This beloved classic book by Madeleine L'Engle gets an overhaul in the 2003 Disney Adaptation.  This writer's review: so-so. The movie kept to the central themes of the book: a missing father, good vs. evil and the power of love.  However, there was something lacking in this retelling.  Certain aspects of the book that helps drive the story was missing in the movie and instead replaced with over dramatic action sequences.  Here's what I didn't like:

1. The Mrs. W's.  In the book, they're a trio practically together the entire time.  Where one is, the others aren't far behind.  They're a united front.  In the movie, instead of tessering with all three witches, the kids tesser with only Mrs. Whatsit.  They meet the other Mrs. W's one at a time instead of together as a group.
2. Calvin's significance.  In the book, he was chosen due to his communication skills.  He's smart having skipped grades in school and understands the English language.  In the movie, he's included because Mrs. Who likes him.  No other reason was explained and instead of fighting with brains, he fights with brawn.  
3. Megs appearance.  In the book, Meg is awkward.  She wears glasses and braces and hates her hair.  In the movie, she's got a pleasing look.  Her self-doubt comes from feeling she isn't smart enough like Charles Wallace or her father.  And while that's true, in the book she feels she isn't pleasing to look at like her mother, which brings another element to her character.  So, when Calvin takes to her, she begins to feel even that more special.

If you're like my mother and love The Little Mermaid, then you'll enjoy reading this series.  This series is about a 12 year-old girl who discovers that she's part mermaid.  Emily Windsnap has always felt like an outsider, but when her mother finally lets her take swimming lessons, she discovers just how much of an outsider she really is. 

The first book in the series, thrust Emily to this unknown part of her past.  On her journey, she meets Shona, a full-blooded mermaid who introduces Emily to the mermaid world and helps her discover exactly where she came from.  Her mother human, her father mermaid, fell in love despite the rule against it.  When Neptune, ruler of the mermaids, discover this union he imprisons Emily's father and wipes her mother's memory.  Having thought her father abandoned her all these years, Emily must now save him and reunit her parents once and for all.

The series follows Emily along her journey as she immerses herself into this new world.  Click here to purchase the series and don't forget the newest addition coming to paperback on February 22nd.