# Julián: A mermaid-loving boy finds acceptance

> Cartoon Saloon adapts Jessica Love's beloved children's book about an imaginative Dominican American boy and his grandmother.
- Title: Julián: A mermaid-loving boy finds acceptance · Variety
- Summary: Cartoon Saloon adapts Jessica Love's beloved children's book about an imaginative Dominican American boy and his grandmother. Cartoon Saloon brings its…
- Keywords: julián, cartoon saloon, jessica love, animation, dominican american, brooklyn, mermaids, children's book adaptation, immigrant stories, wolfwalkers, the breadwinner, entertainment
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/film/news/julian-review-1236860501
- Author: Carlos Aguilar
- Published: 2026-09-16T13:17:28+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: julián, cartoon saloon, jessica love, animation, dominican american, brooklyn, mermaids, children's book adaptation, immigrant stories, wolfwalkers, the breadwinner, entertainment
## Irish studio goes to Brooklyn
Cartoon Saloon, the acclaimed Irish animation studio, brings its distinctive style to the Latino community of Brooklyn.
## Oscar-nominated pedigree
The studio gained international fame with Oscar-nominated films like The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers.
## Beyond Irish folktales
Cartoon Saloon previously expanded beyond Irish stories with The Breadwinner, set in Afghanistan, in 2017.
## Based on beloved children's book
Julián adapts Jessica Love's acclaimed 2018 children's book Julián is a Mermaid.
## A boy and his grandmother
The story follows an imaginative Dominican American boy with an immigrant grandmother trying to understand him.
## Key takeaway

Cartoon Saloon brings its acclaimed animation style to a Brooklyn story about a Dominican American boy who loves mermaids.