Michael DiPinto’s The Princess and the Missing Sea Shells is a wonderful children’s book. The story follows a mermaid named Princess Nicole. At the beginning of the tale, she is kidnapped by the Coral Eaters who are the most feared gang of pirates under the sea. Their captain is a ruthless jellyfish named J. Lee Fish. Captain J. Lee Fish demands the mermaid kingdom to surrender all their sand dollars to him in exchange for Princess Nicole. However, the mermaids don’t intend to pay the captain, though they fully intend on rescuing their princess. Soon enough, the mermaid kingdom and their sea creature friends go forth on an adventure to find and rescue their princess.

I read DiPinto’s book to my daughter only expecting something short and simple, but it quickly became clear that The Princess and the Missing Sea Shells was not your traditional magical seaside tale. DiPinto gives his readers a silly and elaborate rescue story that doesn't disappoint. There are many laughs to be had in this charming book, most notably Captain J. Lee Fish's name. In addition to DiPinto's colorful underwater tale, readers will be quick to notice the art. Bobbie Marsh did an extraordinary job at making the characters pop off the pages. On top of that, it was very touching to read DiPinto’s dedication. It firmly establishes the fact that The Princess and the Missing Sea Shells was truly meant to be a story told to children and is one that children will want to read.

The Princess Mermaid and the Missing Seashells by Michael J. DiPinto and with illustrations by Bobbie Marsh is a delightful read for the whole family. A lovely day spent spreading seashells on the beach turns sour when a mermaid princess is taken captive by pirates. Princess Nicole and her friends are in the midst of leaving seashells when the dreadful Coral Eaters, pirates led by the dastardly Captain J. Lee Fish, come out of the sea and quickly take the young princess, along with her bag of shells, and ransom her in an attempt to get sand dollars. All of Princess Nicole's friends gather in the sea and band together with the mermaids in a daring plan to rescue the beloved princess.

Michael J. DiPinto weaves a delightful bedtime story perfect to share as a family. The story comes with action and adventure as all the fish and little mermaids go across the water to save their princess. The mermaids show their bravery in their actions to go up against pirates while Princess Nicole never wavers in her courage when she's held captive. The story reads with a similar tone to that of a fairy tale with enjoyable fish themes used in creative ways. The writing is kept at a young level with witty humor, including the adorable names Captain Fish, the Coral Eaters, and the pirate ship called the Algae Eater. One delightful scene even has octopi playing Go Fish, which is a clear example of how lighthearted the story is despite the evil pirates.

DiPinto's lovely story is paired with whimsical illustrations which are detailed images using soft colors and vivid scenic backgrounds. Other than the mermaids, all the characters are entirely fish with seashells and jellyfish having faces, adding humor to the story with every new scene depicted. The jellyfish have added details to make them look like little pirates such as the crew wearing bandannas with one even having an eye patch and the captain wearing a tattered looking captain's hat. One of the cutest illustrations is a pair of trumpet fish literally playing their nose trumpets to spread the news of Nicole's kidnapping. The illustrations are clever, perfectly capturing the characters and bringing to life this world DiPinto has created. The Princess Mermaid and the Missing Seashells is a sweet family read with charming characters, stunning illustrations, and an underwater adventure with an unforgettable lesson on bravery, loyalty, and strength.