After a tornado carries off twelve-year-old Boom Broom's mother, his father refuses to leave the house, and his little sister, Mertyle, constantly misses school, claiming she's sick. Due to the family's dwindling funds, Boom scrounges dinner from a fisherman's reject seafood bucket one night. But Mertyle doesn't think what Boom brings home is a fish. "'The tail is made of scales while the upper half is covered in skin. . . . It's a baby mermaid.'" Black-and-white illustrations.
Summary Sent by Halvor to the docks to buy fish for dinner, but short on cash, Boom takes a free fish from the refuse bucket at the docks. Instead of dinner, the fish turns out to be a nasty merbaby—one Mertyle instantly falls in love with. The problems begin immediately. The children cannot tell Halvor about the creature, since Vikings and merpeople are mortal enemies. They cannot show anyone else, because scientists would undoubtedly confiscate and possibly dissect it. The Merbaby has also started granting Mertyle’s wishes, but having a bright pink house with banana trees growing inside may not be the best thing, either. The real bad news is the curse that seems to be causing Mertyle’s fungus. Boom must return the merbaby to its mother—but how?
Topics Illness. Fear. Tornados. Competition. Losing a parent. Friends. Kicking. Accidents. Getting caught. School principals. Punishment. Wagering. Fish. Mermaids. Pets. Screams. Food. Vikings. Money. Pet shops. Mean neighbors. Wishes. Fungus. Medicine. Doctors. Parties. Rude guests. Dolls. Thieves. Secrets. Curses. Maps. Boats. Discovery. The press. Fathers. Wind. Rescues. Songs. Arrests.
SRC Level 4.500000
SRC Points 13.000000
Lexile 770L
Trim Size 5 1/4" x 7 5/8"
Language English
JLG Release Date Dec 2007
Minimum grade 3
Maximum grade 5
Reading level Elementary
Format Print
Mystery/Adventure Elementary Plus (Grades 3-5)
Mystery/Adventure Elementary Plus
Mystery/Adventure Elementary Plus (Grades 3-5)
For Grades 3-5
Spine-tingling tales of suspense and adventure compose this 14 book category-filled with both fiction and nonfiction titles. Elementary readers who thrive on a thrill will really spark to these selections.