The Tail of Emily Windsnap

by Liz Kessler

Book Overview

"Liz Kessler makes a splash with this tightly written, highly imaginative debut." - FAMILYFUN For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep her away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery - about her own identity, the mysterious father she's never met, and the thrilling...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763628115
• ISBN13: 9780763628116
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Captures Imagination

This is a wonderful tale and really captures the imagination. I think it might eventually become a classic because it reminds me so much of a lot of books I read growing up. The storyline felt familiar, though this is a very original story. The language is colorful but well written. This is one of those books a young girl can get lost in and read over and over. I enjoyed reading it myself (as a older girl), and I highly recommend it.

Pretend you're a mermaid...

If you know anyone who would love to be a mermaid, this is the book for them! My six year old has entertained this fantasy for three years now and she literally wouldn't let me stop reading this to her at night. The action is non-stop, the characters are memorable and the story is one that touches the heart. Liz Kessler's description of life under the sea is detailed and well-thought out. Let your imagination soar!

Emily's Mystery

I think this book is very interesting in a good way. Emily Windsnap unlocks many mysterys. I think it is very useful that she is half mermaid and that her mom is human and that her dad is a mermaid. This helps her solve most of the mystery's I just let my friend borrow this book for a book report. She said she loved it. I recomend this book to anyone who just wants to relax and enjoy a good mystery.

Mystery, magic and mermaids all in one book!

My 10 year old daughter and I read this one together. It was an impulse buy, so I didn't know what to expect. We loved this book. It really captures what it would be like for Emily to discover the changes she is going through (might also be helpful for girls going through puberty). The mystery developed nicely with just enough clues to keep the reader (young and old-er) turning pages. My daughter would beg for more time whenever we had to put the book down. Also as a teacher and a writer, this story is well-written, with great characters, good dialogue and terrific description. I am off to look for another Liz Kessler book!

Readers will be rooting for Emily.

Twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap lives on a houseboat in Brightport Harbor, but she has never learned to swim. Even though Emily begs for swimming lessons, her mom always says no. Finally, Emily persuades her mother to let her take swim class at her new school. When Emily hits the water, she gets the surprise of her life. Her long skinny legs have turned into a tail. That's right --- Emily is a mermaid!All of a sudden, Emily's life is full of questions. Are there more mermaids out there like her? Why does her mom never seem to remember Emily's father, who left when Emily was just a baby? Who is the mysterious, menacing Mr. Beeston, who seems to be spying on Emily and her mother? And how can Emily get out of swim class before the rest of the seventh grade discovers her secret?Emily is torn between happily exploring the undersea world of the mermaids and trying to solve the mystery of her father's disappearance. With the help of her new merfriend, Shona, Emily learns about mermaids and friendship at the same time.Considering that this is a novel about magical creatures, THE TAIL OF EMILY WINDSNAP is surprisingly down-to-earth. Emily is a normal girl (in spite of that scaly tail), and her everyday worries about friends and family make the book seem realistic in spite of its fantastic premise. Readers will often be one or two steps ahead of Emily as she tries to solve the mystery --- Emily is sometimes a little slow to unravel the clues. Nevertheless, readers will be rooting for Emily to be reunited with her merfamily at last. --- (...)