Mermaid Books

Mermaid Books A community bookstore for fishies of all ages in Milford, CT No one’s ever found it, but folks here love to tell the story.

Legend has it that real-life buccaneer Captain William Kidd buried treasure on Charles Island, off the Milford shoreline. Like peanut butter and jelly and Jay and Beyoncé, scallywag pirates and magical mermaids go together. So, we named our little bookstore Mermaid Books, in a nod to Milford’s history and all the fun we have celebrating it. Located in downtown Milford, right off the green, Mermaid

Books is women-owned and family-friendly. When we open we’ll offer story times, author events, and workshops and classes for fishies of all ages, big and small. We’ll also collaborate with schools and nonprofit groups focused on literacy and learning. We’re looking forward to becoming your neighborhood spot for new books and bookish gifts, toys, bits and bobs. Keep an eye on this page and our Instagram for updates on our grand opening, social media giveaways, sneak-peek shopping events and more!

Is it kinda chic to allow yourself and your merpeople bookslingers the pleasure of a little summer r + r time? We think ...
08/13/2026

Is it kinda chic to allow yourself and your merpeople bookslingers the pleasure of a little summer r + r time? We think so. All of us made good on it. Maggie spent time reading and lounging at her family’s cottage in Southern Ontario (photo 1). Charlotte watched a pal crush a half-marathon in Vancouver (2). AnnMarie took in a very cool tarot exhibit at the Morgan Library in NYC (3). Marcus hung out with family (and was lead grillmaster!) in gorgeous Rhode Island (4). Leah and her sister tended to their obscenely fruitful garden plot at the Milford Community Garden (5), and Mia finally got to watch The Odyssey in all its IMAX glory (or something; ask her for her nuanced review) (6).

My family made our way all the way over to Ireland (7), where boss merman Tom got to visit his great great grandmother’s farm in County Cork, a surreal, once in a lifetime excursion we won’t soon forget. How incredible it is to stand in place where your ancestors once stood. As Americans, so many of us transplants, many of us, I think, wonder about where our families began. I couldn’t help thinking how unjust it is that some among us aren’t permitted to make such a journey — to see and experience for themselves the land their great grandparents lived on, where their families’ stories began.

Thank you, by the way. Because we couldn’t give ourselves and our employees a break without the support of all of you, our beloved book-loving community. We are so glad to be back with you, rested and ready to share SO MANY INCREDIBLE fall books. (Have you seen the lineup? Friends! JUST WAIT!)

It’s been great to catch up with so many of you this week, and we look forward to seeing many more of you soon. ❤️❤️❤️

Ahoy, friends! WE’RE BACK, and we missed you — so much so that we’re celebrating Oyster Fest this weekend with our inaug...
08/11/2026

Ahoy, friends! WE’RE BACK, and we missed you — so much so that we’re celebrating Oyster Fest this weekend with our inaugural Oyster Fest Weekend sale, when we’ll be sending all of you out the door with 20% off your purchase! We came home to a flood of new titles and can’t wait to share them with you.

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO SAY, by the way, updates aplenty coming at you. But for now: Hooray!We can’t wait to see you round the shop this week.
🦪🦪🦪

August! No! How’d you get here?Don’t fret, we’re still in summer mode here at the store, and will be for the foreseeable...
07/24/2026

August! No! How’d you get here?

Don’t fret, we’re still in summer mode here at the store, and will be for the foreseeable. Endless summer! That’s what we believe in.

Speaking of the foreseeable, we have many delightful events on the horizon, including our night at the MAC with Lynne Constantine, a brand-spanking-new craft night, book clubs, pop-ups and more. A couple of these events are ticketed, fyi; links are up (and functioning!) at the site. Come hang! We can’t wait to see you. 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

PSA, friends! We’re taking a wee break next month to spend quality time with family.If you’d like to place a special ord...
07/20/2026

PSA, friends! We’re taking a wee break next month to spend quality time with family.

If you’d like to place a special order for pickup this week or next, call or email us by this Wednesday, July 22.

If you’re interested in having us order or set aside a new release from the first week of August, when we’ll be closed, let us know; we’ll make sure we have a copy for you the day we reopen, August 11.

✌🏻✌🏻🌊⛱️☀️

What are you doing on Tuesday, August 25th?The correct and best answer is joining us at the Milford Arts Council to hear...
07/20/2026

What are you doing on Tuesday, August 25th?

The correct and best answer is joining us at the Milford Arts Council to hear New York Times bestselling author (and Milford’s own!) Lynne Constantine talk about her latest page-turner, Promise Me Never. You’ll want to read it. Here’s the gist:

Aspiring writer Savannah’s scheme to meet superstar horror novelist Bennett Bryson works out better than she could’ve ever imagined: not only does her charming and handsome literary idol offer to read her work, he’s smitten with her. After a whirlwind romance, Savannah says “yes” to marriage and the two settle into Bennett’s secluded upstate home.

But just as Savannah thinks she has it made, cracks appear in her perfect new life. Bennett’s behavior becomes dark and controlling; he criticizes Savannah’s writing, dictates her every move, adn spends most of his time locked in his office, forbidding her from entering. And everywhere, Savannah cannot escape the shadow of Bennett’s first wife, the free-spirited and passionate artist Poppy, who died in a tragic accident, but who still seems to be Savannah’s rival for Benett’s affection.

Before long, all becomes clear: Bennett is not who he seems. The women that came before Savannah have disappeared. And Savannah could be next.

How fabulous does this book sound?!? Come out to support our hometown gal and hear about this and the many other exciting projects Lynne has on the hopper. (Did you know her book The Last Mrs. Parrish is being made into a Netflix film — by none other than J. Lo?!)

We’re meeting at the MAC for this one. Book signing (and sips and snacks at the MAC concessions stand, if you please) to follow.

Tickets are linked on our website. We hope you can make it!

It’s July and here we are, squeaking into the month with a peek at some of the titles we’re most excited for. Hot lineup...
07/07/2026

It’s July and here we are, squeaking into the month with a peek at some of the titles we’re most excited for. Hot lineup, is it not? Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Daniel Mason, Colson Whitehead. We’re excited. What’s on your TBR?

The American news cycle brings us plenty of lowlights, yes? Wall-to-wall lowlights, sometimes. It sure can feel that way...
07/06/2026

The American news cycle brings us plenty of lowlights, yes? Wall-to-wall lowlights, sometimes. It sure can feel that way.

We need some highlights, some good news. We’ll say this: One of the highlights around these parts each month is something we call Reading for Change, a nonfiction book club that meets to talk about issues that — for better or worse — shape today’s American experience. Since this group got rolling we’ve had some incredibly rich, generative discussions. The issues can be weighty, but it feels good, for the soul and for the brain, to talk this stuff through, together.

This month we’re reading The Color of Law, by Richard Rothstein, a deep dive look into the many forces that help perpetuate racial segregation in America. This group is open to all, and it’s a no-commitment thing; you can dip in or out as you please. This month we’ll meet on Weds, the 29th. If you’d like to join us, email [email protected] and we’ll save you a seat. ☮️

Are you a young writer? Writing-curious? Do you know someone who is? Send ‘em our way! We’re hosting a workshop just for...
07/05/2026

Are you a young writer? Writing-curious? Do you know someone who is? Send ‘em our way! We’re hosting a workshop just for them this summer, led by Columbia University creative writing MFA candidate Joanna Brewer. Jo will offer readings, lead writing exercises, and facilitate time for writers in the group to share and gather feedback on their work. (Only if they wish, mind you; sharing is not required to participate.) She’ll also teach participants how to develop a writing practice, hone and edit their own work, and become better, closer readers of their peers’ work, in the service of helping those peers improve their writing, as well. (An important skill! Everyone’s a critic, they say, but not everyone’s a skilled one!)

We’re excited to have Jo with us with summer and look forward to welcoming our young writers. Note that we are making a slight tweak to the schedule and will kick off on Monday, July 13, rather than tomorrow, July 6.

Class will be held:

Monday, July 13
Monday, July 20
Monday, August 10
Monday, August 17

And all will run from 6:30-8pm.

To sign up, email us at [email protected]. ✌🏻
youngwriters

You are very busy eating hamburgers and hot dogs right now (or are thinking about eating them later). Fair! We are, too ...
07/04/2026

You are very busy eating hamburgers and hot dogs right now (or are thinking about eating them later). Fair! We are, too — but we’re also thinking about all the fun things we’re doing here at the store this summer, many of them designed to entertain your littles AND keep them passionate about words and reading while they’re out of school. Kids DO lose some of their new skills over the summer; a little slippage is normal. But you can reduce that slippage by giving them chances to exercise their brains, and often, in fun ways. And opportunities to do that abound around these parts— here at the bookstore, and also nearby — many of them free or low-cost.

We’ve already met a bunch of young super-readers this summer, many of whom are already chipping away at our summer bingo board. If your kiddo hasn’t gotten one yet, swing through — and/or sign them up for one of our workshops. If you’re interested in our teen writers’ workshop or book club for kiddos, we still have spots left. Email the store at [email protected]. ✌🏻

Address

22 Broad Street
Milford, CT
06460

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 6pm

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