Why am I passionate about this?

I am writing this list because I am a sea monster. I’m the sort of sea monster who loves merpeople, pirates, sharks, dolphins, octopuses, shipwrecks, and…did I miss anything? Oh yes, piranhas. Some people have pointed out that I look like a regular adult human, but really it’s just a trick of the light. I like to make stories, draw pictures, and build miniature environments for stop motion animated films. My typical day is spent gluing miniature flowers to miniature rocks, or screwing miniature chairs to miniature floors. It’s the sort of job that makes you feel like magic is around every corner. Because it is, probably.


I wrote

Can I Give You a Squish?

By Emily Neilson ,

Book cover of Can I Give You a Squish?

What is my book about?

My book takes place in the warm waters of a kelp forest, where Kai, a little mer-boy, loves to give…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Rainbow Fish

Emily Neilson Why I love this book

I remember this story from when I was little. I would stroke the shiny scales with my fingers and admire the octopus in his cave. Little me couldn’t believe the fish would give away his scales! Didn’t he want to keep them all? The message about the happiness that comes with generosity was certainly one I needed to hear...repeatedly.

By Marcus Pfister ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Rainbow Fish as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The award-winning book about a beautiful fish who finds friendship and happiness when he learns to share is now available in a board book edition for the youngest child.


Book cover of Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas

Emily Neilson Why I love this book

This book is so delightfully silly! Poor little Brian tries to convince the other piranhas that they’d probably love to try some fruit—but alas, they would rather eat feet, or knees, or…well…bum! It’s definitely a book that feeds your inner sea monster!

By Aaron Blabey ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, and 5.

What is this book about?

Hey there guys. Would you like a banana?
What's wrong with you. Brian? You're a piranha.

Brian loves bananas. Trouble is, Brian's a piranha. And his friends
aren't happy about his fondness for fruit!

From the best-selling author of PIG THE PUG and THELMA THE UNICORN
comes one of the funniest and cheekiest books you'll ever read.


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Book cover of Always Orchid

Always Orchid by Carol Van Den Hende,

Always Orchid is the moving, award-winning finale to the Goodbye Orchid series that Glamour Magazine called "a modern, important take on the power of love." With themes of identity, disability, and the redemptive power of love, Always Orchid is perfect for fans of Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle…

Book cover of Flotsam

Emily Neilson Why I love this book

Flotsam is another I remember from childhood. I could look at the illustrations forever. Wiesner’s wordless masterpiece guides the reader through the most imaginative journey. And the images have such staying power! I still think about them so many years later.

By David Wiesner ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Flotsam as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A bright, science-minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share . . . and to keep. In each of his amazing picture books, David Wiesner has revealed the magical possibilities of some ordinary thing or happening--a frog on a lily pad, a trip to the Empire State Building, a well-known nursery tale. This time, a…


Book cover of Pearl

Emily Neilson Why I love this book

This book has this soft slow kind of magic that would be wonderful for winding down right before bedtime. The images flow through the book and guide you down into the colorful glowing depths where a family of mermaids guard the secrets of the sea. The message is lovely as well. Little Pearl the mermaid discovers that even the smallest of responsibilities, when nurtured properly, can grow to be hugely impactful.

By Molly Idle ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Pearl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

Sometimes the tiniest light can shine the brightest! Like the other mermaids of the deep, Pearl longs to care for the endless beaches, coral reefs, and towering kelp forests of her vast ocean world. So when her mother asks her to tend to a mere grain of sand, Pearl is heartbroken. It takes all her patience and determination to discover how even the littlest mermaid can transform the world.

Caldecott Honor-winning author and artist Molly Idle has masterfully crafted a modern classic in this mesmerizing tale about the immense power of small actions.


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Book cover of The Fatness

The Fatness by Mark A. Rayner,

Keelan Cavanaugh is fat. That’s why the government put him in prison.

They placed him in a Calorie Reduction Centre (CRC), where trained staff work to help him and many others slim down. Well, that was the intention, anyway. The powers that be had decided chubby citizens must either go…

Book cover of Oona

Emily Neilson Why I love this book

It’s impossible not to fall head over heels in love with the little mermaid explorer Oona and her sea otter friend Otto. The adorable duo was created by illustrator Raissa Figueroa who has this amazing ability to make all her characters completely irresistible and her environments rich with atmospheric colors and magical details. I can’t wait to see what adventures Oona and Otto go on next!

By Kelly DiPucchio , Raissa Figueroa (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Oona as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 3, 4, 5, and 6.

What is this book about?

This comical and heartfelt picture book is a winning celebration of invention, creativity, and friendship. With gorgeous underwater scenes and a crowd-pleasing tale, this is one little mermaid who is here to make a splash!

New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner Raissa Figueroa would like to introduce Oona-the big wide sea's littlest mischief-maker.

Oona and her best friend Otto love to search for treasure...and often find trouble instead.

Messy trouble.

Tricky trouble.

Even shark-related trouble.

That's never stopped them before, though!

After all, no proper treasure hunt is without some adventure. But…


Explore my book 😀

Can I Give You a Squish?

By Emily Neilson ,

Book cover of Can I Give You a Squish?

What is my book about?

My book takes place in the warm waters of a kelp forest, where Kai, a little mer-boy, loves to give squishes! But not everyone is a fan of Kai’s spirited embrace, which he discovers soon after squishing a pufferfish, who swells up in fright! Kai feels awful; but with the help of his underwater friends, he figures out another way to show his affection, and then everyone demonstrates their preferred ways of being greeted. Because, as Kai realizes, “Every fish likes their own kind of squish.”

What I see in each of the books on this list is everything I could possibly have hoped to put into mine--magical underwater adventures, wonderful world-building, and best of all: compelling and lovable characters.

Book cover of The Rainbow Fish
Book cover of Piranhas Don't Eat Bananas
Book cover of Flotsam

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Interested in mermaids, fish, and fairies?

Mermaids 55 books
Fish 65 books
Fairies 158 books