SuitabookA Mermaid’s Diary
Chris Riddell
- Reading
- Read a few diary entries together, pausing to inspect the illustrations and explain unfamiliar puns or references. If the plot becomes confusing, recap the characters and revisit the relevant drawing.
- Themes
- Protecting a home: Plans to turn Sleepy Cove into a luxury seaside golf resort threaten Atalanta’s home, prompting her to seek help from friends. The situation clearly foregrounds a conflict between development and preserving a home, but the story’s precise evaluative treatment and ending are not established.
- Friendship and collective action: Atalanta enlists old and new friends in an effort to stop the proposed transformation of their surroundings. The plot places relationships and collective action at the centre, though it is unclear how different contributions are developed or resolved.
- Humour, references and visual storytelling: The book uses detailed black-and-white illustrations, puns, parodies, literary references and cultural jokes within a diary-style adventure. These features may reward careful looking and discussion, although some readers may miss references or find the number of characters confusing.
- Worth knowing
- Some illustrations reportedly include cleavage, ghosts, skull jewellery and characters whose parents are absent. These details may merit a quick preview if they could concern your child.