Plain Jane and the Mermaid
| Plain Jane and the Mermaid | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 7, 2024 |
| Page count | 368 pages |
| Publisher | First Second |
| Creative team | |
| Writer | Vera Brosgol |
| Artist | Vera Brosgol |
| ISBN | 9781250314864 |
Plain Jane and the Mermaid is a 2024 fantasy graphic novel by Vera Brosgol. It won the 2025 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids.
Plot
After the sudden death of her parents, Jane must find a husband or lose her home. She becomes engaged to the vain fisherman Peter, but must venture into a dangerous underwater world with the help of a selkie when he is kidnapped by a mermaid.[1][2][3]
Reception
The book received largely positive reception, including starred reviews from the Horn Book, the School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.[4][5][2]
Kirkus Reviews described the book as an "explicit response to society’s valuing of beauty and contempt for its absence, especially when it comes to girls and women."[1]
Samantha Puc of The Beat stated that the novel was complex, concluding that the book was a "brilliant fairytale that dismantles several toxic tropes, but leans into others."[3]
| Year | Award/Honor | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids | Won | [6] |
| American Library Association's Great Graphic Novels for Teens | Top Ten | [7] | |
| Rise: A Feminist Book Project | Top Ten | [8] | |
| 2024 | Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table's Best Graphic Novels for Children | Top Ten | [9] |
References
- 1 2 PLAIN JANE AND THE MERMAID | Kirkus Reviews.
- 1 2 Beeck |, Nathalie op de. "ALA's Inaugural Comics Awards Celebrate Fiction, Nonfiction, and Series". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- 1 2 Puc, Samantha (2024-05-02). "Review: PLAIN JANE AND THE MERMAID is a fast-paced fairytale with a complex finale". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- ↑ Gall, Elisa. "Review of Plain Jane and the Mermaid". The Horn Book. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- ↑ Vera, Brosgol. "Plain Jane and the Mermaid". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2026-07-29.
- ↑ Zalben, Alex (2025-07-26). "Eisner Awards 2025: See The Full Winners List". Comic Book Club. Retrieved 2026-07-30.
- ↑ "Great Graphic Novels | Young Adult Library Services Association". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List | Social Responsibilities Round Table". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
- ↑ "2024 Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List | Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table". www.ala.org. Retrieved 2026-08-10.