Mermaid Tears - (A Michaels Middle School Story) by Susan L Read (Paperback)

About the Book

There's no such thing as normal.

Book Synopsis

There's no such thing as normal.

Sarah has always been a hard-working student, even if she has felt her grades don't reflect her efforts. She is a good friend, a kind daughter, and she loves being creative. But lately she is struggling with school and friendships, and nothing brings her much joy. Her family doesn't seem to understand what's happening, and neither does Sarah. Everyone keeps telling her to do better, and Sarah is trying her hardest, but when her first year of middle school begins, what was supposed to be a fresh start turns into a disaster that quickly spirals out of control. Sarah, who can't understand why she is feeling this way, begins to seriously wonder if the world would be better off if she was no longer alive. Sarah has always felt a connection with mermaids, and she now wishes she was a mermaid herself, so she could just slip under the ocean and swim away, disappearing from everyone's lives forever.

Finally, Sarah reaches her breaking point, and in desperation, seeks help from a trusted teacher. Everyone in Sarah's life reaches in to pull her from her own drowning emotions, and with the help of her family, friends, teachers, and mental health professionals, Sarah learns there is a name for what she is feeling. She develops tools, not only for coping, but for thriving. In learning about her condition and gaining the support she needs for managing it, she begins the long journey back to her life.

Rewarding, memorable, and deeply evocative, this gorgeously written story about a girl who learns to navigate the choppy and scary waters of her mental health, is nothing short of remarkable.

Review Quotes

Mermaid Tears Best Book of the Year 2021-Red Tricycle

"Sarah's story is both genuine and inspiring, and readers will root for her as she learns to recognize and harness her own power...middle school students and their parents will enjoy this novel's empathetic, honest exploration of mental health."-BookLife (Publishers Weekly)

"Mermaid Tears is a touching middle grade story about the hard work of self-acceptance in the face of challenges."-Vivian Turnbull, Foreword Reviews

"An engaging and sympathetic exploration of a girl's struggles with mental illness and recovery."-Kirkus Reviews

"Middle grade readers will find her story compelling, realistic, and hard to put down as they journey through Sarah's life, her dive down the rabbit hole of depression, and view the light at the end of a long, unpredictable, winding tunnel."-Midwest Book Review

"Mermaid Tears by Susan L. Read is a beautiful book...I relished watching Sarah evolve, and I hope she keeps at it. This novel is excellent and a must-have for everyone who's in charge of a child!"-Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite