Storyteller say, This happened oncet upon a time, on a little island off the coast of South Carolina. A girl named Sukey lived with her ma and new step-pa. Sukey called her step-pa "Mister Hard-Times." Every day, while he watched, she hoed the weeds in the garden and every day, she sang: Mister Hard-Times, Since you come My ma don't like me, My work never done. But one morning, when her step-pa wasn't looking, Sukey ran away to her secret hiding place by the sea and unwittingly called up Mama Jo, a beautiful black mermaid. The adventures that followed changed her life forever. In this dream-woven story, artfully retold by Robert D. San Souci from an American folktale, a poor girl finds her wishes answered not by treasure, or the sea's magic, but by goodness and love.

Unhappy with her life at home, Sukey receives kindness and wealth from Mama Jo the mermaid.

Six silly friends spend a day trying to figre out how to proceed with their fishing trip when one thing after another goes wrong.

Deep beneath the waves, a great enemy awakens . . . Corinne LaMer defeated the wicked jumbie Severine months ago, but things haven’t exactly gone back to normal in her Caribbean island home. Everyone knows Corinne is half-jumbie, and many of her neighbors treat her with mistrust. When local children begin to go missing, snatched from the beach and vanishing into wells, suspicious eyes turn to Corinne. To rescue the missing children and clear her own name, Corinne goes deep into the ocean to find Mama D’Leau, the dangerous jumbie who rules the sea. But Mama D’Leau’s help comes with a price. Corinne and her friends Dru, Bouki, and Malik must travel with mermaids across the ocean to fetch a powerful object for Mama D’Leau. The only thing more perilous than Corinne’s adventures across the sea is the jumbie that waits for her back home. With action-packed storytelling and inventive twists on Caribbean and West African mythology and fairy tales, Rise of the Jumbies is a breathlessly exciting tale of courage and friendship. An NPR Best Book of 2017 A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2017 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017

In these folklore stories, the women of the U.S. typify the strength, bravery, and humor of many regions and cultures

Nineteen stories focus on the magical lore and wondrous imaginings of African American women.

Unhappy with her life at home, Sukey receives kindness and wealth from Mama Jo the mermaid.

Enchanting tales of sea nymphs from twelve cultures, including Chinese, Iranian, African, and Native American, are eloquently retold by a master storyteller and illustrated in the distinctive style of each culture. Reprint.

A friendship is tested by love and magic in this beautiful retelling of a traditional tale from the French West Indies. On the lush tropical island of Martinique live Clement and Hippolyte, two inseparable friends. When Clement falls in love with the beautiful Pauline, Hippolyte agrees to join his best friend on his journey to propose marriage. But when Pauline accepts Clement’s proposal, it enrages her uncle Monsieur Zabocat—reputed to be a quimboiseur, a wizard. To prevent the wedding, the old wizard lures Hippolyte into a deadly trap, forcing him to choose between his friend’s safety and his own.

Maya dreams of being a mermaid. She dances to Caribbean music in her favorite skirt her mama made of seven tiers of turquoise net. She dives for shiny coins in the pool at the park and can float on her back forever. But Maya also has nightmares and ocean fears. One night, mama tells her the legend of her namesake, Yemaya, the Goddess of the Ocean. Yemaya comes to Maya in a dream, taking her on an undersea journey. Mermaid Dreams illuminates the universal dreams and fears of children and adults alike, offering new ways to find courage and comfort, inner power and peace. Mermaid Dreams expands the mosaic of mermaid imagery so that more children can recognize themselves in this magical archetype. The luminous illustrations are vibrant and mystical. A Discussion Guide, Activities, and other Sources & Resources are included. A beautiful bedtime book for ages 4 ~ 8.