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Q is for Queen, Quotes and Qipao in a Mermaid World

April 20, 2016 Claire Annette Noland Leave a Comment

Q (1)

 

Welcome to day Q in the A to Z Blog challenge where I’m swimming through the alphabet with the theme “Living in a Mermaid World.”

Q is for queen and here is a true story about a real life Mermaid Queen who is certainly an inspiration to water loving me.

Q mermaid queen

The Mermaid Queen by Shana Corey (author) and Edwin Fotheringham (illustrator) picture book published by Scholastic Press 2009

Subtitled, The Spectacular True Story of Annette Kellerman, who swam her way to fame, fortune and swimsuit history, the book begins “Annette Kellerman loved to make waves.” She was born in Australia in 1886 with a medical condition that made her legs so weak that she had to wear heavy leg braces. Her doctors suggested swimming to strengthen her legs. She became an accomplished swimmer and since her dream was to be a ballerina, she began dancing in the water thus inventing water ballet.

Q queen mermaid illus

She became an accomplished diver and  she and her father took her abilities on the road. Soon known as the Mermaid Queen, she wowed the British by swimming the River Thames and trying to be the first woman to cross the English channel. When invited to swim for the Queen, she was told she certainly could not show her bare legs. She quickly improvised by sewing stockings to her suit. She made quite a splash! She traveled Europe and finally arrived in Massachusetts. Women at the time wore full heavy outfits to the beach. When Annette appeared in her sleek suit, she was arrested! She told the judge that swimming was healthy and asked how women could possibly learn to swim in such cumbersome clothes. He agreed and the Mermaid Queen was freed. Soon, brave women followed her lead and began to swim into the surf with stylish suits like Annette.

Q queen swimsuits

Annette Kellerman went on to star in ocean themed silent movies. She opened a health food store and wrote a number of books that promoted swimming and a healthy life style. In 1952, Esther Williams starred in Million Dollar Mermaid which was based on the life of the Mermaid Queen who changed swimsuit history and attitudes toward women swimmers.

This biography is informative, clever, and fun. The illustrations are bright and colorful and match the witty text. This is definitely a book to share with kids who love the water.

For the letter Q, I’d also like to share some mermaid quotes –

 

quote little mermaid

 

quote mermaid nin

 

quote ocean

 

Q is also for Qipao which is a form-hugging dress with a high neck and buttions first made popular in 1920s Shanghai. Land locked ladies can channel their inner mermaid by wearing a Qipao.

 

quipao green

 

qipau blue

 

Aren’t you glad that Annette Kellerman convinced people that women should swim in comfortable swimsuits?

 

 

Filed Under: Blogging A to Z, Mermaids Tagged With: Mermaid Quotes, Qipao mermaid dress, The Mermaid Queen by Shana Corey

Previous Post: « P is for Parade, Passamaquoddy, and Ponyo in a Mermaid World
Next Post: R is for Russian Rusalka living in a mermaid world »

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Hello. I’m Claire Annette - reader, writer, teacher, and field trip planner extraordinaire. Here at A Field Trip Life you will find ideas for adventures large and small and the kids’ books that inspire them. Sign your permission slip. Let's go!

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