From my 8 year old daughter:

I would rate this 4.5 stars because I loved the story. I wish it was a little longer! I would say it’s one of my favorite books, in my opinion. I loved the art style. All the pictures were beautiful. The characters were nice, except for the MC’s mom! If you’re looking for a fun book about mermaids, I recommend you give this a try!

"Atana and the Jade Mermaid" is the second book in the Atana series of middle grade graphic novels by Vivian Zhou. Atana is a mermaid (whose tail turns into legs when on land) who is trying to find out about her past, but her priority right now is getting help for her friend Ren, a Firebird (magical human with wings) who needs to get to the source of her magic. The artwork is beautiful and the story will keep readers hooked. A must-buy for middle grade graphic novel collections where fantasy is popular. It is recommended to have the first book in this series as well.

I have been waiting to finish this story since July of last year and it ended so perfectly. A beautiful duology about a witch, a mermaid and a firebird and their adventures to bring balance back to the earth.

I enjoyed this sequel much more than the first. The world building has improved and expanded. The magic and its origins are explained more thoroughly. I enjoyed the mermaid empire and the introduction of the mermaid side characters. The art style is simplistic yet still beautiful. The story itself reminds me of something that could be a Ghibli movie. A solid conclusion to an enchanting graphic novel duology!

I didn’t realize Atlana and the Jade Mermaid was the second in a graphic novel duology. That being said, it does a great job giving you the background information you need to not be lost or confused if you did miss book 1 (and I loved it so much I absolutely will be reading book 1 now!). This graphic novel, for ages 8+, is a coming of age story that follows 3 best friends- Atlana (mermaid), Cosmos (witch), and Ren (firebird). In particular, Atlana is trying to figure out what SHE wants, not just do what’s expected of her as a mermaid! I absolutely loved this graphic novel- the art style was stunning and the story was so heartwarming and is centered around this message: “You are yourself. Isn’t that a wonderful thing?”. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Atana and the Jade Mermaid.

"Atana and the Jade Mermaid" completes the Atana Duology in this stunning 2nd novel! I loved how Atana, Ren, and Cosmo's friendship continued to grow as they journeyed to save the magic source of the world.

The art style is perfect for a younger audience, bright and simple, and would be great for elementary and middle school readers. The plot was enjoyable and featured the friendship of 3 young girls who learn to fight for each other and the world they want. This series even includes a few very minor LGBTQ relationships, which are briefly alluded to near the end of the novel.

I thought it was the perfect conclusion to the story and would highly recommend this graphic novel duology!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was just as cute and adorable as the first one!! loved going back to this world and these characters!! and the message was great!