Julian loves swimming, and he loves his Nana, and when they are out and about in their black community, he also loves seeing the beautifully dressed ladies in their colourful long dresses with trains that look like tails. A book on mermaids is his favourite reading, and more than anything, Julian wants to be a mermaid. He day dreams about swimming with a beautiful tail amongst colourful fish, and he develops long curly hair as he dreams. Happy in this new world, he feels completely himself. When he and Nana get home, he confesses to her that he is a mermaid, and Nana seems to accept this without comment. Off she goes for a bath, and Julian decides to dress up. Stripping off his clothes and applying lipstick, he takes down a floaty white curtain and wraps himself in it, not forgetting to make a tail. He also makes a wonderful headdress. Nana does not look particularly pleased, when she emerges from her bath, but she shows her real understanding when she presents Julian with a pink necklace and the two of them go into town to find a parade of other mermaids: ‘Like you, honey. Let’s join them.’ This is a lovely, lovely picture book, full of brilliant colour and the pride of being different and of enjoying that difference. Hooray for an understanding Nana!