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bmccabe088's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
xsleepyshadows's review against another edition
4.0
The art in here is beautiful and detailed! Really a fun fantasy read as a surfer girl (and cat) finds herself in a siren world, welcomed and friendly! The author credits baum's book about mermaids (or the sort) and a girls adventure...I may have to read next! Fantastic!
erincataldi's review against another edition
3.0
A cute middle grade novel about a Vietnamese American surfer girl named Trot who is accidentally engulfed in a big wave and cast underseas with her trusty cats. What she discovers is a fantastical palace ruled by mermaids, when her trusty kitty, Cap'n Bill, fends off some dastardly serpents, the mermaids welcome the unlikely duo. At first Trot is apprehensive about staying underwater too long, she cant leave her grandfather alone for too long and her mother is at work, but soon she is having too much fun with her new friends. That is until disaster strikes! Cap'n Trot's services will once again be needed to take care of the serpents that threaten the realm. Cute, whimsical, but not terribly action packed. It's fun and I think younger teens will be intrigued.
dslarson1980's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
saroz162's review against another edition
3.0
This graphic novel is far better on its own terms than interpreted as an "adaptation" of L. Frank Baum's The Sea Fairies - and that's fine, because Sea Fairies isn't a great book to begin with. The strongest aspect of both works is their art, and here, Janet K. Lee fuses a very credible homage to John R. Neill's Art Nouveau stylings with her own, more postmodern assymetricality and limited color palette. It's very visually appealing, and ultimately quite beautiful, but not in the way one might initially expect from the cover.
The story is simple - possibly a little too simple - and even if it's not, the limited dialogue and vocabulary keep the book from totally soaring. It's just not enough to really get to know these characters, aside from Cap'n Bill, the cat—a completely breakout character, the only one who's easy to love. He really does steal the show.
The sequel, Sky Island, is an improvement on this first volume - in part just because it has more pages to play with, I think. It also has the benefit of having already established most of the characters. Taken together, I think the two books are at their strongest, and I think were it to go to a longer series, Sea Sirens could actually retroactively be seen as a better pilot than a standalone work.
The story is simple - possibly a little too simple - and even if it's not, the limited dialogue and vocabulary keep the book from totally soaring. It's just not enough to really get to know these characters, aside from Cap'n Bill, the cat—a completely breakout character, the only one who's easy to love. He really does steal the show.
The sequel, Sky Island, is an improvement on this first volume - in part just because it has more pages to play with, I think. It also has the benefit of having already established most of the characters. Taken together, I think the two books are at their strongest, and I think were it to go to a longer series, Sea Sirens could actually retroactively be seen as a better pilot than a standalone work.
kkrato's review against another edition
A cat who loves water, an underwater queendom, hurrah. The art and concepts draw the reader in. Based on Vietnamese folklore and a L Frank Baum story, the ideas were interested, but could have been more developed.
adeleon's review against another edition
3.0
⭐⭐⭐
“He wasn’t trying to save ANYONE. He’s just a cat!”
Trot, a young girl living off of Huntington Beach, California, loves nothing more than spending the day surfing with her cat, Cap’n Bill. While surfing during a storm Trot crashes into a wave, and almost loses her faithful companion, Cap’n Bill. As she dives into the water to save him, she is met face to face with mer-people, sirens! The sirens take Trot and Cap’n Bill back to their kingdom. While a festival begins, Trot’s grandfather shows up! He followed Trot and Cap’n Bill to the siren kingdom. But his dementia causes the sirens kingdom and a neighboring kingdom to almost come to war. How will Trot handle this predicament?
I feel mixed about this book, like it was missing substance. I wanted to like it, the illustrations were luscious and beautiful, but the story needed some work. The relationship between Trot and Cap’n Bill seemed off, like the author was trying to make them seem close but it wasn’t landing right. The sirens themselves seemed overall bland and stereotypical, having predictable reactions to a human in their midst and dealing with enemy kingdoms. Overall, the story felt rushed and like it was missing details. The graphics are beautiful though.
“He wasn’t trying to save ANYONE. He’s just a cat!”
Trot, a young girl living off of Huntington Beach, California, loves nothing more than spending the day surfing with her cat, Cap’n Bill. While surfing during a storm Trot crashes into a wave, and almost loses her faithful companion, Cap’n Bill. As she dives into the water to save him, she is met face to face with mer-people, sirens! The sirens take Trot and Cap’n Bill back to their kingdom. While a festival begins, Trot’s grandfather shows up! He followed Trot and Cap’n Bill to the siren kingdom. But his dementia causes the sirens kingdom and a neighboring kingdom to almost come to war. How will Trot handle this predicament?
I feel mixed about this book, like it was missing substance. I wanted to like it, the illustrations were luscious and beautiful, but the story needed some work. The relationship between Trot and Cap’n Bill seemed off, like the author was trying to make them seem close but it wasn’t landing right. The sirens themselves seemed overall bland and stereotypical, having predictable reactions to a human in their midst and dealing with enemy kingdoms. Overall, the story felt rushed and like it was missing details. The graphics are beautiful though.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, this art pops.
I'm sure there's a term to describe the organic, stylized lines Lee uses here. I love the mix of saturated color with detailed, delicate shapes.
As you'll see from the summaries, this is the story of a Vietnamese American surfer kid and their one-eyed surfing cat. When they find themselves under the ocean, the cat starts to speak so that the kid can understand. They meet undersea residents of various kinds.
It's a lovely kick-off to a series - I'm glad to see there's a sequel coming!
Highly recommend for upper elementary audiences.
Ownvoices.
I'm sure there's a term to describe the organic, stylized lines Lee uses here. I love the mix of saturated color with detailed, delicate shapes.
As you'll see from the summaries, this is the story of a Vietnamese American surfer kid and their one-eyed surfing cat. When they find themselves under the ocean, the cat starts to speak so that the kid can understand. They meet undersea residents of various kinds.
It's a lovely kick-off to a series - I'm glad to see there's a sequel coming!
Highly recommend for upper elementary audiences.
Ownvoices.
harkenthee's review against another edition
4.0
Service: LAPL Overdrive
Title: Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap'n Bill Adventure Book 1)
Author: Amy Chu
Illustrator: Janet K. Lee
Age: 8+
Trot is a Vietnamese-American girl who loves to surf with her one-eyed cat, Captain Bill. One day they’re swept up by a huge wave during a storm and meet face-to-face with the Sea Sirens- a beautiful kingdom of mermaids currently in the middle of a war with the Serpents. Lee’s art is lushly detailed, with much attention given to rendering the ethereal Sea Sirens and their undersea kingdom.
Of note is Trot’s grandpa, who suffers from dementia. Sometimes he grows confused and lost, but that doesn’t prevent him from enjoying adventures as well.
The story takes much inspiration from Vietnamese folktales, most notable from The Dragon Prince collection by Thich Nhat Hanh. Recommended to those who are looking for a fun fantasy adventure imbued with Vietnamese culture.
Title: Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap'n Bill Adventure Book 1)
Author: Amy Chu
Illustrator: Janet K. Lee
Age: 8+
Trot is a Vietnamese-American girl who loves to surf with her one-eyed cat, Captain Bill. One day they’re swept up by a huge wave during a storm and meet face-to-face with the Sea Sirens- a beautiful kingdom of mermaids currently in the middle of a war with the Serpents. Lee’s art is lushly detailed, with much attention given to rendering the ethereal Sea Sirens and their undersea kingdom.
Of note is Trot’s grandpa, who suffers from dementia. Sometimes he grows confused and lost, but that doesn’t prevent him from enjoying adventures as well.
The story takes much inspiration from Vietnamese folktales, most notable from The Dragon Prince collection by Thich Nhat Hanh. Recommended to those who are looking for a fun fantasy adventure imbued with Vietnamese culture.