Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Mermaid Life
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Legend of Mermaids
Talk It Out
Write It Down
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Dive in and get swept away!
Copyright
Back Cover
Mermaid Life
Mermaid Kingdom refers to all the kingdoms in the sea, including Neptunia, Caspian, Hercules, Titania, and Nessland. Each kingdom has a king and queen who live in a castle. Merpeople live in caves.
Mermaids get their legs on their thirteenth birthdays at the stroke of midnight. It’s a celebration when the mermaid makes her first voyage onto land. After their thirteenth birthdays, mermaids can go on land for short periods of time but must be very careful.
If a mermaid goes on land before her thirteenth birthday, she will get her legs early and never get her tail back. She will lose all memories of being a mermaid and will be human forever.
Mermaids are able to stay on land with legs for no more than forty-eight hours. Any longer and they will not be able to get their tails back and will be human forever. They will lose all memories of being a mermaid.
If they fall in love, merpeople and humans can marry and have babies (with special permission from the king and queen of their kingdom). Their babies are half-human and half-merperson. However, this love must be the strongest love possible in order for it to be approved by the king and queen.
Half-human mermaids are able to go on land indefinitely and can change back to a mermaid anytime. However, they are not allowed to tell other humans about the mermaid world unless they have special permission from the king and queen.
Chapter One
It didn’t matter how much fun summer break was. The first day back to school was always really exciting. Sure, I was nervous for school to start again. But I was more excited than nervous.
I couldn’t wait to find out what teacher I would have. I was hoping that my best friends Rachel and Shyanna would be in the same class as me. I could survive without them, but it definitely wouldn’t be as fun. When school started, I wouldn’t have to babysit my sisters all day, which was a huge bonus.
Plus, this was a big year for me. It was the first year I’d be able to audition for the Neptunia Spirit Squad. The Spirit Squad is an important part of each kingdom. The team attends school and community events, bringing a fun dynamic through dancing, singing, and cheering. Once you are on the team, you are a part of it for life!
I’d dreamed about being on the team since I was a baby, when Mom would tell me stories about being on the team. These days, my mom was so busy with my sisters that sometimes it felt like she’s forgotten about me. Being on the Spirit Squad would definitely make her notice me!
On the morning of the first day of school, my little sisters helped me decide what to wear. I couldn’t decide which top screamed Spirit Squad Member. I narrowed it down to a new purple one and my favorite light blue one. When I came out of the bathroom in my new purple top, my sisters clapped and yelled. It was clearly the winner.
Sometimes I complained about how loud my sisters were, but I liked having them around when I needed a cheering section. They really could be sweet sometimes.
“Cora! Rachel and Shyanna are here,” my mom called to me.
“Just in time,” I said.
“Bye, Cora! Have fun! Good luck with your classes!” my mom shouted as she tucked Jewel under one arm and chased Pearl and Ruby down the hall. Sweet or not, those girls were a lot of work!
“Bye!” I called to my sisters and my mom, even though I knew they weren’t listening.
“Wow!” Shyanna said. “That purple top really pops on you!”
“Thanks.” We raved about each other’s outfits. I admired Rachel’s curly red hair and Shyanna’s braids. The three of us linked arms and started swimming toward the school. Luckily I lived pretty close, which is why we all met up at my place.
“I’m really nervous,” Rachel said as we approached the front of the school. I wasn’t surprised that Rachel was nervous. She moved to Neptunia over the summer, and being the new girl was tough. Plus, it made me feel better that I wasn’t the only nervous one.
“Don’t worry, we’ve got your tail,” Shyanna said.
“It’s my legs I’m more worried about,” Rachel joked, trying to relieve some tension.
Rachel was half-human, which was a big secret. She didn’t want any of the kids to find out and bully her. She’d had some problems at her old school, so it made sense that she would hide her secret.
Shy and I were excited to catch up with our school friends and to introduce them to Rachel. We knew they were going to love her as much as we did. We reached the school and stopped to admire the giant statue of the school’s founding mermaid, Michelle, at the school entrance. We showed Rachel how to rub Michelle’s fin for luck.
“Everyone’s going to love you just the way you are,” I told her. I didn’t think anyone would care that she was half-human, except maybe to think it was super cool that she could go on land whenever she wanted and for as long as she wanted.
We swam together through the pillars of old white coral that led into the school grounds. It was chaotic inside. Merboys and mergirls of all ages were doing flips and mingling and waving at each other.
“Hi!” I yelled to Cassie Shores as she swam by with a group of mergirls. She was one of the most popular mermaids at school and was also on the swim team with me last year. Like me, she was excited that this year we were eligible to try out for the Spirit Squad.
“She’s a shoo-in for the Spirit Squad,” I told Rachel. “She composes songs, and she’s amazing at it. Making the Spirit Squad will be a great way for you to get to know her too!”
“Cool,” Rachel said. “If you like her, so will I.”
“She’s as obsessed as Cora about being on the Spirit Squad,” Shyanna said.
“I wouldn’t say obsessed,” Cora said.
“I would!” Shyanna winked to let me know it was okay, but Rachel wasn’t paying attention. Instead, she was looking at a group of mermaids swimming by.
“That’s the girl who said things about my mom during the Neptunia talent show,” Rachel whispered to us.
“That’s Regina,” Shyanna said. “She’s not the nicest mermaid.”
“That is a huge understatement! She is just mean,” I said as I glanced at Regina and frowned.
I needed to show positive behavior since the Spirit Squad selections were coming up, but it wasn’t always easy.
Chapter Two
I didn’t have long to dwell on Regina and her mean ways because Principal Tetra’s voice boomed over the PA system. “Attention, everyone. Please report to the Dolphin Gymnasium. We are ready to announce class placements for this school year. Also, we have a special surprise this morning.”
A special announcement? That sounded like a great way to start the school year!
We joined the crowd of merkids swimming into the gymnasium. Everyone was whispering and pointing, and I certainly understood why when I saw who was on the stage.
“That’s the King and Queen!” Shyanna whispered, but it was pretty obvious. They were wearing crowns and were so
regal looking with their shiny hair and sparkling tails. They were a beautiful couple!
Our principal stood on the stage. “Welcome back, everyone! Before the King and Queen make their special announcement, I am going to read the list of class assignments for the year. Please settle down and listen closely.”
It took a couple of minutes to get all the merkids organized. Rachel, Shyanna, and I stuck together. Rachel was gripping our hands so tightly it hurt. She was also looking a little panicked. Since she was new at school, she was a little nervous about everything. I smiled to show her that we were all in this together.
As the principal read name after name, I was getting even more hopeful that the three of us would be in class together. And guess what? That’s exactly what happened! Shyanna, Rachel, and I were in Ms. Swift’s class list together!
Once the excitement of class assignments died down, Principal Tetra announced the King and Queen. The entire crowd went quiet as the pair stood and moved to the front of the stage.
“As you all know, this is the one-hundredth anniversary of Mermaid Kingdom,” the King said. “To celebrate, there will be a Mermaid Kingdom Festival, including a special competition between individual kingdoms.”
“Merkids from each kingdom will form teams to compete in a series of special spirit competitions, including singing, dancing, and chanting or cheering,” the Queen announced. “We want to wish the merkids of Neptunia good luck!”
“The team that shows the best teamwork throughout the competition will win a trophy and a big donation for their kingdom and school,” the King added.
A cheer rose from the merkids gathered in the gym. I couldn’t believe this was happening! Since it was the one-hundredth anniversary of Mermaid Kingdom, being on the Spirit Squad was even more important than ever!
The Queen raised her hand again. “Earlier today, we picked the team leader for Neptunia. Based on community involvement and outstanding school achievements, Regina Merrick is your team leader.”
As Regina, with a smug look on her face, confidently waved at everyone, there were polite claps. There were more groans than cheers.
I was really hoping Cassie would get to be the team leader, as she was nice, fair, and talented. There wasn’t anything I could do about it now but politely clap and deal with it.
Principal Tetra congratulated Regina, thanked the Queen and King for their appearance, and dismissed us to our classrooms. The chaos and noise quickly returned as we swam out of the gym.
“Are you nervous about trying out for the Spirit Squad?” I asked Rachel.
She bit her lip and nodded. “I don’t think Regina likes me very much.”
“Regina doesn’t like many people,” Shyanna said.
“Don’t worry about her!” I said with a smile. “With your voice, you’re perfect for the team! You may be new, but you’ve already been noticed.”
Shyanna looked at me and then back at Rachel. “Maybe Rachel doesn’t want to be on the Neptunia Spirit Squad,” she said.
“What? That’s crazy!” I said. I couldn’t even imagine not wanting to be on the team.
“That’s not it. I’m just nervous,” Rachel said.
“Me too!” I told her.
“I don’t know why you’re so nervous, Cora,” Shyanna said. “You are super athletic and everyone likes you. Plus, you have a great attitude about everything, which is rare.”
“Thank you, Shy,” I said, blushing a little.
“You’re perfect for the Neptunia team, just like your mom was,” Shyanna said as she turned to Rachel. “Cora’s mom was on the Neptunia Spirit Squad for the seventy-fifth anniversary of Mermaid Kingdom. She helped bring the trophy to Neptunia.”
“I want to start practicing right away,” I said. “Can we practice at your cave, Rachel? My sisters will be in the way at mine.”
“Sure!” Rachel said. “Maybe my dad can even help us with a new song.”
“Awesome! We really can’t get better help than the music instructor for the Queen!” I said.
“See? Just because Regina is in charge doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, right?” Shyanna said.
I nodded, thankful. What would I do without my friends?
Chapter Three
By the end of the week, I was in full school mode. The school year was going pretty great. I loved Ms. Swift. We were studying shipwrecks in sea studies, and we even went on a field trip to explore an old sunken ship. Ms. Swift always let Rachel and Shyanna and me work together. The only thing that made my heart feel sad was that Rachel seemed so different at school. At school, Rachel was really quiet and reserved. Shyanna and I did everything we could to involve her, but it didn’t help.
There was nothing wrong with being shy, but that wasn’t the real Rachel. When she was with me and Shyanna alone, she was so full of spark and energy. But at school, she was so worried about the other mermaids finding out her secret that she barely talked at all. It made me sad. I could not imagine trying to be someone else all day just to fit in!
Rachel thought the merkids wouldn’t want to be friends with her if they knew she was half-human. I knew Cassie and her group of friends would accept Rachel no matter what. They were cool girls. They knew what was really important in life.
I told Rachel she should be proud and announce it at the top of her lungs, but Shyanna explained to me that Rachel needed to do things her own way.
I had to stop focusing on Rachel and focus on tryouts for the Spirit Squad. My plan was to practice every day after school, but getting together with Shyanna and Rachel was harder than breaking open an oyster shell.
Because of the special anniversary this year, the tryouts were moved up and were less than a week away. They wanted to give the Spirit Squad more time to practice as a team.
Every time Rachel, Shyanna, and I scheduled an after-school practice, it seemed like there would be some sort of family emergency. First, Pearl got sick and I had to look after Jewel while my mom was at the doctor. Then, Jewel ripped her tail and needed stitches, so I had to babysit again. Just when everything seemed fine, Ruby got the flu and Mom made me stay home and help. Those three girls sure were a handful!
I often envied the quiet of being an only child, like Shyanna and Rachel. The two of them were getting in lots of practice time at Rachel’s, and they didn’t even need it.
I hated missing the practice time with the girls. I also hated missing out on the fun. Besides, Rachel’s dad was the Queen’s singing coach.
Fortunately, my sisters, my cousin Shelby, and my parents liked to watch me perform. They helped by singing Rachel and Shyanna’s parts when I was practicing. I had my moves down, but I still wasn’t confident about my singing. I knew Rachel and Shyanna would make the Spirit Squad because their voices were so amazing. My plan was to distract the judges from my singing voice by dancing my heart out. I could sing, but it wasn’t my best talent. I could do decent harmonies, but I was no power singer like my friends.
But that wasn’t going to stop me. I wasn’t going to let anything stand in the way of making the Spirit Squad. I had been dreaming about this for too long to give up. All I could do was work hard and try my best. That had to count for something, right?
Chapter Four
Finally, the day for the tryouts arrived. Rachel, Shyanna, and I wore matching pink tops and pink nail polish. Shy’s mom even made us matching braided sea flower tiaras.
Before our performance, the three of us put our heads together. “Let’s do this, girls!” I told them. We swished our tails together, and then the music for our number started.
What happened next was kind of a blur. I know I hit all of my notes, and Shyanna and Rachel sang like angels. As for the dancing, we nailed it! We were in perfect unison, and each solo was unique and energetic. Afterward, I was so relieved to be done I could barely talk. We stayed to watch the other performers. I was impres
sed. Everyone did an incredible job, and with that kind of competition, I knew it was going to be tough to make the team.
When all the performers finished, Principal Tetra announced that the judges would go and vote. The judges were former members of the Spirit Squad. Since Regina was the team leader, she got to make all the final decisions.
I bit all the glittery nail polish off my nails waiting for the committee to return with the results. The water in the gym seemed electric, and everyone was bursting with excitement. Finally the committee members swam back inside, led by Regina. I felt positively seasick.
“Don’t worry, Cora,” Rachel whispered calmly. “You’re going to make the team. I know it.”
“The results are in,” the principal announced. “Thank you to every mermaid and merboy who tried out for the Spirit Squad. You made the decision particularly difficult.”
My breath was coming fast. Shyanna took my other hand as Regina stepped forward. She smiled with her pearly white teeth.
Rachel took a deep, nervous breath. It was my turn to squeeze her hand. “You were great,” I whispered to her.
Rachel nodded, but her lips were one thin line again. She looked a little pale as well.
“With this being the one-hundredth anniversary of Mermaid Kingdom, you all know how important the squad is this year. Now I will hand things over to Regina for the big announcement,” the principal said.
“Thank you. As mentioned, this year the Spirit Squad is more important than ever. The first member of the Spirit Squad,” Regina announced, “is Shyanna Angler.”
Everyone went crazy clapping and cheering. I screamed so loud I almost passed out. Shyanna grinned and swam to the front. A few more names were called; most of them were mermaids I knew and had been positive would make the team.
Regina announced a few more names, including Cassie. We all cheered extra loud for her. No matter how much I wanted to make the squad, I knew Cassie wanted it just as much.
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