#MGTakesOnThursday is a weekly feature from Mary at BookCraic to celebrate the love for Middle Grade Books! The steps to take part are here.
And Then I Turned Into A Mermaid – Laura Kirkpatrick (Egmont 2019)
“Honestly, Ades, how are we ever going to infiltrate the popular group when I’m basically one giant fish?” Molly shoved a fistful of crisps into her gob.
Sentence from page 11
Cheeky Chip-Shop Mermaids
Laura Kirkpatrick is more widely known as Laura Steven for her YA hits The Exact Opposite of Okay, A Girl Called Shameless and this years The Love Hypothesis (which I am dying to read) but she has also turned her brand of funny, fiercely feminist and gut wrenchingly honest style of writing that sums up all the awkward, messy and hopefulness that it is to be a young girl.
In this story, Molly Seabrook lives in a dilapidated Lighthouse with her mother and 4 sisters in a Northern coastal town. If it weren’t teasing fodder enough that her mum runs the local fish and chip shop, her mum is rather known for taking the odd au natural swim to boot. All Molly dreams of is becoming popular and the fittest boy in school taking notice of her, but when she gets the shock of her life on her 13th Birthday, there’s suddenly far more than boys and bullies to deal with.
Check out my review for more and the sequel Don’t Tell Him I’m a Mermaid is out now!
Have you read this book or do you think you will give it a go?
Lily and the Fae 
This certainly sounds hilarious. I might give that a second look, even though I’m not actually that much into mermaids. I suspect there are a lot of embarrassing encounters? 😀
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Oh it’s brilliant!! If you imagine the sass and raw honesty of being a girl in everything is not okay but just at a slightly cleaner (ie no sex or swearing but definitely crushes and embarrassing things) level for an 11- 14 year old at that most awkward vulnerable stage- and THEN add the added drama of actually being part mermaid (and NOT really in control of that at all!!) you get close to the genius of this book!!
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This really does sound great – I don’t think I’d have found it without your recommendation.
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It’s brilliant, it’s not had a lot of attention though you are right which is a shame. I’m waiting on my preorder of the sequel too!!
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I suspect I’d like this more than I think I would, especially as I’ve increasingly enjoyed the few contemporary books I’ve read over the last year.
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This is VERY funny and painful in how honest it is about being that age and completely awkward. The mermaid factor is like the straw that breaks the camels back in how weird Molly is and it’s just a funny and raw exploration of sisterhood and growing up… but with crisps, chips and mermaids!
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Yes, I do like a good ‘growing up’ book so I think I’d enjoy it, though while I can see its place and point, h the mermaid thing does make me wary!
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I admit it gets a bit silly at times but I think that’s the beauty of it, the serious juxtaposed against the ludicrous.
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Yes, I can see that. I think I will try it…!
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Let me know what you think!
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Looking forward to the sequel of this! 💜
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Yes!! I am still waiting on my preorder but I know it’s going to be wonderful!!!!
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This sounds like a super cute book! hard to resist books about mermaids, too. xD
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This is more sassy-cute than super-cute I would say!!! My Nan would say Molly has a ‘mouth on her’ and I would say she is a painfully realistic 13 year old girl!!! It’s a brilliant book though, you feel so much for her!!
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Honestly, sassy-cute sounds ever better. xD
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