Three Little Mermaids    by Mara Van Fleet Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2011 (2011) Hardcover      Reviewed by Bob Walch 'Three little mermaids who live in the sea decided to invite all their sea friends to tea.' And, guess what? You are also invited to this underwater extravaganza. As you meet all the guests you'll be encouraged to count them and you might want to learn their names too. As a special treat you'll not only find touch-and-feel elements on some of the pages but also tabs to push or pull, that will make the sea creatures move in some manner. For example, when you see the two orange pinching crabs, be sure to push the tab on the page to see them open and close their claws. On the next page, don't forget to rub the three furry seals' tummies. They are nice and soft. Later on you'll discover seven little starfish with bumpy skins that are also fun to touch. When you get to the page with the eight sea horses, you'll only see four of them. Where are the other four? Pull the special tab and you'll find them hiding in the seaweed. As you read aloud the rhymed text that describes this aquatic tea party, notice the eye catching glittering and sparkling surfaces you'll find on some pages. And when you get to the last page, don't forget to fold back the giant clamshell you'll discover, to see what is hidden inside. All children will love attending this special underwater event and practicing their counting skills as they tally the number of sea creatures found on each page. Not all activity books are that engaging, but this one definitely is because it will appeal to the youngster on multiple levels. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews