Book excerpt: A collection of stories with diverse, empowering, enchanting characters. Discover the mysterious selkies of the Scottish seas and the haunting Philippine tale of the curse of Sirena. Meet the merman from China whose tears turn to pearls and Hans Christian Anderson's brave little mermaid, pursuing her dream. These nine stories, beautifully illustrated and full of wonder, will whisk you from the bottom of the Arabian sea to rivers, deep in the Trinidadian rainforest.