A Mermaid Girl

Written by Sana Rafi and illlustrated by Olivia Aserr

A young girl celebrates the experience of wearing a burkini for the first time in this lyrical and heartwarming picture book that casts a fresh light on timeless summer activities, and celebrates cultural traditions and intergenerational bonds.

Summer is here and Heba is so excited to wear her new, yellow burkini to the community pool for the first time! She can’t wait to look like the other mermaid girls in her family and sparkle like the sun.

But when Heba arrives at the pool and her friends start asking her questions about her new special swimsuit, she feels like she’s standing out too much. Suddenly her burkini seems like a bad idea.

Luckily Mama helps Heba to find strength in the mermaid girls who came before her. Feeling more connected to the women of her family, Heba is ready to show her friends that she can do all the same things that they can do–handstands, summersaults, and dives off the diving board–even while wearing her yellow burkini.

Target Age: 4-8

Hardcover

Pages: 40

Published: 2022