Set on an invented Caribbean island, Lisa Stringfellow’s spellbinding and emotionally resonant middle grade debut tells of grieving twelve-year-old Kela, who unwittingly forms a connection to a fearsome mermaid who has the power to bring Kela's mother back to life.
A mesmerizing debut novel, set against the backdrop of Caribbean folklore, about a grieving girl and a vengeful mermaid who both must grapple with impossible wishes, redemption, and magic formed in love.
Ever since her mother’s death, Kela has felt every bit as broken as the shards of glass, known as “mermaid’s tears,” that sparkle on the Caribbean beaches of St. Rita. So when Kela and her friend Lissy stumble across an ancient-looking comb in a coral cave, with all she’s already lost, Kela can’t help but bring home her very own found treasure.
Far away, deep in the cold ocean, the mermaid Ophidia can feel that her comb has been taken. And despite her hatred of all humans, her magic requires that she make a bargain: the comb in exchange for a wish.
But what Kela wants most is for her mother to be alive. And a wish that big will exact an even bigger price…
- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Quill Tree Books (January 17, 2023)
- ISBN-13: 978-0063043442