In June of her thirteenth year Grace Minnaugh moves from Ohio to California because of her father's new job. Grace is not a fan of big changes. By nature, she's solitary and stubborn. And so, she's miserable during her first weeks in the seaside town of La Toya, sulking like a spoiled brat while her family embrace the California lifestyle with nauseating gusto.
But Grace's attitude is destined to change. She finds she can't resist the seductive beauty of the sea. She begins taking secret swims before dawn, keeping her head high above the surface and dog-paddling like a frantic puppy.
Then one morning a miracle in the form of a disaster changes Grace's life forever. Caught in a thunderstorm without the swimming skills to survive, she's sucked below the surface and almost drowns. But just almost. Instead, a new life begins. Gills rip open from behind her ears and her legs fuse together to form a fishtail. At first Grace thinks she's a freak of nature, but eventually the truth is undeniable; she's a mermaid, and a gorgeous one at that.
But how will her family react? Or the kids at La Toya Middle School? This is information too fishy to share. Grace decides to keeps her fins underwater and under wraps. By day she's a walking, talking social misfit, but in the wee hours of the morning she's a deep underwater marvel.
Things get more complicated when Grace befriends Alfie DeCosta, a kid who's obsessed with finding a shipwreck he believes sank somewhere off the coast of La Toya. Grace knows exactly where the shipwreck is. In fact, it's one of her favorite underwater hangouts. But she can't tell Alfie about it, or can she?
Plunge in to The Tantalizing Tale of Grace Minnaugh, a marvelous ride for landlubbers and mer-folk alike. But be forewarned; whether you've got a fishtail or feet, you will get wet!
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