Julian is a Mermaid

Story

Julian LOVES mermaids. After spotting three women dressed as mermaids on the train, he makes himself a beautiful costume, using one of Nana’s curtains for his tail and some of her flowers as a headdress. To start with Nana isn’t happy but then she decides to take Julian on a very special outing, where there are mermaids galore.

Why we chose it

Julian Loves Mermaids is a funny and tender picture book for young and primary school age children. Beautifully illustrated and simply written, it tells the story of a gender fluid young boy whose grandmother accepts him without question. We discover that anyone can be a mermaid, whatever their age or colour, gender or body shape.

Where it came from

Jessica Love is an author and illustrator who lives in New York. She enjoyed drawing and illustrating stories as she grew up and went on to study art and acting. She worked on Julian Loves Mermaid for 5 years before she got a publisher and this is her first picture book.

Where it went next

Julian is a Mermaid has been translated into fourteen languages, and was awarded the Klaus Flugge Prize for Illustration and the Stonewall Book Award, and shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

Associated stories

Julian at the Wedding will be published in autumn 2020. In his new adventure Julian is going to a wedding. Better still… Julian is part of the wedding!