Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels

This humorous chapter book follows Jade, a self-conscious, aqua-phobic mer-girl trying to survive her freshman year of high school. She grapples with typical teen challenges like finding a formal dress, navigating a potential first romance, and keeping her true identity a secret. The stakes escalate when a Mermish Council decree threatens to force all land-dwelling mers, including her mother and Luke, back into the ocean. The story blends realistic teen drama with a fantastical twist, exploring themes of self-acceptance, bravery, and belonging. While the publisher lists an age range of 4-11, the content, particularly the high school setting and dating themes, is more appropriate for late elementary to middle school readers, roughly ages 9-13.

The only thing that terrifies Jade more than the ocean is dancing at the Fall Formal. Because Jade has two left feet—er, flippers. Who knew being a high school freshman is even more awkward than being a plus-size aqua-phobic mer-girl? At least her only drama is of the human variety... Or not. The Mermish Council has just declared that all land-dwelling mers but return to the ocean. Pronto. But there's no way Jade is going to let her mom, or Luke, her...boyfriend? mer-guy-friend?, disappear into the deep, dark ocean. Again. After all, a girl's got to have a date to her first dance. If Jade can stop mer-mageddon, finding a plus-size dress that doesn't look like a shower curtain should be a piece of cake.