Emma Hanmer

Emma Hanmer

The Tail Of Emily Windsnap

Liz Kessler

Fantasy

Just right

Just Finished

1. For my independent reading, I just finished reading The Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler. Emily Windsnap, the main character, is a mermaid. She has just rescued her father from the king's underwater jail. He was in jail because He and Emily's mom, a human, married. Mermaids and humans were not allowed to marry, so king Neptune threw her dad in jail. After her long journey with her best friend Shona, they freed her father. The ending of the book starts with the Windsnap's trial. The king has agreed to give their family a trial to decide their fate. The Windsnap's use their love for each other and respect for the creatures of the ocean to win him over so they can stay together. The family was relocated from Shipwreck cove, their previous dwelling, to a secret island where other families like them live. They have a boat for her mom to live on, and an underwater house for her and her dad. They finally get to live together in peace.

2. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was action packed and exciting right from the beginning to the end. I really love this author and other books that she has written. I have read the book Phillipa Fisher's fairy godsister, which is another book by Liz Kessler. I notice that she enjoys writing novels about fantastical things like mermaids and fairies. The author made this book interesting by giving her a goal, which was to save her father. It gave the book a sense of love and family which was really great t o read about.

3. A common theme in this book is courage. I see this theme a lot in the characters. Emily will do anything to save her dad. She and Shona go on a long and dangerous journey to rescue him. Emily almost gets attacked by hammerhead sharks on the way. She would risk her own life for him. I think that it is really incredible that a girl so young could endure and go through so much. I also see courage in Shona. Shona has gone through a lot with her family, and she is still willing to help Emily with hers. The way she thinks about everyone else besides herself is such a strong quality in her.

4. My favorite character in this book is Shona. Shona is bubbly and bright. She knows the ocean like it's the back of her hand. I like how she cares about Emily and finding her dad, and how she is with Emily every step of the way. When Emily and Shona first met, she told Emily about the secret sunken boat that helped her find her father. Shona never thought about herself, but only of the well-being of her best friend. That shows what a true friend really is, and I deeply respect her for that. I wish Emily had thanked her more for all of her help!

5. My least favorite character is the King. although he gets better at the end when he lets them live together, he didn't start out that way. He didn't realize what true love was. Event though Emily's parents fell in love, he mindlessly separated them which ruined their relationship and love for each other just because he thinks it's "not right". I don't think that it was his decision to make. If the parents thought it wouldn't work they would have split. He was also very cruel and sent spies around to "check on" Emily and her mother while her father was in jail. 

6. I really loved the ending. I think it was amazing that the Windsnap's finally got to be a family. The island that they get to live at is so incredible! There are huge waterfalls and caves that border the beach. I couldn't imagine not seeing my father for my whole life. I could tell that Shona and Emily would find him because the author hinted that the Windsnaps were a special case and that there situation would end up Ok. I didn't expect this ending to happen. It originally thought that Emily and Shona would never find her father and Emily might move in with Shona. I'm very happy that this was the real ending, because everything turned out all right.