Are Mermaids Real? Guest blog by Hélène Boudreau

Today, I have author Hélène Boudreau here to talk about whether or not mermaids exist. For more info about her novel, Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings, check out my review.

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Are Mermaids Real?

That is the question, isn’t it? Or, at least the question I hope to answer in this blog post. Well…the scientist in me is pretty sure that there aren’t pods of pesco-sapiens floating around the seven seas but the ‘kid’s writer’ side of my brain isn’t so sure. So, for the sake of argument, and purely for my entertainment (and hopefully yours), let’s review the evidence from all angles.

Pros: what evidence is there that mer-people actually DO exist?

1. A popular theory of evolution involves the idea that all life forms originated from a watery stew called the Primordial Soup. (Mmm…sounds tasty.) Apparently, a bunch of molecules swam around in a liquid suspension, bumped into each other randomly and somehow organized themselves in such a way to support life. So, if humans got their watery beginning this way, what’s to say that there wasn’t a stray branch on the evolutionary tree? Hm?
2. Humans cry salty tears and sweat salty sweat—just like ocean water. Co-inky-dink? I think not.
3. Apparently, humans are the only land animals that can consciously hold their breath. We have a descended larynx like walruses and sea lions, making it easier to block water from flooding our lungs. The evidence does not lie! I read it on the interwebz, after all.

Cons: what evidence is there that mer-people DO NOT exist?

1. Because Youtube says so:

However, IF mer-people actually ARE real, I have a couple of questions for them:

1. What is your preferred mode of communication? Shellphones? (just kidding…) But seriously, do you squeak high-pitched squeals like dolphins or do you use hand gestures? Oh! Can you teach me how to swear in Mermish?
2. There are millions of hits for ‘mermaids’ on Google so why don’t you have a book deal by now? Want me to hook you up with my agent?
3. Boxers or briefs?

So, what about you? Do you have any theories for or against the existence of Real Mermaids? Feel free to share!

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Hélène Boudreau is the author of REAL MERMAIDS DON’T WEAR TOE RINGS. She’s never spotted a real mermaid in the wild but the writer in her thinks they are just as plausible as seahorses, flying fish and electric eels.

In a fun promotion, Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky is offering signed Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings bookplates with proof of purchase. More info HERE.

*You can find Hélène on Twitter, Facebook and on her Website.

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau

Title: Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings

Author: Helene Boudreau

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Summary:

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

My Thoughts: Oh, how I love this book! It's most definitely something I would have ate up in a heartbeat as a tween. It's cute, spunky, and original and there's mermaids...what more could a girl ask for?

From the first page, I was hooked. Jade's narrative was captivating from the beginning. She tells things as it is and the situations she gets herself into, like getting her first period in a dressing room, will make readers laugh and sympathize with her. One thing I loved about Jade is that she wasn't depicted as being the perfect skinny girl - she has some issues with her weight and while it's not made into a huge part of the novel, I know it will allow some younger readers to see more of themselves in her.

One of the things I love about middle grade is that because middle graders are more...flexible...then YA readers, things don't need to be quite as developed. If this had been a YA, it would have been expected that the romance and friendships and the whole mermaid thing was more developed and realistic. But, it's MG and because of that, it works. The romance is kept light, the friendships are realistic, and the mermaid thing is done in a way that it's realistic enough.

I also love how deeper issues, such as her mom's drowning, were mixed in to balance out the fluff. Everything worked out nicely, making this a perfect quick reader.

Overall, I highly recommend Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings. It's a great MG book and will appeal to some YA readers as well. ​