Title: Alali the Flying Mermaid
Author: Betty Hall
Illustrator: Genesis Ray Pelobello
Publisher: Xlibris
ISBN: 978-1-5434-7599-9
Pages: 43
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
With a fanciful adventure story capturing morals, excitement and problem-solving traits, author Betty Hall brings to life Alali the Flying Mermaid. Artfully illustrated by Genesis Ray Pelobello, Hall begins the adventure with two joyous mermaids, Alali and her friend Pearl, frolicking around in the waters in the Atlantic Ocean when all of a sudden they were swept away from danger by Elise, Alali’s grandmother mermaid. It seemed the villainous barracuda Sobedel captured Alali’s parents. So Alali embarks on a mission to rescue her parents, and along the way meets a variety of sea creatures and experiences a treasure chest of imaginative interactions.
Alali the Flying Mermaid educates as it entertains. For example, at one point the mermaids are in their social studies class when they learn that 52 countries have coastlines along the Atlantic Ocean. This is a way of showing how “connected” people are from around the world; having to share the benefits and responsibility of dominion over such a pristine body of water. Other learning innocents are when Alali is
welcomed to a kingdom ruled by Modu, a three legged squid creature; and the meeting of Jazzy, a Japanese Koi which comes to Alali’s aid. Looking through a powerful telescope Alali learns that she must fly over the territory of Sobedel in order to save her parents, so from the sea to land and ultimately to the sky Alali unleashes her determination to rescue her parents; a virtue all children would certainly agree with if given the need of such a mission.
Betty Hall has a knack for telling a good story geared to the age group of youngsters up to 10 year olds. Embellished with the appropriate amounts of drama and violence, yet surely kept understated not to upset any children, she brings a tale of tails; that is mermaids swimming underwater, treading water at the surface, and in the case of Alali spreading her angelic wings to fly in the air like a bird. In order to help with the story, the book is generously illustrated with pictures to help the imagination of the children imprint with a clear understanding what is going on. In fact, I was very taken back by one illustration, on page 17, which had such a magical sparkle to both the stars in the sky and the twinkling reflections on Alali’s shimmering scales which caused me to pause with admiration on the tranquility of the image. Reading on to further pages, I actually turned back to page 17 to once again view the picture. Certainly the synergy of both an excellent story and artful pictures results in a book which will clearly take its place in the top echelons of this genre of juvenile fiction. I certainly hope to enjoy future adventures from Alali, such a wondrous role model of amphibious life.
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