Baby librarian Marian and her mommy Margaret review the gorgeous picture book Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love.
Marian reviews Julián Is a Mermaid
Mommy let me turn the pages of this book even though it’s a paper book and not a board book! She said she was really proud of me for not tearing any of the pages. This book is too pretty to tear the pages, though it’s also nice to tear pages of pretty books because then I get to keep some of that prettiness for myself. Especially if I eat the page, then it’s always with me. Though Mommy says sometimes she finds pages of books in my poop.
Anway, this little boy sees three mermaids on a subway, which is confusing, because Mommy says that mermaids live in the ocean. Then he imagines himself as a mermaid, and when he and his abuela (or gramma) get home, he dresses up like a mermaid. And Abuela even gives him a pretty necklace! Maybe I’ll ask Gramma for a necklace next time she comes over. And maybe we can dress up! Like Julián, I enjoy dressing up, as long as it’s on my terms. I like to put this transparent box on my head and play while looking through it. I pretend I’m an astronaut. And sometimes I put hats on top of my head; I haven’t figured out how to actually get them on my head. Mommy says I’ll be able to someday.
This book is really excellent. I love pointing at all the Juliáns as he turns into a mermaid. Maybe one day I’ll dress up like a mermaid too.
Margaret reviews Julián Is a Mermaid
I LOVE this book! It’s such a beautiful celebration of pretend play and the special relationship between a grandson and his abuela. It’s so heartfelt and sends a powerful message about love and acceptance and letting a child be whoever they want to be. Please world, let little boys play pretend and dress up like mermaids if they want to! And while we’re at it, give them a doll too!
And Marian really truly loved this book. She flipped through all the pages many times, and played with it for a solid 15 minutes, which in one-year-old time is an amazing feat. I had to read it intermittently, because she wanted to hog the book to herself, haha.
If I’d read it earlier, it would’ve made my favorite children’s books 2018 list.