Description:

Nine-year-old Poppy Malone’s parents are paranormal investigators. They research vampires, fairies, UFOs, and other strange things. When they need help, it’s up to scientific Poppy. Her twin brother, Will, is too lazy. Her older sister, Franny, is too busy with teenage stuff. And Rollie, the baby of the family, is too little. In the third book in the spooky and hilarious Unseen World of Poppy Malone series, *A Mischief of Mermaids*, Poppy makes friends with Nina, a mermaid who lives in Lake Travis. When Franny messes with Nina’s magic, she gets transformed into a mermaid herself, and Poppy has to figure out how to turn her sister back into a human. Tween fans of the middle-grade Intergalactic Bed and Breakfast series will love Poppy’s adventures. ** ### From School Library Journal Gr 3-6–Nine-year-old Poppy Malone, whose parents are paranormal investigators, begins to wonder about mermaids when she notices inexplicable giggles and mysterious lights on the shore of the lake at night. She's not sure what to think until Nerissa, a young mermaid, comes ashore and befriends her. While the distracted Mr. and Mrs. Malone work on tracking aliens, Poppy's sister, Franny, accidentally swaps her legs for a tail by touching Nerissa's special cloak. Nerissa's mermaid friends try to lure Franny into remaining a mermaid forever, and it seems like she would love nothing more. Poppy, her twin brother, and Nerissa have a very limited time to attempt to convince Franny to ditch the tail and reclaim her legs. Harper's skill as a storyteller shines through in the solid characters and engaging plot. Substantial yet quick, Poppy's latest adventure will find an audience of eager readers.–Amanda Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, Madison, WIα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. ### From Booklist The Unseen World of Poppy Malone series, first introduced with A Gaggle of Goblins (2011), continues as 10-year-old Poppy, her siblings, and her professional UFO-hunting parents explore a watery realm. Poppy’s levelheaded approach to scientific matters is put to the test when she encounters a group of mermaids. Although this mythical creature is currently popular among writers of all abilities, Harper invests just the right balance of whimsy and skepticism to engage both pro- and anti-mermaid readers. Adding further appeal is the balance between Poppy’s exasperation with her family and all she learns from them. Grades 3-6. --Francisca Goldsmith