The Mermaid in the Bathtub

This surreal reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” begins when Mr. Whatwilltheysay is surprised to find “a mermaid sitting in his best armchair.” The mermaid, called Grain-of-Sand, has blue curls, floods Whatwilltheysay’s apartment, and sings strange songs (“The waves are high/ The mast is crooked/ The heart is slant”). He tells her, “Half of you is really lovely, but I could never, ever get married to a fish.” When Grain-of-Sand leaves, taking the bathtub, after hearing Whatwilltheysay’s litany of concerns about her presence, he slowly realizes what he has lost and goes to find her with an umbrella in his hand, a seashell in his pocket, and a flying fish for company. Modan’s bright, delightfully deadpan illustrations, which offer a wealth of details and patterns, match the story’s matter-of-fact absurdities and abrupt swivels in action, helping to create a beguiling oddity for readers. Ages 5–10. [em](Oct.) [/em]