When I first started this e-book I thought it was a middle grade novel. I quickly found out that I was wrong, but rather wish that I wasn't. The Mermaid in the Millpond is very dark and disturbing, particularly for a book for children. That being said, I believe that sometimes children like creepy, disturbing books and can grow from them. I thought that the author did a great job of getting us to empathize with the main characters and want to see them succeed. I would compare Lucy Strange's writing style with that of Charles Dickes and Neil Gaiman. My biggest "complaint" is that it feels like the ending opens up the world for the two main characters and that this would do wonderful as a series of books for children rsther than a one-off. I also do genuinely wish that it had been made into a middle grade novel due to some of the more troubling elements.While I am not the target audience, I thought it was a grim yet hopeful read and will likely let my friends with children know about it, even if I have to add a disclaimer beforehand. 3.5 stars.

Lucy Strange manages to paint a picture of hopelessness, loss and friendship in this book, and showcase a world many children even today must live through; being locked up in factories around the world being alone and feeling awful.

The feelings of loss and being totally alone is something most people can relate to, and this is conveyed in a beautiful way, made even clearer by the fantastic illustrations by Pam Smy.

We meet the young girl, Bess, whose mother has just passed away and with no other relations she's been sent to work for her upkeep in a mill. The pond by the mill however carries a secret - there's a creature living there. Girl, like creature, are lost and locked up and they’re both looking for a way out.

I really like Lucy Strange’s books, which is why I was curious about this work.
We get a pretty short but interesting tale from Lucy Strange. Bess and the other kids work in almost inhumane conditions, doing dangerous and tiring work every day. Our protagonist has to deal not only with this, but also with his own grief and the resulting determination. At the end of the story, he realizes that the unknown isn’t always bad, and the power of friendship helps him through a lot.
The story is pretty scary in places, but I really liked the plot, the venue.

Being a school librarian, I’m a huge fan of there Barrington Stoke books and this one did not disappoint. Barrington Stoke provide amazing dyslexia friendly reads by well k own authors, which are a God send to the students struggling with their reading.

Set during Victorian times. Bess finds herself working in a cotton mill in the countryside. This isn’t the life she is used to, but since her mother’s death, she has no choice.

I thought this book showed the contrast of life for the rich and the poor really well. I got a good sense of how difficult life would be for the children who had to work all hours with little food.

The mermaid wasn’t one of your fairytale ones. She is more fish than human, which I think made her more believable.

The story ended more abruptly than I was expecting but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment. My only issue with it was the cover which although it would appeal to Year 7 ‘s, im not sure I could sell to the older students.

Very beauitful story about freedom, grief, kindness and the thin line between saving others and saving oneself.
With lovely illustrations and the mystical magic of fairy tales.
Very beautiful

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for providing me with a digital ARC!

Mermaid in the Millpond is an eerie story that you can’t put down. Combining historical fiction and monsters, this story is a bite-sized treat I’d recommend to most anyone.

Bess works at a cotton mill just outside of London, where she is abused. She plans an escape, ignoring the rumors of a monstrous mermaid who lives in the pond just outside. However, those rumors might be more true—and dangerous—than she had ever imagined.

This book was described as “hi-lo,” meaning the content is advanced, but the writing style is suited for a younger age. I loved that! It makes it a quick and easy read. It’s super engrossing, so much so I read it in one sitting! And despite being chapter-book length, it had content that is serious and mature. This story also features beautiful illustrations that really add to the atmosphere.

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A review by you!
The Mermaid in the Millpond, by Lucy Strange
adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
4.0

Beautifully illustrated tale of friendship and acceptance of others. This story focuses on Bess <and her friendship with Dot and their interaction with the mermaid in the millpond>a story of accepting others who appear different, of survival and escape and of adventures to come.
I really enjoyed Lucy Strange's tale if two young girls who face adversity in a cotton mill and the story if their friendship.

This is such a sweet, touching little book. The tale it told was beautiful, and the descriptions and settings were all so covid. Lucy Strange is truly a talented author.

We follow Bess as she arrives at a cotton mill from a London workhouse. She's determined to keep to herself and do her best to just survive, but she soon finds out that having a friend may just be her only way to survive. Oh, and there's also a mermaid trapped in the pond by the mill!

I loved the illustrations, and the simple writing style made this book such an easy read!

A haunting short story about resilience and friendship. I enjoyed watching Bess and Dot's friendship develop and Bess's curiosity about what lives in the millpond. The illustrations were lovely.

I loved this story and it's themes of friendship, accepting help when you need it, sacrificing for others, and freedom. I would have devoured this book when I was young. I loved the accuracy of the historical setting and that the book didn't shy away from the hardships of being a child in a Victorian age workhouse, without getting too graphic. This would be an excellent book for a struggling reader since it has short chapters, wonderfully drawn pictures to break up the text, and easy to understand wording. I love when books for young readers have a fascinating story while still teaching them a bit of history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for access to this arc!

Bess is a hurt child who worked at a London workhouse, she was looking for a fresh start, now working at a rural cotton mill but, nothing can heal her. She believes if be tough and uncared can survive,
BUT
"Sometimes the only way to save yourself is to save someone else..."

Dot, a new girl is kind to Bess and kindness could be spread. Bess starts to remember herself before being hurt. They want to find their chance in a better place.
People say there is a Mermaid in the lake in the Millpond, not like the fancy one in the beautiful stories but a monster. However, Bess doesn't believe in the mermaid but, the creature doesn't seem to care!
Maybe the mermaid is just alone and hurt like Bess, what if she needs help too?!

Many thanks to Barrington Stoke and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read The Mermaid in the Millpond by Lucy Strange, I have given my honest review.
Pub Date: 06 Jan 2022

The Mermaid in the Millpond is an excellent book - a mixture of social history and mythical fantasy but with the key message of liberation from imprisonment and the binds of friendship in adversity. The illustrations of Pam Smy add to the sense of brooding despair and darkness . When Bess is orphaned she finds herself placed within a workhouse /mill and then begins her battle to escape.But in doing so she encounters a mermaid who is also trapped within a river and so she embarks upon her journey to freedom. The story does not flinch from the violence of the era but is told in a sensitive manner building up the readers empathy and desire for Bess ( and her friend Dot) to escape and also the sense of mystery as to what is living within the river.
This is a book I will highly recommend to colleagues in KS2 especially exploring the Victorian era and child exploitation but I also will enjoy sharing the book with story listeners and readers.