• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Twelve-year-old Macy is an amateur treasure hunter who finds lost things along the southern Saskatchewan shores of Buffalo Pound Lake.

When her mom announces she’s leaving her park ranger job at the lake to be a police officer in the city, Macy decides she needs to find a treasure big enough to put Buffalo Pound on the map so her family can stay put. But instead of a treasure, Macy finds a mermaid kidnapped from the West Coast and brought to the Prairies by a monster known only as “The Beast.” Macy must find a missing magic shell to reconnect the mermaid with her family. But will Macy find the shell before the Beast does?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Melanie McFarlane is the author of several otherworldly adventure novels for kids and teens. When not writing, she's on the lookout for mermaids and other fantastical creatures while prepping for the zombie apocalypse. She lives in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, with her family.

Melanie McFarlane's profile page

• Short-listed, Saskatchewan Book Awards — Young Adult Literature Award
• Commended, BC Books for BC Schools

“A good adventure story with a touch of magic thrown in. Recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“A magical story of bravery, friendship, and little brothers…A great recommendation for any students interested in exploring, ­adventure, and treasure hunting.”

School Library Journal (SLJ)