The Marlin and the Mermaid "Help save the Bay" is a Rhyming children's picture book designed to educate students, k-4, on sustainability and to encourage them on what they can do to help keep our rivers, our bays, and our oceans clean. The project is superbly illustrated by Rick and his daughter Camie Romano, using water colors and acrylic paints, both are from Virginia Beach. Educators agree that both a Rhyming and picture format is one of the best means for sending home a message to children; they grasp the ideas and concepts so much more vividly. This project brings awareness to our Nation's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay, the pollution which affects this area, and how pollution impacts the sea life. This teaches children values, for they are our future leaders and policy makers. This book is the first of a four part series, the second book will have the pair swimming to the Pacific Ocean to find out about the Great Pacific garbage patch.

The Marlin and the Mermaid "Help Save the Bay" is a rhyming children's picture book which takes the reader on an educational journey into our nation's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay. They are searching for a cause to the pollution which has floated into their ocean. Along the journey they encounter two aquatic creatures which filter water for our Bay. As they continue their search they must avoid certain hazards and dangers. They finally find the source of the trash and have one key question for the reader This book is a great educational tool which will help our children learn the basics of pollution, trash, and debris in our waterways and reinforces the 3r's=reduce, reuse, and recycle.