A CHILDREN’S book which tells the tale of a young girl, a big imagination and a huge Cornish secret will be released towards the end of next month.

Emily Harper’s enchanting novel, The Miniature Mermaid of Zennor features a young girl by the name of Isla, a girl with a huge imagination who loves listening to her granddad’s stories of his childhood in Cornwall. However, when Isla’s dad goes missing on a diving trip in Mexico, her world is turned upside down.

Grieving his loss, and needing a change of scenery from London, Isla, her mum and granddad decide to move back to the family farmhouse in Zennor.

Upon her return, Isla discovers a magical secret locked away in an old book. Isla’s life takes another unexpected turn as she discovers that the sea holds more adventures than she could ever have imagined.  

The book is based on the old Cornish folktale The Mermaid of Zennor first recorded by the Cornish folklorist William Bottrell in 1873.

Emily Haper – who is a primary school teacher first realised that exposure to traditional tales and folklore was very limited, despite being on the curriculum throughout primary key stages.

Emily decided to encourage her students to be more interested in folk and traditional tales. She said: “Most of the stories that fill this curriculum requirement are fairy stories and Greek myths, and whilst both genres hold value, I wanted to encourage my students to engage with stories that are a little more endemic to Britain; something which may spark an interest in the legacy of our shores.

“There are magical tales which are just as exciting as Greek mythology from our past, but because these tales are marginalised and often undervalued in the reading curriculum, the art of storytelling is often lost.”

Inspired by Cressida Cowell, the author of How to Train Your Dragon, Emily decided to create The Miniature Mermaid of Zennor -to engage young readers in one of Cornwall’s most well-known tales, to allow them to explore and expand their horizons without leaving their classroom or home.

The Miniature Mermaid of Zennor will be available to buy from Waterstones, Amazon and Cranthorpe Miller from February 27, 2024. It is also available to be downloaded on the same date.