Dr. Donna's Review

Barbie in a mermaid tale

Themes and Other Things
In this story, Barbie stars as Merliah, a champion surfer.  Merliah learns a shocking family secret - her mother was a mermaid. The story highlights Merliah facing many life challenges as she returns to the ocean kingdom of Oceana to rescue her mother.  The learning themes in this story highlight for children a story with elements of fantasy and adventure in a magical underwater world.  The story will appeal to 4 to 10 year olds. The audience will see Barbie in this role as a confident, intelligent and aware young teenager.

For the most part, this movie will appeal to the girls in the audience due to Barbie’s role as the main character, other teen girl supporting characters and story archetypes such as mermaids and the mother-daughter relationship issues. Nonetheless, there are a few story elements such as issues about friendship, family, surfing, fantasy, adventure, mystery and the underwater world setting that will appeal to the boys in the audience.

The story is an example of something that will appeal to an audience with at least two distinct groups – younger and older children with different aptitudes for understanding the layers of learning themes. Younger children will identify with the more simple character building messages such as friendship and sportsmanship. The older children will recognize and appreciate the more complex themes such as bravery, destiny and self-identify. The talking points may also be divided and used to accommodate individual maturity and skills for understanding the learning areas. In general, children will benefit from viewing the movie and discussing with adults the story’s themes.  The themes are somewhat complex so having discussions with children to help define and elaborate the learning areas will help viewers of all ages to understand and grasp the story points.

“Barbie in a Mermaid Tale” introduces children to three important concepts:
Personal Empowerment  - The story highlights characters demonstrating respect for themselves and other people, making, nurturing, and learning to value friendships, modeling of empathic behaviors such as listening, sharing, comforting, and talking about their feelings and needs.

Socialization – The story shows that individuals have something unique to offer the world and promotes that being different can be a source of pride. It also shows that skills and abilities are not specific to gender and models that it is hurtful to pick on, dismiss or make fun of those who are different. The storyline demonstrates that there are consequences to not fulfilling a commitment, and that love can be expressed in many different ways.

Self-management - The story presents strategies for: identifying and managing emotions, understanding that values are reflected in behavior and actions, showing that compromise and cooperation are necessary, important and a part of resolving conflict, showing that competition is normal and that winning isn’t everything, and demonstrating the thinking skills needed for determining and judging right and wrong.

Talking Points
Sportsmanship - When the story begins, Merliah is participating in an exciting surfing competition.  Her friends support her and encourage her to do well.  Discuss with the children what it means to be a good sport and what is good sportsmanship.   How do they think this makes Merliah feel? Do they think this helps her to do better in the competition?  Ask what does is mean to be a part of a team? What does it mean to try your best?

Friendship - Merliah needs the help of her new mermaid friends to face her enemies. The mermaids give her information about living in Oceana. They tell her how to get along with Erris, her Aunt - the evil Queen that rules Oceana.  Discuss with the children how the mermaids helped Merliah.  Ask why do they think the mermaids helped her.  Ask how they think it made Merliah feel to receive help from her new friends. Why?

Summertime Activities - Merliah introduces the audience to a fun summertime sport, surfing. It is a sport that can only take place if you live near the beach and ocean. But, summer is a time for many other fun summer sports and activities. Discuss with the children some sports or activities that (sometimes) take place only during the summer such as swimming, hiking, etc.

Fantasy - Merliah goes on a magical and fantasy-filled adventure.  Going from being human to a mermaid is a fantasy, especially if it is believed that she goes from being a surfer girl to a mermaid able to breathe and live underwater for an extended amount of time. Adventure is an important part of this fun-filled story.  Talk about some adventures the children would like to take.  Ask if they would travel to an underwater world like Merliah? Would they take a spaceship to explore outer space, the solar system and other galaxies? What other adventures sound exciting to the children?

Magic Elements - The movie shows many magical elements such as a magic comb, magic necklace, dream fish, talking dolphins, and wishes that come true. Talk to the children about what magical elements they might like to have a part of their next adventure. What are some fun things they might like to have in their everyday life? What would the magic things help them to do?

Fashion - Merliah’s new mermaid friends introduce her to a fun and exciting part of Oceana. Their magical kingdom under the sea is a vibrant and bustling community complete with fashion boutiques and other accoutrements similar to what teens find above the sea. Merliah’s mermaid friends offer her a job in the mermaid fashion boutique but she politely declines and says she will miss her Malibu friends. Discuss why Merliah would turn down such a fun offer.  Ask if they would do the same. Why or why not?

Internet Research - Merliah also needs the help of her human friends to do Internet research to find information about Oceana.  Merliah’s human friends use the computer to look up information for Merliah when she finds a special and magical comb she needs to save her mother, Calissa.  Talk to the children about what else a computer and the Internet are used for in our daily lives. Use examples of news, shopping, games and correspondence (email or social networking, etc.) Talk to them about how the information that Merliah’s friends give helps her. Use this story example as a way to give children more information about the educational tools available on the Internet beyond playing games, shopping opportunities, etc.

Bravery and Heroism - Merliah demonstrates that she is brave and heroic when she stands up to Erris to find a way to free her mother Calissa from the ocean dungeon. Talk to the children about bravery. Ask them if they know what it means to be a brave.  Discuss with them when they have been brave. Discuss with them the details of a situation or event. Ask the children if they know what a hero is and give examples of everyday heroes such as firemen, policemen, and teachers.

Destiny - When Merliah goes to rescue her mother, she has no idea that she is a princess destined to become queen of Oceana.  Becoming a princess is Merliah’s destiny because her mother is a queen.  Try to simply the definition of destiny and make it as easy as possible for the children to understand. Ask the children how they feel about Mariah finding out that she is princess.  Ask them how they would feel if they learned it was their destiny to be a prince or princess.  Ask them to consider other destinies that they might like such as becoming the president, doctor or a teacher.

Self-identity - In the end, Merliah discovers what makes her different is also her greatest strength. Calissa tells Merliah that she is the best of both worlds because she is human and mermaid. Merliah is worried about being a “misfit” (someone who does not belong) with her mermaid’s tail. Her mother tells her she is “both in equal parts.” Merliah’s mother says, “All you have to be is yourself.” Ask the children if they know what Calissa is trying to teach Merliah. Calissa says, “You are unique, you are special, that is what makes you strong.” The other saying used in the movie is,  “all you have to be is yourself.” Talk with the children about what this means, draw out details about their own individuality so that they understand more about being unique and special.

Activity Ideas

• Have younger children draw pictures of their favorite scene from the story.  Help them write a caption under the picture. Post the picture for all to see.
• Have older children draw storyboards of favorites scenes from the story and write captions for each one.
• Ask the children to make a list of all their favorite sports. Ask them to make lists for summer, fall, winter and spring.  Ask them to identify sports that they have tried and new ones that they might like to try in the future.  Help them to find examples of athletes who have excelled in their favorite sports such as surfing, soccer, basketball or swimming.
• Assist the children in conducting Internet research.  Decide together a topic that they would like to know more about such as dolphins, mermaids or surfing. Using Internet search engines and other websites, enter keywords to bring up sites that offer information for further study. Explain to the children in simple terms and language how to do Internet research.  Explain that research on the Internet involves “looking up” information using a search engine (see list below). Type one or two keywords – words that describe what you’re looking to know more about – and the search engine will provide a list of websites that contain information pertinent to your topic. Here are a couple kid-friendly search engines to get started:

Google Safe Search www.squirrelnet.com/search/Google_SafeSearch.asp
Yahooligans www.yahooligans.com
Ask Kids www.ajkids.com
Kids Click www.kidsclick.org

• Work with the children to create a fantasy story. Encourage them to think of main characters, supporting characters, locations or settings, special events (such as fashion shows or festivals such as shown in the movie) that might occur during the story. Work with the children to plot out a few story points. Focus on the beginning, middle and end.  Perhaps, over time come back and work them to fill in more and more details to make it a fully developed story all of their own.
• If you live near the beach, lake, river or pond - plan a day trip to collect items to make a nature collage. Look for shells, sand dollars, sea glass, seaweed, sand, etc.  Using glue or paste and a piece of cardboard to create a nature scene.  Perhaps use paint, crayons and markers to add special features such as seagulls, dolphins, etc. to bring the picture to life.  If a location near a natural water source isn’t in your neighborhood, a trip to your local arts and crafts store might also supply some of the same items.
• Using old magazine and newspapers, work with the children to cut out examples of clothing that they like, things they think are fun or useful.  Have them cut out and combine clothing to make outfits for many kinds of events or excursions. Include fashion for sunny days, rainy days, casual outings and formal occasions. Have them identify popular color combinations and patterns such as floral, stripe, pastels and primary colors.  Look for unexpected, surprising or unexpected fashion attire for pets, Grandparents, babies, toddler and teenagers, too.

Book Suggestions: These books are recommended to encourage you to read to and with children about the themes from the movie.

A few suggestions for older children: