While vacationing in Scotland, Zeta encounters a rather unusual fellow. He's a terrific swimmer. He chats with seals. And he has a fishtail.

Zeta meets a merman.

With his gleaming, silvery scales, Marinus is definitely not you average summer friend. Who else could show Zeta how to swim, take her for a dip with some basking sharks and painlessly teach her everything from astronomy to French? So, while her parents try to figure out why she now refuses to eat mackerel, Zeta has the adventure of her life. And as her summer ends, Zeta knows she'll miss Marinus terribly.

Luckily, Marinus has one last surprise in store for Zeta -- one that will last a lifetime...

With good humor, charm, and a splash of magic, The Merman is the tale of a fantastic friendship by the author of Babe: The Gallant Pig, Dick King-Smith.