The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids

Ammi-Joan Paquette

June 2012 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this eBook

On hot summer days, the beaches are packed with all kinds of people swimming, splashing, or lying in the sun. But there are other days--magical ones--when the beach is empty. Whoosh! The wind tosses up the sand in curling eddies. Kazoom! The waves cymbal-crash against the shore. Yes! Days like these are just right for finding mermaids. Have you ever walked on the beach and looked for shells or or clams? There are creatures, more like you and me, who are even more interesting to look for. Most people don't see them, but they might just not know how to look for signs. That sand dollar--why, that could be a mermaid-size surfboard. Those twisted reeds—a bed for a lovely afternoon mermaid nap. And if you peer closely into the water, you might see a mermaid market. This is a lovely activity for a fun day at the beach and a way to encourage paying close attention to all the interesting things that can be found on the beach or in the water.

About the author

Ammi-Joan has been writing stories since early childhood. She and her sister would spend hours creating masterpieces of stapled paper and handwritten words, complete with pen-and-ink covers and boxed illustrations. Her favorite part of the process was creating a list for the back cover: “Don’t miss the other books in this series!” That list of eye-catching titles always seemed like way less work than (hand) writing out a whole book. But isn’t that just the way of things? Ammi lives with her husband and two daughters in the Boston area. Her first picture book, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies, was published in 2009, and she has continued to write (and agent) books for children and young adults.

Marie Letourneau is a full-time illustrator and graphic artist, with a BA in Fine Arts from Hofstra University’s New College on Long Island. Marie illustrated Is a Worry Worrying You?, The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Mermaids, and was the author and illustrator for The Mice of Bistrot des Sept Frères. She and her family live in New York.