Rogue Wave

Gr 6–9—Donnelly continues the story of the mermaid Serafina and her friends in an undersea world remarkably like our own. Following the events from Deep Blue (Disney-Hyperion, 2014), Serafina is still reeling from the deaths of her royal parents and the betrayal of her fiancé. She summons the strength to search for the six magical talismans that once belonged to the Six Who Ruled, powerful mages who governed the lost empire of Atlantis. Serafina had joined forces with five other mermaids in the previous volume, and each mermaid is now seeking the talismans that the protagonist is convinced will help keep their underwater world from being destroyed. A kind of magic allows the merls (girls) to communicate with one another, and the story focuses mainly on Serafina and her best friend, girly-girl mermaid Neela, as they each try to find one of the talismans. Along the way, Serafina encounters her fiancé and discovers that his betrayal was not what it seemed. Although the story has all the features of a Disney movie, the characters are likable and suspense and romance abound. The biggest challenge for readers may be the use of "mermish," the language of the mermaids. A 13-page glossary is appended. However, be warned: most of the words refer to people and places instead of terms, which can be confusing. If readers can get past that, they will find a well-trod story line with appealing protagonists.