Disney continues the Little Mermaid franchise with The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. Ariel and Eric must hide their precious daughter Melody’s mermaid heritage to protect her from Ursula’s revengeful sister Morgana. But when the lure of the sea proves too strong for Melody, they call upon King Triton and all land and sea creatures to help rescue their daughter.

For once in a Disney film, there’s no princess pining over a prince. Or any dead parents to make you feel sorry for the main character. So in this, The Little Mermaid II is perfect for the younger set who are in love with mermaids like my five-year-old daughter Lucie. She especially loves the songs and doesn’t care that the animation isn’t quite up to Disney standards.

Mermaid snacks and recipes

If you’re looking for some mermaid food to snack on while you watch the movie, check out MermaidMary.com from Lynn E. Hazen. She’s the author of Mermaid Mary Margaret, about a ten-year-old girl who accompanies her recently widowed grandmother on a cruise to the Greek Islands (for ages nine to 12).

Lynn has recipes for Blue Jello Mini Oceans, Octopus and Other Sea Creature Pretzels, and Mermaid Cookies, as well as mermaid activities and projects for teachers, parents and homeschoolers.

If you’re looking for more recipes, check out the The Mermaid Cookbook, which offers ones perfect for mermaid, ocean voyage, treasure island, and pirate parties for kids. (Or just for watching an Arial movie!)

This spiral bound cookbook offers an abundance of fun recipes including Paradise Pineapple Fruit Dip, Sea Foam Floats, Treasure Island Trail Mix, Goldfish Gorp, Mermaid Hair Salad, Sea Turtle Cookies, Little Luau Cakes, Water Fairy Ice Pops, Rainbow Fish Fudge, and more. Includes salads, fruit dishes, and main courses as well as snacks and desserts.

More mermaid books for kids

I’ve already covered Usborne Books extensive mermaid book collection. Amazon has an long list of mermaid books for children, too. Here are a few that stand out:

• Mermaid Dreams – As her mother scrubs behind her ears and combs the seashells out of her tangled hair, little beach babe Meriam describes a most extraordinary day: diving for pearls, swimming with dolphins, even frolicking with octopuses. Is she a mermaid or just a little girl who doesn’t want to go to bed? For ages four to eight.
• The Secret World of Mermaids – In scrapbook form, this book is a collection of writings and “evidence” about mermaids. The four mermaid figures bundled with the book represent the four types that can be found all over the world: the frequently spotted shipsavers; the wishgivers who help those in trouble; the shapeshifters who whimsically enter and exit the human world; and the weatherworks mermaids who bargain with humans for favors. For ages four to eight.
• The Book of Mermaids – For ages four to eight, if you’ve ever wondered what mermaid life was really like, you can now journey under the sea into the everyday life of these enchanting creatures with this lavishly illustrated guide to mermaid art, culture, fashion and magic. This is a must have guide for all things Mer.

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