Jessica Tatiana Long, a Russian-American Paralympic swimmer, is one of the most decorated athletes of all time, winner of 29 Paralympic Medals. A speaker, author, advocate, and sports personality, she describes herself as "born without legs and living my best life." Her work focuses on succeeding in the water and encouraging others outside the pool.
Inspired by her own experience, this book centers around Tatiana, a mermaid who's shunned by potential friends because she's missing her beautiful tail fins. A big fan of the Mermaid Games, "the biggest swimming competition in all of the seven seas," Tatiana tells her adoptive parents, "I am going to compete in the Mermaid Games and wear the winner's trident shell around my neck for everyone to see." Her parents, adorably depicted as sea turtles, support their mermaid child's determination by telling her they believe in her and that she can do anything as long as she practices ... and practices more.
The coral and turquoise tones of Airin O'Callaghan's accompanying illustrations add further touches of cheer and warmth to this story about overcoming obstacles through patience, persistence, and belief one's own potential. When her coach, an old shark named Phelpsy, shows up, we see Tatiana's fearlessness even more clearly, since he's about a hundred times her size. He tells her, "Think about what you do have instead of worrying about what you don't have" — and she realizes the strength in her arms.
"Phelpsy" is, of course, a take-off on the name of Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps. He writes in the foreword to this book that "Jessica is proof that the thing that makes you different is your greatest gift" — a line which also appears in the story when the young mermaid receives the winner's trident shell for her efforts. Readers ages four to eight will find joy, celebration, hope, and renewed confidence in these pages.
