MERMAID TEARS

As she enters the sixth grade, a girl spirals downward and searches for answers in this debut middle-grade novel.

With her fifth grade year ending, Sarah is looking forward to summer and her Massachusetts family’s annual trip to Cape Cod, although she’s worried about starting middle school in the fall. No matter how hard she tries, Sarah can’t seem to earn good grades. She is constantly getting dinged by her teachers and parents. They say she doesn’t make an effort or work well with others; she’s disruptive, distracted, and immature. Creativity has been her mainstay, but even that has been lessened by her art teacher’s criticism. She wishes she could be normal but acts out in ways that puzzle even her. At Girl Scout camp, for example, she wakes after a nighttime walk far from her tent, dazed and screaming. As sixth grade begins, the almost-friendless girl experiences fresh disasters, constantly disappointing her teachers and parents and becoming seriously depressed; she fantasizes about swimming away like a mermaid and disappearing from her life. When she reaches out to a teacher she trusts, Sarah at last receives professional help, a diagnosis, and a support system. Though she knows it won’t be fast or easy, she’s relieved to have more control. In her book, Read offers a realistic portrayal of mental illness as Sarah grapples painfully with trying to manage something she doesn’t understand. As the narrator, Sarah can become overly repetitive and maudlin; it’s understandable and does convey her stuck state of mind, but readers may find themselves getting impatient. Things pick up with Sarah’s diagnosis, bringing her experiences into focus. The novel provides clear, useful information about Sarah’s condition and its management, including ongoing help from a treatment team and her parents’ involvement.

An engaging and sympathetic exploration of a girl’s struggles with mental illness and recovery.