Story told mostly in pictures. Beautifully done. Julián accompanies his grandmother to the public pool and on the way home sees three women dressed up as mermaids, on the subway. He’s enthralled. Once home, he dresses himself up as a mermaid too, using a curtain for the tail and peacock feathers as a headdress. When his grandmother reappears in the room, he looks momentarily ashamed- worried what she will think? judging him for dressing up in what’s assumed to be a feminine manner (though surely there are male mermaids, too)? Grandmother doesn’t scold. She takes his hand and leads him outside, down towards the beach, where they join a parade of people all dressed up as mermaids and other sea creatures (I really liked the jellyfish costumes). Simple but powerful message of acceptance.
Rating: 4/5
36 pages, 2018
