Oona

Written by Kelly DiPucchio

Narrated by Imani Parks

Meet a brave little mermaid searching for a very special treasure in this heart-warming celebration of friendship, creativity and digging deep for determination!

Meet Oona.

She’s a little mermaid who loves special treasure and big adventures – and often ends up in big trouble!
But with her best friend Otto by her side, Oona is on the hunt for the grandest treasure of all – and she’s about to find out it’s not what she thought it was…

A wonderfully watery tale of friendship, creativity and digging deep for determination, Oona is about to be your new best friend! From the New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Jan 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9780008508494

Kelly DiPucchio

Kelly DiPucchio is the New York Times bestselling author of many beloved books for children, including Grace for President, Dragon Was Terrible, and Oona, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa. As a little girl Kelly wanted a pet otter but settled for a pet goat instead. When she’s not writing, Kelly loves to search for treasure and mermaids in Michigan’s Great Lakes. Land friends can visit her online at kellydipucchio.com.

Reviews for Oona

[librarianryan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Oona is a mermaid who loves to explore and seek treasure. There is a not quite buried treasure that she has wanted for some time, but the obstacles to achieving this goal are many. However, Oona has the help of her friend Otto the otter. There are parts of this book that I see holes in as an adult reader. Why the need for the special glasses, and who made the bridge for what reason. But most of that will fly by the children. What they will see is a beautiful black mermaid and her fuzzy soft friend having adventures and living a glorious life.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Oona the mermaid was a born adventurer, embroiled in danger from the time she was no bigger than a scallop. Together with her best friend Otto the otter, she scoured the ocean for treasure, always happy to seek after the beautiful and the wondrous. Only one one treasure eluded her: the crown embedded in a reef, far below the surface of the sea. After many failed attempts to secure this much-coveted prize, Oona became discouraged, until a seaside day with her land friends gave her some inspiration, and she was at it again...Pairing an engaging, well-told tale from author Kelly DiPucchio with beautiful artwork from illustrator Raissa Figueroa, Oona is an immensely appealing picture-book, sure to please young readers and listeners who enjoy magical tales, or who love mermaids. There were moments here where I chuckled - the statement that a mermaid without her spark was like a seagull without an appetite: both unnatural - and other moments where I stopped to admire the artwork. I particularly liked the scene where Oona and Otto were wearing the glasses they found, and I thought Otto himself was a charming sidekick. It probably helps that I love otters! As some other reviewers have noted, it was also nice to have a black mermaid, as I don't think I've encountered too many before, in the world of picture-books. I finished this one with a happy feeling, appreciating the final idea about what makes something a treasure - being made, rather than found - and am very glad to know that a sequel, Oona and the Shark, is forthcoming. Recommended to young mermaid fans, and to picture-book readers looking for stories about perseverance.