Synopsis:

Mary Margaret is a spunky ten-year-old girl with a tough mission. Her mother has asked her to accompany her recently widowed grandmother on a cruise to the Greek Islands. Mary Margaret wonders if she'll really be able to help her grandma get the rest, relaxation, and recuperation she needs, or if she'll just be in the way on this seniors-only cruise.

But in time Mary Margaret makes new friends, helps her grandmother say good-bye to Grandpa, and finally has a chance to fulfill her being-a-mermaid dream by joining in a beachside wedding dressed as a mermaid. Along the way she learns a little about the ancient world, a little more about herself, and a lot about delighting some grown-ups who need a red-headed mermaid in their lives. A smart and sensitive story told through the journal entries of a very precocious mermaid-in-training.

Book Excerpt:

Reviews:

"Mary Margaret is an absolutely delightful fourth-grader . . . . Hazen has written a charming account of a girl's voyage that includes not only the latitude and longitude but the discovery of some of the meaning of life, love, and family. A winner." Kirkus Reviews (June 2004)

"This short, thoughtful novel, written as Mary's travel diary, is entertaining and features a believable eleven-year-old protagonist..." Horn Book Guide (October 2004)

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Author Comment:

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Topics/Categories:

Cruise, grandmother, Greek Islands, Humor, mermaids, middle grade novel, Travel, widow

Genre:

Children, Children's Books, Children's Fiction, Family - Relationships

Type of Work:

Book

Publishers:

Bloomsbury USA

Awards:

Cooperative Center for Children's Literature Maine State Book Award

Purchase From:

Buy Mermaid Mary Margaret from Amazon

Original Publish Date:

2004-04-01

ISBNs:

1582348693

Reading Guides:

http://www.mermaidmary.com/activities.html http://www.MermaidMary.com http://www.lynnhazen.com/mermaidmary.html

Formats:

Hardcover