Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand

January 9, 2023
A Japanese tween struggles to come to terms with her parents’ separation in this ethereal speculative manga by Komori. Following her parents’ split, sixth grader Tokiko Aoyama moves with her father from the Tokyo area to the small seaside town of Sunanomori. As she explores her new home, she hears rumors of the existence of merfolk, triggering vague memories of her own encounter with an elusive creature who saved her from drowning years prior, as well as painful recollections of her emotionally absent mother. At school, Toki is treated as an outsider, especially since she alone believes that the merfolk are real. Searching for answers regarding the enigmatic entities, Toki befriends classmate Yosuke, who has his own agenda, and their investigation unearths a forbidden tunnel, a secret ritual, and more inexplicable findings. Komori’s b&w illustrations embody quiet mystery via softly lined panels that aptly depict small town life on Japan’s coast. Leisurely and effective pacing, paired with a calm ambiance, aid in delivering the narrative’s central dilemma of determining what is real and what is fantasy, gently positing the idea that while bad things may be inevitable, they are not insurmountable. Ages 8–12.

February 1, 2023
Grades 6-10 This is the tale of a young girl, Tokiko, who comes to live in her mother's hometown with her father after her parents' marriage breaks apart. Returning to the town jumpstarts Tokiko's memories from when she was a child and almost drowned. She recalls a merman having saved her, and it becomes hard for Tokiko to discern what is real and what is fantasy as she learns more about the town she lives in. A masterful blending of fantasy tropes, the traditions of small towns in Japan, and the endurance of both personal and collective grief, this has the reader questioning what is real until its satisfying conclusion. Tokiko's growing bonds with her new classmates, particularly a boy named Yosuke, who firmly does not believe in mermaids but whose story is intricately tied to Tokiko's, and her shifting bond with her parents make for a meaningful read for young readers. This is a manga about family, community, grief, and transition.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2023

Gr 6 Up-After her mother abandons the family, Tokiko and her father move in with Tokiko's grandmother in a cozy hamlet next to the ocean. The townsfolk say there are mermaids in the sea, and they even have a yearly festival to honor the protection they get from the creatures. Tokiko believes the townsfolk, especially as she was saved by a merman when she was four, swimming off the coast of this very town. As she befriends some of the children in her class, she discovers that there might be a darker side to the town's folktales-something the adults are hiding from the children. Interwoven in this sparse tale of mystery and intrigue is a poignant depiction of Tokiko and her father dealing with grief, loss, and abandonment. Neither fully knows how to express their feelings to the other, so they struggle together in silence. Employing clean drawings and relatively few word bubbles, Komori nevertheless conveys the tone of sadness and growing hopefulness as Tokiko and her father adjust to their new lives in an odd town. VERDICT Recommended for readers who appreciate pared down, powerful art and tear-jerking stories.-Sara Smith

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.