![]() ![]() "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.īook Description Paperback. Martha Rosen, Edgewood School, Scarsdale, NYĬopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. With current interest in and the demand for multicultural materials, this tale is a welcome addition to any folklore collection. This is a realistic coming-of-age story, combined with fantasy. Sukey is a likable heroine, determined, clever, and compassionate. What provides this book with depth and richness, however, is the smooth transition from the mermaid's magical kingdom to the harsh reality of the girl's life on land. Although the Cinderella theme is most apparent, there are references to many others. The time spent in the sea with the mermaid provides respite from the hardships of life with her mother and shiftless stepfather. This fabulous creature, with opulent jewelry and golden combs in her sea-green hair, offers Sukey more than a gold coin at day's end. As the arresting cover illustration suggests, Mama Jo is no ordinary water spirit. San Souci's eloquent prose, matched by Pinkney's handsome illustrations executed in scratchboard and oil pastel, tells the tale of a black girl's special relationship with a benevolent mermaid. Grade 1-4- From West Africa via the Caribbean to the Sea Islands off South Carolina's coast come the story fragments melded in this unusual, haunting tale. ![]()
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