g. sand tails on land friends; sea gulls). This humor-touched fantasy-adventure story is sensitive to reality; presenting failure as normal and navigational.
I love that Oona is also an adventure story. There is the cuteness of Oona as a baby, and the silliness of training a pet (Otto), but even those two elements are couched in situations of action and adventure. The perils and the inventiveness behind hunting the crown create a pleasant level of drama to the story—a story that allows you to wonder whether Oona will give up (though not really?) and how Oona might finally get her hands on that seemingly unattainable treasure.
There are two surprises: how easy, in the end, the retrieval was (I was a bit underwhelmed); I guess the solution was better eyes on the prize? (Also, I’m not a child so…) And the other—which is not totally unsurprising—the realization Oona has about what the true treasure in this adventure was. I love DiPucchio’s message.
The underwater seascape is lovely and it’s fun to look through Oona’s home: the found objects and what she’s done with them. It’s lovely and fun to read a story about a daring nature and the creative mind of a young Black mermaid and her furry companion. It’s nice to read a story, and to find yourself at the end of an adventure knowing the truth of the matter before reading it. And it is true, whether we’re talking about friendships or goggles, “sometimes the best treasure in the world isn’t found. It’s made.”
Oona is a fun and necessary addition to book shelves that does a lot of good work while we just sit back and enjoy DiPucchio and Figueroa’s artistry.
First and foremost, I love that Oona features a Black mermaid. Figueroa’s digital rendering is charming, that hair, outfit, and tail--to say nothing about the level of expression Figueroa wrings out of this character. Oona dictates the mood more than the environment does (e.g. sadness even in the sun sequences). She is joyous, intelligent, lucky, befriended and creative. Oona is full of life, even when she is dispirited by failure.
It’s worth noting that Oona tries and tries again and still fails. And her feeling down isn’t short-lived. DiPucchio writes a girl who failed and then took a nap before engaging in less-passionate pursuits (though still great). Oona “was missing her spark,” but DiPucchio & Figueroa were not missing opportunities for levity (e.g. sand tails on land friends; sea gulls). This humor-touched fantasy-adventure story is sensitive to reality; presenting failure as normal and navigational.
I love that Oona is also an adventure story. There is the cuteness of Oona as a baby, and the silliness of training a pet (Otto), but even those two elements are couched in situations of action and adventure. The perils and the inventiveness behind hunting the crown create a pleasant level of drama to the story—a story that allows you to wonder whether Oona will give up (though not really?) and how Oona might finally get her hands on that seemingly unattainable treasure.
There are two surprises: how easy, in the end, the retrieval was (I was a bit underwhelmed); I guess the solution was better eyes on the prize? (Also, I’m not a child so…) And the other—which is not totally unsurprising—the realization Oona has about what the true treasure in this adventure was. I love DiPucchio’s message.
The underwater seascape is lovely and it’s fun to look through Oona’s home: the found objects and what she’s done with them. It’s lovely and fun to read a story about a daring nature and the creative mind of a young Black mermaid and her furry companion. It’s nice to read a story, and to find yourself at the end of an adventure knowing the truth of the matter before reading it. And it is true, whether we’re talking about friendships or goggles, “sometimes the best treasure in the world isn’t found. It’s made.”
Oona is a fun and necessary addition to book shelves that does a lot of good work while we just sit back and enjoy DiPucchio and Figueroa’s artistry.