The Mermaid in the Millpond — Lucy Strange

History and myth entwine in this atmospheric tale of freedom and friendship from bestselling author Lucy Strange and acclaimed illustrator Pam Smy.

History and myth entwine in this atmospheric tale of freedom and friendship from bestselling author Lucy Strange and acclaimed illustrator Pam Smy.

Bess has left the London workhouse behind for a job at a rural cotton mill. But life at the mill is hard and cruel â€" a far cry from the fresh start Bess hoped for. The only way to survive is to escape, but the mill is like a prison with no way out.

Meanwhile, rumours are spreading about a vicious creature that lurks in the millpond. Bess is sure it's all nonsense, until one night she sees something stir in the murky water.

But is it really a monster that lives in the depths of the pond? Or a creature trapped and alone, just like Bess, desperate to escape …

Reviews

"A slight but poignant novella … We need a follow-up" â€" The Times Children's Book of the Week

"Evocative and eerie â€¦ Another bite-size delight from Barrington Stoke" â€" Karen McCombie

"A gripping story of courage, kindness and friendship full of supernatural overtones and with a convincing Industrial Revolution setting" â€" Books for Keeps

"[An] evocative slice of historical drama … a book that transports us from our world to an almost timeless zone of wonder in amongst the darkness" â€" The Bookbag

"Top class storytelling in short form" â€" Ipswich Children's Book Group

About the author

Lucy Strange is the best-selling children's author of titles including The Secret of Nightingale Wood, a Waterstones Children's Book of the Month, and Our Castle by the Sea, which was nominated for the Carnegie Medal, shortlisted for the Waterstones Book Prize 2020, and was the first Independent Booksellers' Children's Book of the Month.