Maia’s drama teacher mum wants her to be excited about acting, but after a mortifying episode of stage fright at a production, Maia swears she will never step on stage again.

Her father is the complete opposite of her mother with his work often solitary either in an office, or on the ocean studying marine biology. Maia wonders if this is a more suitable career path for her. One day while out on the water with her dad, they see a young dolphin in trouble. It is caught up in a net and its pod are swimming around it in distress.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Maia is in the water with a fishing knife keen to help the marine mammal. When she is in the water, something incredible happens. She can understand the dolphins.

Afterwards she is still buzzing from her part in the rescue, but her father scoffs at her when she tells him she was talking to the dolphins. His reaction makes her begin to doubt herself. Had she imagined it? Another encounter with creatures from the sea solidifies this question in her mind, and she puts her incredible experience with the dolphin rescue aside. No-one else would believe her anyway.

Maia’s best friend Jude is a keen amateur sleuth, and helping Jude out with a local mystery takes Maia’s mind off the dolphins. Little does she know that Jude’s mystery is soon going to include Maia herself, and her hidden gift at talking to marine life is a huge part of it.

A boy Maia’s age has been missing from overboard a boat for several weeks. The authorities believe he must have drowned but his family refuse to believe it. Maia is on the water again with her father when another distress call reaches her. Can Maia really help again with the element of danger and risk so high?

Dolphins, Whales, an Octopus call Octavia and Terence the turtle are all key characters in this ocean tale. Main character Maia is a senior primary student still smarting from an embarrassing event at school when something incredible happens. This event occurs on the ocean where her marine biologist father is working – guiding Maia’s story and character growth through the storyline.

The title gives the reader a hint of the fantastical element of this tail (I mean tale) and we are taken into the depths of a world of pomp, ceremony, and royal traditions, before meeting a warrior Merman with an evil agenda.

The self confidence Maia obtains is engaging, along with the underwater world the author introduces.

Some wording is for older readers, but this can bring more understanding to the character’s feelings.

Author – Kate Richards

Age – 9+

(2023, Green Room House, Fantasy, Animals, Family, Adventure, Secret, Mystery, Growing up, Ocean, Sea, Mermaids, Mermen, Merfolk, Magic, Memory, Engagement, Royalty, Princess, Tradition, Warriors, Danger, Pet, Turtle, Octopus, Battle, Trickery, Friendship, Courage, Scuba Diving)