Mermaids Are the Worst! (The Worst! Series)

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Author(s)

Alex Willan

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

March 04, 2025

ISBN

978-1665962599

Buy This Book

Gilbert the Goblin’s beachside vacation gets ruined by mermaids and their games in the side-splitting latest installment in The Worst! picture book series, where even the strangest of creatures can become the best of friends.

Who doesn’t love a good vacation? Soaking up some sun, floating on the waves and…arm wrestling an octopus? When mermaids show up in the middle of Gilbert’s goblin getaway, their fin-flapping festivities quickly turn rest and relaxation into stress and aggravation.

This is clearly proof that mermaids are the worst! Can Gilbert find his beachside bliss or will he be caught in the undertow of these seaside shenanigans?

Editor review

1 review

delightful picture book from a charming and comedic series!

May 03, 2025 (Updated: June 30, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

MERMAIDS ARE THE WORST is a charming new installment in The Worst! Series. In this book, Gilbert the Goblin has gone on vacation - which is unpleasantly crashed by the Mermaid Tournament of Awesomeness. At first, he is bothered by the noise and disruptions to his island getaway - but he soon learns to join in and embrace the fun.

What I loved: This is a delightful continuation of a beloved series. Children love the grumpy Gilbert as he grouses about magical creatures- but he always comes to learn to empathize and appreciate them for what they are. The story is told from his dialogue, and this works extremely well to convey the story and make for a fun read-aloud.

The images are absolutely fantastic with lots of color and fun details - they tell the story as much as the words do (and sometimes more!). Children love this method of storytelling as they can glean the information from the illustrations and recognize where Gilbert is a bit of an unreliable narrator.

The font is clear and easy to read throughout (primarily in speech bubbles), which is helpful for adults reading aloud. The end also hints to a potentially future book with Gilbert saying he'll go camping for his next vacation - and shows him with many eyes in the woods. Maybe werewolves or bigfoot? We can't wait to see!

Final verdict: MERMAIDS ARE THE WORST! is a delightful and comedic picture book that is sure to delight elementary school aged readers! Highly recommend picking this one up - and checking out the rest of the charming series!