by J. Elle
First published 2023
Ariel turns fifteen just as her sister Mala vanishes without warning. The sea princess has waited years for this Coral Moon celebration, when she will finally claim her own ocean territory as Protector. Her six sisters have returned home to King Triton's underwater kingdom for the first time since their mother's death drove the family apart. But the ceremony stops when they discover Mala has been taken. Only a seaweed message remains: "What could have saved Mother could save me, too." Ariel joins her remaining sisters to track down the kidnapper. They swim through dangerous waters, face deadly sea creatures, and uncover family secrets their father kept hidden. The rescue mission forces Ariel to confront the mother she never knew while learning what leadership truly means. Time runs short as the festival approaches its end, because when the moon turns coral, Mala will be lost forever.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, young-adult, family-drama
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: Coral Moon, Underwater Kingdom
Period: Fifteenth Birthday
320 pages · Hardcover · Disney Press