The Mermaid by Christina Henry (Paperback)

Amelia is a mermaid who has never felt fully content beneath the sea. Curious about the wider world and everything it holds, she chooses to leave the ocean behind and live among humans. Her desire to experience life on land leads her into a very different kind of existence.

P. T. Barnum is a showman with a talent for turning curiosity into spectacle. Always searching for something extraordinary to attract crowds, he recognises the opportunity standing before him when he encounters Amelia. To Barnum, nothing could be more remarkable than a real mermaid.

Amelia agrees to appear in his exhibitions, believing she is free to return to the sea whenever she wishes. At first, the arrangement seems simple. She will allow people to see her, and in return she will continue exploring the human world that fascinates her.

But Barnum is not a man who easily lets go of something that can make him famous and wealthy. As Amelia spends more time in his world, she begins to realise that freedom may not be as easy to reclaim as she first believed.

This historical fairy tale explores curiosity, captivity, and the struggle between wonder and control.