The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell

Minnow's tale will remind readers that it is okay to ask questions and seek answers, to stand out and be unique.- School Library Journalĭelicately illustrated by the author in watercolours and pencil crayon.- The Montreal Gazette This book is suitable for independent reading as well as a read-aloud. Campbell's sense of visual humor and Minnow's prince-free happy ending suit 2014 beautifully.- The New York Times With a clever storyline and enchanting pictures, this is an elegant choice for 4- to 9-year-olds who want a break from dinosaurs.- The Wall Street JournalĬampbell's illustrations, of shadowy blue undersea scenes lightened by pale drifting hair and waving strands of kelp, have an attractive, old-fashioned style that harks back to classic picture books of the early 20th century.

the artwork is also full of subtle humor - Campbell definitively answers the question of what a shrugging octopus looks like - and the story solidly delivers its message about the value of inquisitiveness, adventurousness, and storytelling.- Publishers WeeklyĪlthough this luminous tale of self-discovery has echoes of “The Little Mermaid,” like Minnow, it sings its own strong song.- Kirkus Reviews - Starred Review With the feel of a fairy tale, this is a fun and humorous story with a wonderful message appropriate for character education lessons about the value of believing in yourself and the power of perseverance when you are searching for answers to life's most important questions. Young readers will chuckle knowingly at Minnow's misinterpretations of the world “at the edge of the kingdom, where bubbles burst and the above place began,” as they delight in her discovery of what the shoe is used for. Campbell beautifully captures the watery world of his mermaids with soft blues and grays, long hair rippling in the currents and lots of bubbles. When no one in the kingdom can tell her, she sets off on a quest to find out and, along the way, uncovers answers to many of the things that have been vexing her, including what her true purpose is!Award-winning author and illustrator K. Never having seen a shoe before, Willow becomes intrigued by what it might be. “Why don't crabs have fins?” “Where do bubbles go?” “What lies beyond the kingdom?” But one day, as Minnow is drifting in the ocean all alone, a single red woman's shoe, “the loveliest thing she'd ever seen,” floats toward her seemingly from out of nowhere. That is, except for her persistence in asking many, many questions.

In this delightful picture book, Minnow seems to be the only one of King Neptune's fifty mermaid daughters who has no particular skill or accomplishments.

The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell