Sep 19, 2023SirRhys rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A child notices some strangers on a bus whos outfits he likes, he goes home to mimic the look and dresses like a mermaid in the ocean. Its so cute and the art is BEAUTIFUL
Jun 23, 2023MPLStacey rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Love this beautiful and this charmingly simple tale of being seen and affirmed. The powerful bond between Julian and his Abuela and her complete acceptance and celebration of who he is will resonate with all readers. Love's illustrations…
Julian is a mermaid--or so he imagines. In this beautifully illustrated picture book, a little boy dreams of being a mermaid, but what will his abuela think? Happily, she supports his dream, and helps him find a place where he can meet…
Jul 05, 2022Jzmalfoy rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A whimsical, charming story of a young child finding themselves and exploring their beauty and creativity. My two year old was entranced by the beautiful illustrations
May 12, 2022virginiefg rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Such beautiful illustrations! and great story too, of course. It was part of a basket of books about gender identity and I was very happy about the diversity and lessons in those 10(ich) books!
Jun 18, 2021Kdecarr rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of my top 5 favorite picture books. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and the message is beautiful. I may have cried the first (several) time(s) I read it. I know this is rated ages 4-8, but my 2 year old loves it and I…
The illustrations are whimsical, exactly how I would have imagined myself in Julian's place as a child. I love the lack of words on some pages to allow for our own dialogue and feelings can fill the space.
A great introduction to…
Oct 10, 2020AnnabelleLee27 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
There are not enough stars to give this affirming, inspiring, loving picture book - I absolutely love it. The story is told mainly through the illustration which are amazing and mesmerizing. It celebrates uniqueness, creativity,…
Oct 05, 2020SIRENREAD rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Beautiful illustrations, amazing message, and terrific cultural representation. A must read for the the theme: imagination. IT is a realistic version of what mermaid could be!
Aug 13, 2020dylankemp rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A beautiful book.
Julian sees some mermaids and wants to be one too.
When grandma sees this, she shows him where the other mermaids are, so community connections can be made.
This book has few words, and wonderful vibrant warm…
Jun 19, 2020IndyPL_SarahL rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I was blown away by the beautiful illustrations in this book! The text is limited, but the message is absolutely lovely. Little Julian has a lovely imagination and it is wonderful how is abuela nurtures it. i recommend this for all ages…
Nov 22, 2019forbesrachel rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
When young Julián sees some women dressed as mermaids, he knows in his heart that he is a mermaid too. His imagination soars and at home he decides to dress himself. Using makeup and materials found at his Abuela's, he creates his own…
Sep 21, 2019booksmile rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Lovely art and a sweet story, would definitely share this with all/any kids but especially kids who are gender questioning or love costume play, etc.
Side note: illustration near end makes me want to dress up my pets as mermaids or fish :)
Feb 06, 2019IndyPL_LindsayH rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This book is a an accurate and beautiful depiction of the African-American female form. I love the way the author portrays the grandmother and her friends in their colorful attire. in addition, her use of brown as the background color is…
Nov 11, 2018KyCCL rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
With lovely illustrations that follow Julian between his imagination and the real world, this is a beautiful story about being yourself, and letting those around you be themselves also.
Comments (46)
Julián Is a Mermaid