Plain Jane and the Mermaid - Paperback

by Vera Brosgol (Author)

Eisner Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children's Books of the Year
An NPR Best Book of the Year

From Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared author Vera Brosgol comes an instant classic graphic novel that flips every fairy tale you know on its head!

Jane is incredibly plain. Everyone says so: her parents, the villagers, and her horrible cousin who kicks her out of her own house. Determined to get some semblance of independence, Jane prepares to propose to the princely Peter. It's a good plan!

Or it would've been, if he wasn't kidnapped by a mermaid. Jane must venture underwater to rescue her maybe-fiancé. But the depths of the ocean hold beautiful mysteries and dangerous creatures. What good can a plain Jane do?

Drawn into an unexpected bond, Jane must navigate a shifting reality where magic and danger intertwine, and where every choice carries weight. As she moves between two worlds, she begins to question what she truly wants--and what she's willing to risk to find it.

Blending humor, melancholy, and fairy-tale wonder, this graphic novel explores:

- identity, self-worth, and belonging
- friendship in unexpected forms
- the pull between comfort and change
- richly imagined underwater fantasy
- and the emotional complexity of growing up

Author Biography

Vera Brosgol was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1984 and moved to the United States when she was five. Her first two graphic novels, Anya's Ghost and Be Prepared, were published by First Second, and her debut picture book Leave Me Alone! was a 2017 Caldecott Honor Book. She's also worked on storyboards for several animated films, including Coraline and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her dog Omar, a mere two hours from the sea.