Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn't change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you loved The Tail of Emily Windsnap, try Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep, The Mermaid's Sister, Ingo, Rainbow Magic: Ruby the Red Fairy, Isadora Moon Goes to School and The Worst Witch. Each one is a magical, friendly adventure with mermaids, secret worlds or a girl who discovers she is special.
Liz Kessler's series begins with The Tail of Emily Windsnap, in which twelve-year-old Emily, who lives on a boat with her mother, finally takes swimming lessons and discovers that her legs turn into a tail in water. She learns her father is a merman who was imprisoned for loving a human. Emily sets out to find him and bring her family together. Readers love its sea magic, friendship and warmth. These books share its secret worlds and its gentle adventure.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep | Liz Kessler | 8-12 | readers who want the next book |
| The Mermaid's Sister | Carrie Anne Noble | 12+ | older readers who like mermaid tales |
| Ingo | Helen Dunmore | 9-13 | readers who want a deeper sea world |
| Rainbow Magic: Ruby the Red Fairy | Daisy Meadows | 5-8 | younger readers |
| Isadora Moon Goes to School | Harriet Muncaster | 5-8 | younger readers |
| The Worst Witch | Jill Murphy | 7-10 | readers who like magic schools |
| The Little Mermaid | Hans Christian Andersen | All ages | readers who want the original tale |
| Nevermoor | Jessica Townsend | 9-13 | readers who want a magical world |
| Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief | Rick Riordan | 9-13 | readers who like a sea-god parent |
| Amari and the Night Brothers | B.B. Alston | 9-13 | readers who like secret agencies |
| The Secret of Platform 13 | Eva Ibbotson | 8-12 | readers who like hidden worlds |
| Island of the Blue Dolphins | Scott O'Dell | 9-12 | readers who love the sea |
| The Water Horse | Dick King-Smith | 6-10 | younger readers |
| Zoey and Sassafras | Asia Citro | 6-9 | younger readers |
| The Wild Robot | Peter Brown | 7-11 | readers who like gentle adventures |
1. Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep by Liz Kessler
Emily faces a sea monster and a new mystery.
Best for: readers who want the next book.
2. The Mermaid's Sister by Carrie Anne Noble
A girl searches for a cure when her sister begins to turn into a mermaid.
Best for: older readers who like mermaid tales.
3. Ingo by Helen Dunmore
A girl in Cornwall is drawn into an underwater world after her father vanishes.
Best for: readers who want a deeper sea world.
4. Rainbow Magic: Ruby the Red Fairy by Daisy Meadows
Two girls help fairies recover their missing colors.
Best for: younger readers.
5. Isadora Moon Goes to School by Harriet Muncaster
A half-fairy, half-vampire girl decides which school to attend.
Best for: younger readers.
6. The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
A clumsy girl struggles at a school for witches.
Best for: readers who like magic schools.
7. The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen
A mermaid gives up her voice to live on land.
Best for: readers who want the original tale.
8. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
A cursed girl is whisked away to a secret magical city.
Best for: readers who want a magical world.
9. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
A boy learns his father is Poseidon.
Best for: readers who like a sea-god parent.
10. Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
A girl joins a secret bureau of supernatural affairs.
Best for: readers who like secret agencies.
11. The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson
A rescue mission goes to fetch a stolen prince.
Best for: readers who like hidden worlds.
12. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
A girl lives alone on an island off California.
Best for: readers who love the sea.
13. The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith
A girl finds a strange egg that hatches into a sea creature.
Best for: younger readers.
14. Zoey and Sassafras by Asia Citro
A girl helps magical animals using science.
Best for: younger readers.
15. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
A robot learns to survive on a wild island.
Best for: readers who like gentle adventures.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Emily Windsnap: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Emily Windsnap. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Continue the Emily Windsnap series in order if you want more, since each book adds to the family story. For older readers who still love mermaids, try Ingo. Younger fans can move to Rainbow Magic or Isadora Moon, while Nevermoor and Percy Jackson suit readers ready for bigger adventures. The Little Mermaid is worth reading for the original tale behind so many mermaid stories.
Related: Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Tail of Emily Windsnap about?
A girl discovers she becomes a mermaid in water and searches for her missing merman father.
What age is Emily Windsnap for?
It is usually enjoyed by readers aged 8 to 12.
How many Emily Windsnap books are there?
There are many books in the main series, plus some short spin-offs.
Who wrote Emily Windsnap?
Liz Kessler, a British author.
Is Emily Windsnap scary?
No. It has some tense moments, but it is gentle and fun.