3 Steps from a Mermaid's Heart Amaya longs to swim in the sea, but her parents have never let her. On her 10th birthday, she finally gets her wish, but it may be more than her heart can handle. The Little Human is a modern story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's and "The Little Mermaid. and " It tells the first part of Amaya's story and how she learns what it takes to have a mermaid's heart. Fans of classic fairy tales will enjoy the first installment of the Water Children series.