Sukey and the MermaidA mermaid offers a young girl a magical escape in this lushly told and luminously illustrated Coretta Scott King Honor–winning picture book. Sukey’s new step-pa is a mean, bossy man she calls “Mister Hard-Times.” He makes her work in his garden all day and Sukey’s ma doesn’t seem to care. One day, when her step-pa isn’t looking, Sukey takes her chance to run away to her secret hiding place by the sea. There, she meets Mama Jo, a beautiful black mermaid. Mama Jo’s got a surprise for Sukey: a magical kingdom beneath the sea without time or pain. But there are also no people. Is it really better than the world above? |
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African American angry answer beach began beneath the waves blue boat broom grass cabin canoe carried chest clean cloud cool cotch court curious daughter day-clean Dembo dove dowry dune edge flash Folklore folks Folktales garden gave girl girl's give Sukey gold coin gold combs gonna green scales grew grieved grown hair around Sukey happy heard husband jewels lady lips lost ma and step-pa magic mainland Mama Mama Jo mermaid rose mermaid taught merman missus Mister Hard-Times Mister Jones morning mossy NAMED night ocean pearl pine pull rickety riddle sang scold Sea Island shore sing song South Carolina step-pa story Storyteller say strands Suddenly Sukey cried Sukey's Sukey's ma Sunlight sweet swim tale tears Thee thing thought and thought took treasure wedding whip white sand wicked wrapped wriggled young woman