Virginia Loh-Hagan - Mermaids

Magic, Myth, and Mystery

MERMAIDS

DO YOU BELIEVE?

This series features creatures that excite our minds. Theyre
magical. Theyre mythical. Theyre mysterious. Theyre also
not real. They live in our stories. Theyre brought to life by
our imaginations. Facts about these creatures are based on
folklore, legends, and beliefs. We have a rich history of
believing in the impossible. But these creatures only live in
fantasies and dreams. Monsters do not live under our beds.
They live in our heads!

Published in the United States of America by Cherry Lake Publishing
Ann Arbor, Michigan
www.cherrylakepublishing.com

Reading Adviser: Marla Conn MS, Ed., Literacy specialist, Read-Ability, Inc.
Book Design: Felicia Macheske

Photo Credits: Willyam Bradberry, Shutterstock.com, cover, 7; tsuneomp/Shutterstock.com, cover;
Olga Nikonova/Shutterstock.com, 1; schankz/Shutterstock.com, 1; Alex Pix/Shutterstock.com, 5;
Michael Bogner/Shutterstock.com, 8; YorkBerlin/Shutterstock.com, 8; Jaroslaw Grudzinski/
Shutterstock.com, 11; Melkor3D/Shutterstock.com, 12; Dmitry Laudin/Shutterstock.com, 15;
Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock.com, 17; S-F/Shutterstock.com, 18; Dimitrina Lavchieva/Shutterstock.
com, 21; Rudchenko Liliia/Shutterstock.com, 22; prapann/Shutterstock.com, 24;
MyColorfulPersonality/iStock, 27; Detelina Petkova/Shutterstock.com, 29

Graphic Elements Throughout: denniro/Shutterstock.com; Libellule/Shutterstock.com; sociologas/
Shutterstock.com; paprika/Shutterstock.com; ilolab/Shutterstock.com; Bruce Rolff/Shutterstock.com

Copyright 2017 by Cherry Lake Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any
form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

45th Parallel Press is an imprint of Cherry Lake Publishing.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Loh-Hagan, Virginia, author.
Title: Mermaids / by Virginia Loh-Hagan.
Description: Ann Arbor : Cherry Lake Publishing, 2017. | Series: Magic, myth,
and mystery | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016031787| ISBN 9781634721493 (hardcover) | ISBN
9781634722810 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781634722155 (pdf) | ISBN 9781634723473 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: MermaidsJuvenile literature.
Classification: LCC GR910 .L65 2017 | DDC 398.21dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016031787

Cherry Lake Publishing would like to acknowledge the work of The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
Please visit www.p21.org for more information.

Printed in the United States of America
Corporate Graphics

TABLE of
CONTENTS

Chapter
One

Under the Sea

How are mermaids different from Sirens?
What do mermaids look like? What are the
different types of mermaids?

Beware the Siren ! Sailors are warned to be careful
of Sirens. Sirens are monsters from Greek myths.
Theyre half-women. Theyre half-birds. They sing
beautiful songs. They distract sailors. They kill them.

Mermaids are magical sea creatures. They have a
womans body from their hips up. They have a fish
tail. They live in oceans and seas. They live in rivers
and lakes.

Mermaids are different from Sirens. But people
confuse the two. Its because both creatures tempt

sailors. Theyre known to bring sailors to their
deaths. Siren is another word for a vamp . Vamps are
women who charm men.

Mermaid comes from an Old English word.
Mere means sea. Maid means a young woman.

Explained by Science!

Water and air are different. Air has 20 times more oxygen than water. Water is heavier than air. Water is thicker than air. This means it takes more energy to breathe in water. Humans have lungs. They cant breathe underwater. Fish can. Fish use gills to breathe. Gills are like hundreds of tiny fingers on curved bars. Water passes through their gills. The gills remove the oxygen for the fish to use. Gills get rid of waste gases. Fish are cold-blooded. This means they need less oxygen. Humans are warm-blooded. Human lungs cant extract oxygen from water. Instead, water fills up lungs. This causes humans to drown.

Some mermaids have more
dolphin-like tails.

Mermaids are beautiful. Theyre young. They
carry a mirror. They like to look at themselves. They
decorate their bodies. They use things they find in
the water. They really like pretty shells.

They have long flowing hair. Their hair looks like
sea foam. They carry a comb. Theyre often seen
combing their hair on rocks.

Some have webbed hands. They have large, forked
tails. Their tails are longer than legs. Theyre different
colors. Their whole bodies shimmer . They shine.

Mermaids live together. Male mermaids are called
mermen . There arent many mermen. Together,
theyre merfolk .

Mermaids eat different things. Some eat seafood.
Some eat only sea plants. Some eat humans.

There are different types of mermaids. They live
all over the world. Most mermaids only live in the
sea. They cant go on land.

Some mermaids shed their skins. They go to land.
They get dry. Their tails become legs. They can walk
on land. But they can only do this for a short time.

Some mermaids are shapeshifters . They can
change into humans at any time. They can live in
water and on land.

Mermaids adapt to the
waters they live in.