Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love Purchased at Barnes & Noble NYC Opening endpapers Story : Heading home from the swimming pool, Julián and his abuela see mermaids on the subway. His imagination soars as he reads his book because, " Julián LOVES mermaids," telling his grandmother , "Abuela, I am also a mermaid." W hile Abuela is taking a bath, Julián becomes a mermaid, using ferns fronds, flowers and the lacy curtains. When Abuela emerges from her bath, her silence and stern expression give Julián (and the reader) a pregnant, slightly tense, pause. She disappears and returns, holding something behind her back (readers paying close attention to the illustrations will notice that Abuela's post-bath dress is the same color and pattern as the generous fish from Julián's mermaid fantasy) . Reaching out, a necklace in her hand, she says, "For you, Julián." Hand in hand, the two head out the house and towards the beach w