the little encyclopedia of mermaids: an a-to-z guide to mystical sea creatures

The Little Encyclopedia of Mermaids is an A-to-Z compendium that spans the globe--from the Isle of Man to the depths of the Sea of Japan--weaving together famous and popular tales of everyone’s favorite mythical sea creature.

Naughty and nice, real and fictional, the menagerie of creatures included in this book run the gamut of world mythologies and cultures. This little encyclopedia features more than 90 famous mermaids including:

• Atargatis--a mermaid from ancient Syria who was a goddess before she fell in love with a mortal
• Blue Men of the Minch--a group of riddle-loving merfolk who have the power to summon storms and capsize ships
• Little Mermaid--everyone’s favorite mermaid princess, who gives up her voice for a chance at love
• Ningyo--a gruesome sea creature from Japanese folkore that can bring dangerous storms and other misfortune

Melissa Maxwell is the author and editor of many different books. She grew up in Sydney, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Borogegal, Cammeraygal, and Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York--home to the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade.