Set against the backdrop of Caribbean folklore, Lisa Stringfellow’s spellbinding middle grade debut tells of a grieving girl and a vengeful mermaid and will enchant readers who loved Kacen Callender’s Hurricane Child or Christian McKay Heidicker’s Scary Stories for Young Foxes.

Ever since her mother’s death, Kela feels every bit as broken as the shards of glass, known as “mermaid’s tears,” that sparkle on the Caribbean beaches of St. Rita. So when Kela and her friend Lissy stumble across an ancient-looking comb in a coral cave, with all she’s already lost, Kela can’t help but bring home her very own found treasure.

Far away, deep in the cold ocean, the mermaid Ophidia can feel that her comb has been taken. And despite her hatred of all humans, her magic requires that she make a bargain: the comb in exchange for a wish.

But what Kela wants most is for her mother to be alive. And a wish that big will exact an even bigger price…

Don’t miss the novel that Newbery-winning author Kelly Barnhill calls “one of the most promising works of fiction in a long time”!

Caribbean Folklore: Explore the lush island of St. Rita, where legends of the sea are real and deals with ancient magical beings have devastating consequences.
A Vengeful Mermaid: When Kela finds Ophidia’s magical comb, she unleashes the wrath of a powerful mermaid who will stop at nothing to get her property back.
Grief and Loss: A powerful and moving story about a daughter desperate to undo the loss of her mother, no matter the cost.
Black Girl Magic: Follow a brave Black protagonist, Kela, as she discovers that the magic to bring her mother back comes with a price she may not be able to pay.
Family and Friendship: Kela must rely on her friend Lissy and reconnect with her father as her magical bargain threatens to tear her world apart.

A Comb of Wishes

A Comb of Wishes