Audio Review: Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep by Liz Kessler

Title: Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep 

Author: Liz Kessler
Narrator: Finty Williams
Publisher: Listening Library
Format: Unabridged Audio
Length: 4 hours 13 minutes

Publication: December 6, 2007

Source: Library

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade

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Synopsis:
An enchanting tale with a fabulous monster, engaging characters, plenty of mermaid magic, and a page-turning story, Liz Kessler's new middle-grade fantasy has all the charm and warmth of its predecessor, THE TAIL OF EMILY WINDSNAP.

Picture an island set in a glittering blue sea, sparkling with white sand and palm trees, a secret place where humans and merfolk live together and where a girl who grows a mermaid's tail when she enters the water is not considered a problem. To Emily Windsnap - half mermaid, half human - her new home is perfect. That is, until Emily ruins everything by waking a legendary sea monster known as the Kraken from its hundred-year sleep. As the Kraken rises from the deep, putting the future of the islanders in jeopardy, Emily makes a desperate attempt to save them. But how could she have dreamed that her best friend, Shona, would stop talking to her, or that Mandy Rushton, her old enemy from junior high, would turn up when least expected?

My Thoughts: Emily drags her best (and only) friend, Shona into a restricted cave in attempts to impress some of the mer girls. In the process Emily and Shona awaken the terrifying Kracken. This action drives the girls apart. Will Emily be able to defeat the Karcken on her own? 

In this second tale of Emily Windsnap Mandy, Emily's nemesis, and Emily's stories intertwine. Neither girl is anxious to encounter the other as they both feel the other has ruined her life. Emily struggles with friendships and jealousy all the while trying to adjust in new surroundings and getting use to having a father. Emily's curiosity could be the end of her new home as she may have crossed Neptune one to many times. 

Audio Reivew: The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Title: The Tail of Emily Windsnap

Author: Liz Kessler

Narrator: Finty Williams

Publisher: Listening Library

Format: Unabridged Audio

Length: 4 hrs 38 mins

Publication: August 25, 2004

Source: Library

Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade

Amazon|B&N|Goodreads

Synopsis: 
For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep her away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery - about her own identity, the mysterious father she's never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water's surface. With a sure sense of suspense and richly imaginative details, first-time author Liz Kessler lures us into a glorious undersea world where mermaids study shipwrecks at school and Neptune rules with an iron trident - an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the convention-defying power of love.

My Thoughts: This story is both about Emily's tale and her tail. Emily has been begging her mother for years to let her have swimming lessons. They do live on a boat after all. Emily is drawn to the water and is a natural in the pool. But something happens to her legs after a time in the pool. This is the story of discovery, challenges, and love. Middle Graders will love this heart warming story.