Jessica Love is an illustrator and a New York based actor. She has a BA in studio art from the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as a graduate degree from Juilliard.
This is Jessica Love's debut picture book, and every choice she
makes -- the spare text, a color palette both muted and lively,
full-bleed pages that make even subway cars and apartment rooms
feel as expansive as the ocean -- imbues the story with charm,
tenderness and humor...Alongside Julian, readers learn that anyone
can be a mermaid: All it takes is love and acceptance, a little
imagination and a big swishy tail.
--The New York Times Book Review
Love couples the spare narrative with vivid, imaginative, and
breathtaking illustrations. A heartwarming must-have for one-on-one
and small group sharing.
--School Library Journal (starred review) Refreshingly, Spanish
words aren't italicized. Though it could easily feel preachy, this
charmingly subversive tale instead offers a simple yet powerful
story of the importance of being seen and affirmed.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review) [Julian] is, in a word, fabulous.
Love lets an anxious beat pass before Abuela takes Julian by the
hand, leading him to what some readers may recognize as the Coney
Island Mermaid Parade. "Like you, mijo," says Abuela. "Let's join
them." Love's deep empathy for her characters and her keen-eyed
observations of urban life come together in a story of love,
understanding, and embracing the mermaid within us all.
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) The luminous, lovely, and
layered art is what really makes the book...The concluding parade
is a confectionary wonder of marine fantasy that many kids will
yearn to join, and it might prompt adults to set up their own in-
library mermaid celebrations. More importantly, though, those
who've been shy about their love for dazzle and showmanship will
love the idea of a formidable grandparental ally, and they will
find this encouraging and empowering.
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
Julian's emotional journey takes on depth through small but
important details: a wary look in the mirror, a slight inward slump
of the shoulders, a chin held high while marching down the street.
Love uses vibrant watercolors with gouache and ink and a lively
style to create scenes that splash and swirl to life on the
page.
--The Horn Book (starred review) Across her watercolor, gouache and
ink spreads, Love captures the transformative power of being
seen...Love's affecting combination of the literary and the visual
results in a powerful affirmation of individuality, creative
expression and unconditional acceptance.
--Shelf Awareness for Readers (starred review) Love's painted
scenes glow against muted backgrounds, with saturated, opaque tones
tracing the graceful shapes of the figures. They're especially
striking when Julian gets swept away in a vivid underwater fantasy:
a school of sea creatures whirls around him as he transforms into a
mermaid. That scene is nicely replicated when he arrives at the
parade, which is populated by scores of people in a wide variety of
inventive costumes. The affectionate depiction of a broad range of
body types and skin tones makes this particularly cheery.
--Booklist This beautiful book is one of the very few picture books
about a gender non-conforming child. Yet it feels like a
celebration of all children who want to do things differently than
the parental figures in their lives--and a love letter to the
grownups who deeply understand them.
--Gothamist There is nothing about this book that is forgettable.
In fact, you may have a hard time not thinking long and hard about
it after you put it down. A book for mermaids and boys and girls
and parents and teachers and booksellers and librarians and . . .
Let's just simplify things and say it's a book for the human
race.
--Betsy Bird Jessica Love's vivid watercolor and gouache
illustrations are made even brighter by her decision to paint on
brown paper; the richly colored palette pops off the pages, and
abundant character is conveyed via the subtlest of facial
expressions and body language. Also subtle--and terrifically
poignant--is the eloquent encouragement of Abuela's spare words. A
book for the ages, Julian Is a Mermaid is going to make a
big splash.
--BookPage The illustrations couldn't be more beautiful, and I love
how Julian's grandmother accepts him for exactly who he is...I'm so
grateful for books like these that help foster acceptance and
understanding from a young age.
--A Cup of Jo (blog) Julian Is a Mermaid makes a fine addition to
the best LBGT children's books.
--Brain Pickings (blog) Groundbreaking...here's a happy picture
book that challenges traditional gender stereotypes, rendering one
boy free to be himself.
--San Francisco Chronicle Right now, I just finished reading
'Julian Is a Mermaid, ' by Jessica Love, which is an awesome
picture book, one of my favorites, and I won't spoil the end for
you, but it has something to do with the mermaid parade.
--Charles George Esperanza, The New York Times It's a story of a
little boy who is taken with some elegant costumes, and decides to
fashion one of his own. It's that simple, but it makes a big
impression; I can't recommend it highly enough.
--The New York Times Book Review e-newsletter
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