My Cousin's Mermaid
A Story from Poland
On a trip to visit her cousin in Poland, a child initially struggles with not feeling “Polish enough.” She finds it hard to understand her aunt’s quick Polish speech and feels embarrassed at her own attempts to speak Polish. When she and her cousin discover their shared love of fairy tales, though, they bond instantly and set off together on an adventure across the city of Warsaw to find Syrenka Warszawska (the Mermaid of Warsaw). Endnotes include Polish words and pronunciations, as well as information about Polish history, Polish fairy tales and Warsaw landmarks.
Key Selling Points:
- GLOBAL: Set in modern-day Warsaw, the story incorporates Polish language and culture.
- DIVERSITY & IDENTITY: The protagonist finds a way to connect with her cultural heritage, overcoming the worry that she is “not Polish enough,” in this story that many second- or third-generation families and children will be able to relate to.
- AUTHENTIC REPRESENTATION: Created by a Polish-born American author and a Polish illustrator.
- THE POWER OF STORIES: Demonstrates the transformative power of folktales and stories to connect people across great distances and cultural differences.
- ENDNOTES: Endnotes include Polish words and pronunciations, as well as information about Polish history, Polish fairy tales and Warsaw landmarks.
