Mermaid Books for Kids

Let’s jump into the deep end and explore mermaid books for kids. These under-the-sea adventures will delight, enthrall, and entertain our youngest listeners. They are truly fintastic.

Mermaid Books for Toddlers

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Mermaid Dance by Matthew Van Fleet and Mara Van Fleet is a hefty boar book full of pull-tab fun. Swish the seahorse’s tail. Nod the narwhal’s horn. And, dance your way through the book. The last page is a pop-up surprise.

My Magical Mermaid is magically colorful with push, pull, and slide tabs. Kids get to make mermaids sing and even tuck them into their shells for the night.

Get ready for the soothing waves to rock you to sleep in this lullaby tale set under the sea. Jane Yolen brings us Merbaby’s Lullaby.

The Little Mermaid by Hannah Eliot is from the great Once Upon a World board book series featuring diverse stories of traditional tales. In this tale, The Little Mermaid gets a Caribbean spin.

Mermaid Books for Preschoolers and Up

Mermaid Kenzie Protector of the Deeps by Charlotte Watson Sherman is a breath of fresh air to the mermaid book line-up. It can really be difficult to find mermaid books featuring mermaids of color so I’m so glad to have this one to recommend. Kenzie loves the ocean but when she and her mama snorkel, she is disappointed in all the plastic bags she sees. Kenzie vows to clean up the plastic stew. She becomes the protector of the deep and vows to protect the seas.

The FurFins and the Sparkly Sleepover The FurFins and the Mermaid Wedding by Alsion Richie is about a sleepover that’s not very special until Ms. Pearl arrives. Also, check out The FurFins and the Mermaid Wedding.

Enjoy reading about boy and girl mermaids in Mermaid School by Joanne Stewart Wetzel in this rhyming tale. The mermaids are headed to school to use shells in art and sing the A…B…Seas.

Have you ever pretended to be a mermaid in the bathtub? That is just what Merbaby and Merdaddy do in Merdaddy by Wednesday Kirwan. A beautiful example of caregivers sharing in imaginative and creative play with children.

Something small can truly make a big difference is a message you’ll take away from Pearl’s journey in Pearl by Molly Idle. Pearl’s mother entrusts her with one tiny grain of sand. Pearl nurtures this responsibility with love and persistence. In turn, something begins to grow and glow. You can even watch Idle read aloud the book on YouTube.

Also, check out Idle’s Coral.

I love the opening line, “Oona was sweet…and a little bit salty, like the ocean where she lived.” Journey with Oona and her friend, Otto, as they find treasure and trouble. Check out Oona by Kelly DiPucchio. You can also read more Oona adventures in more books.

We can all find our inner mermaid and that’s just what Julian does in Julián is a Mermaid by Jessica Love. This story has a beautiful message and is part of a series.

Get ready to explore colors with mermaids. Mermaid LullabyKenneth Kraegel takes us under the deep blue sea and right back up to enjoy a red sunset in Mermaid Lullaby.

Mermaid Books for Kindergarteners and Up

The Mermaid with No Tail by Jessica Long is the story of a mermaid with no tail. Even though she is made fun of for not having a tail, she decides to compete in the Mermaid Games. With the support of her adoptive parents, friends, and coach she trains and wins.

If you are looking for a gorgeously illustrated version of The Little Mermaid, you must check out the one by Jerry Pinkney.

The Princess in Black and the Mermaid Princess by Shannon and Dean Hale is book nine in The Princess in Black series. The Princess in Black and friends are headed underwater to help a mermaid protect her sea goats from a kraken!