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Water Tales #1
Aquamarine
Best-selling author Alice Hoffman's luminous tale of nostalgia and enchantment, for listeners both young and old.
Twelve-year-old best friends Hailey and Claire are spending their last summer together when they discover something at the bottom of the murky pool at the Capri Beach Club. There, among the seaweed and jellyfish that a summer storm has blown in from the ocean, is a mysterious and beautiful creature with a sharp tongue and a broken heart—a mermaid named Aquamarine.
As her six sisters beckon her to return to the sea, Aquamarine stubbornly persists in her search for love on land. But as she starts to fade in the burning August sun, a rescue must begin.
On the edge of growing up, during a summer that is the hottest on record, Hailey and Claire learn that life can take an unpredictable course, that friendship is forever, and that magic can be found in the most unexpected places.
Alice Hoffman is the author of twelve acclaimed and bestselling novels which have been published in more than 20 languages, including Illumination Night, At Risk, Turtle Moon, Practical Magic, which was released as a major motion picture, Here on Earth, an Oprah's Book Club Selection, and most recently, The River King. Her collection of interconnected stories, Local Girls, was chosen by School Library Journal as one of the first best adult books for young listeners.
Twelve-year-old best friends Hailey and Claire are spending their last summer together when they discover something at the bottom of the murky pool at the Capri Beach Club. There, among the seaweed and jellyfish that a summer storm has blown in from the ocean, is a mysterious and beautiful creature with a sharp tongue and a broken heart—a mermaid named Aquamarine.
As her six sisters beckon her to return to the sea, Aquamarine stubbornly persists in her search for love on land. But as she starts to fade in the burning August sun, a rescue must begin.
On the edge of growing up, during a summer that is the hottest on record, Hailey and Claire learn that life can take an unpredictable course, that friendship is forever, and that magic can be found in the most unexpected places.
Alice Hoffman is the author of twelve acclaimed and bestselling novels which have been published in more than 20 languages, including Illumination Night, At Risk, Turtle Moon, Practical Magic, which was released as a major motion picture, Here on Earth, an Oprah's Book Club Selection, and most recently, The River King. Her collection of interconnected stories, Local Girls, was chosen by School Library Journal as one of the first best adult books for young listeners.
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First published April 1, 2001
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About the author
Alice Hoffman
117 books25.1k followersAlice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including The World That We Knew; The Marriage of Opposites; The Red Garden; The Museum of Extraordinary Things; The Dovekeepers; Here on Earth, an Oprah’s Book Club selection; and the Practical Magic series, including Practical
Magic; Magic Lessons; The Rules of Magic, a selection of Reese’s Book Club; and The Book of Magic. She lives near Boston.
Magic; Magic Lessons; The Rules of Magic, a selection of Reese’s Book Club; and The Book of Magic. She lives near Boston.
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December 28, 2017Back in 2006 when I was younger I was obsessed with this movie! I had no idea it was written by Alice Hoffman... I loved Aquamarine and wanted to be a mermaid with those adorable starfish earrings... do you remember Jojo? The singer? And Emma Roberts? Sara Paxton was gorgeous, always reminded me of Rory Gilmore! Such a cute movie, must get the book! I'll just go watch the movie right now!
February 23, 2020
“They were beautiful shells, as white as the surf in the sea. When you held one up to your ear you could hear the sound of your best friend talking to you, even if she was a thousand miles away.”
― Alice Hoffman, Aquamarine
I can't believe I have not reviewed this yet! This is really best read bu children and young adults but any age can enjoy it.
I love the concept of two best friends who find a mermaid outside and befriend her. Sometimes one just needs to jump into a book that is at once whimsical and fun. That is exactly what Aquamarine is and man did I enjoy it.
I also have always had a fascination with the sea and yeah, mermaids are pretty interesting as well. Even though this is a young adult book, Cmon adults! Treat yourselves! Plus after all the dark and disturbing mysteries and literary fiction I read, I like a fun sweet ethereal book like this.
Aquamarine is at once an homage to the ocean, to what and who live in said ocean and to the power of friendship and its bonds. I'd really recommend it.
Oh and FYI..this lovely little story is also a movie and works just as well on screen so if you are ever flicking around TV stations and find it one night..it's a pretty fun movie as well. Four stars.
― Alice Hoffman, Aquamarine
I can't believe I have not reviewed this yet! This is really best read bu children and young adults but any age can enjoy it.
I love the concept of two best friends who find a mermaid outside and befriend her. Sometimes one just needs to jump into a book that is at once whimsical and fun. That is exactly what Aquamarine is and man did I enjoy it.
I also have always had a fascination with the sea and yeah, mermaids are pretty interesting as well. Even though this is a young adult book, Cmon adults! Treat yourselves! Plus after all the dark and disturbing mysteries and literary fiction I read, I like a fun sweet ethereal book like this.
Aquamarine is at once an homage to the ocean, to what and who live in said ocean and to the power of friendship and its bonds. I'd really recommend it.
Oh and FYI..this lovely little story is also a movie and works just as well on screen so if you are ever flicking around TV stations and find it one night..it's a pretty fun movie as well. Four stars.
July 10, 2015
”She dreams of the ocean late at night and longs for the wild sea air.”
Setting:Capri Beach Club (state not specified); 2001
Cover Thoughts?:MER- MAID! In the shadows! But it’s kind of boring. I like my mermaids to be sparkly and bright instead of dark and in the shadows.
Plot:
Hailey and Claire have been best friends since birth. They’ve done everything together, and spend their summers at the Capri Beach Club, admiring the cute lifeguard Raymond. But that’s all about to change when Claire finds out that she’ll be moving with her grandparents to Florida. A lifelong friendship on the line, Hailey and Claire are desperate to keep Claire from moving. Even worse, the Capri Beach Club is getting demolished. All these events have been leading to one sucky summer. That is, until they spy something strange in the water. Her name is Aquamarine, and she’s a mermaid. Needing to get back to her own world, but wanting to find love in the human one, Hailey and Claire do everything in their power to help their newfound friend. Will they be able to help her? And will they be able to maintain their friendship, despite living so far away from each other.
If I could describe this in one word, it’d be cute. Fluffy, a quick read, and cute. Yeah, there’s no actual real plot and the holes in the story are as big as Swiss cheese, but it was a nice, slice of life book. It reminded me of lazy summer days spent by the pool when I was younger. When I pretended to be a mermaid swimming through the water and was obsessed with The Little Mermaid. The friendship aspect of the story was SO CUTE, even if the romance was severely lacking. You could probably finish this in a day, and I dare you not to remember your own summer days as a kid while lost in the pages.
Characters
Well, since these two are attached at the hip, I’ll include them both here in my summary!
Hailey and Calire represent the innocence of childhood/pretween friendship. When they’re not too old to believe in magic and bonds of friendship and mermaids.
They’ll remind you of you and your own best friend as you read about their escapades.
Aquamarine is like a petulant version of Ariel, but she does mellow out in the end, in the short amount of time of this book. Of course, she’s the youngest in a family of mersisters who wants to see the human world. And she does, but she needs to find her handsome man to love her back (not necessarily to become a human).
You see this sentence right here? This is pretty much the only thing that describes Raymond. This is Raymond in a nutshell. He’s a VERY flat character. Nice enough, I guess, but he’s just not all that interesting, to be honest. Though I do admire his love of reading. And can he please tell me his secret to reading two hundred books over the course of three months? That’s just not fair!
Pros:This was a super cute read
Cons:All the characters were pretty much one dimensional and flat affect with no real defining characteristics. So it can make for a bit of a dull storyline.
Love Triangle?:Nope!
Instalove?Yes! I mean, Raymond and Aquamarine go on ONE DATE and then they’re a couple who will be together forever. Really?!
A Little Romance?:
Well, this is a bit hard to explain, since this isn’t your typical “mermaid must fall in love with a human or she’ll disintegrate” type romance. In fact, the reason for this romance isn’t clearly explained. I’m just assuming this is the case, since Aquamarine seems so desperate for Raymond to love her. But it’s not defined at all. Blink and you’ll miss it!
Conclusion:I definitely thought this was a cute mermaid story, and this would definitely appeal to younger readers (guestimating 8-13). Keep in mind that there’s no plot whatsoever with no direction in mind. But it’s an easy breezy read for the summer, or anytime. You’ll blow through this book in about an hour.
Watch This!:Back in the Golden Age of innocent teen movies (the early 2000s), Hollywood decided to make a movie version of this book. Starring Sara Paxton, Emma Roberts, and Jojo, it’s considerably different from the book (so you’ve been warned). I would say that unlike the book, this is more targeted at older teens, but it’s also suitable for families to watch. But be sure to check it out if yu want to be transported back to a time when teen movies were full of cheese and dystopian genres of teen movies were unheard of.
Setting:Capri Beach Club (state not specified); 2001
Cover Thoughts?:MER- MAID! In the shadows! But it’s kind of boring. I like my mermaids to be sparkly and bright instead of dark and in the shadows.
Plot:
”Both Hailey and Claire had the feeling that something was about to happen, in spite of how much they wanted their lives to remain the same.”
Hailey and Claire have been best friends since birth. They’ve done everything together, and spend their summers at the Capri Beach Club, admiring the cute lifeguard Raymond. But that’s all about to change when Claire finds out that she’ll be moving with her grandparents to Florida. A lifelong friendship on the line, Hailey and Claire are desperate to keep Claire from moving. Even worse, the Capri Beach Club is getting demolished. All these events have been leading to one sucky summer. That is, until they spy something strange in the water. Her name is Aquamarine, and she’s a mermaid. Needing to get back to her own world, but wanting to find love in the human one, Hailey and Claire do everything in their power to help their newfound friend. Will they be able to help her? And will they be able to maintain their friendship, despite living so far away from each other.
If I could describe this in one word, it’d be cute. Fluffy, a quick read, and cute. Yeah, there’s no actual real plot and the holes in the story are as big as Swiss cheese, but it was a nice, slice of life book. It reminded me of lazy summer days spent by the pool when I was younger. When I pretended to be a mermaid swimming through the water and was obsessed with The Little Mermaid. The friendship aspect of the story was SO CUTE, even if the romance was severely lacking. You could probably finish this in a day, and I dare you not to remember your own summer days as a kid while lost in the pages.
Characters
”For although Hailey thought nothing or leaping the highest diving platform or swimming so far out to sea that she disappeared from sigh, she was easily frightened by other things- a future she couldn’t control, for instance, or the notion that a lifelong friendship might be lost at the end of the week when the Capri closed down for good and Claire moved away.”
Well, since these two are attached at the hip, I’ll include them both here in my summary!
”As for Claire, she was quiet and shy and as afraid of the water as Hailey was drawn to it.”
Hailey and Calire represent the innocence of childhood/pretween friendship. When they’re not too old to believe in magic and bonds of friendship and mermaids.
They’ll remind you of you and your own best friend as you read about their escapades.
”The mermaid’s name was Aquamarine and she was much ruder than most creatures you might find at sea… She’s been indulged and cared for and allowed to act up in ways no self-respecting mermaid ever would.”
Aquamarine is like a petulant version of Ariel, but she does mellow out in the end, in the short amount of time of this book. Of course, she’s the youngest in a family of mersisters who wants to see the human world. And she does, but she needs to find her handsome man to love her back (not necessarily to become a human).
”Raymond was packing his books when they found him.. He’s read one hundred and twenty books during his time at the beach. All the same, he wasn’t sure he’d read quite enough to go to college. ”
You see this sentence right here? This is pretty much the only thing that describes Raymond. This is Raymond in a nutshell. He’s a VERY flat character. Nice enough, I guess, but he’s just not all that interesting, to be honest. Though I do admire his love of reading. And can he please tell me his secret to reading two hundred books over the course of three months? That’s just not fair!
Pros:This was a super cute read
Cons:All the characters were pretty much one dimensional and flat affect with no real defining characteristics. So it can make for a bit of a dull storyline.
Love Triangle?:Nope!
Instalove?Yes! I mean, Raymond and Aquamarine go on ONE DATE and then they’re a couple who will be together forever. Really?!
A Little Romance?:
”No mermaid wants to fall in love with a human, but it was already too late for poor Aquamarine to be sensible.”
Well, this is a bit hard to explain, since this isn’t your typical “mermaid must fall in love with a human or she’ll disintegrate” type romance. In fact, the reason for this romance isn’t clearly explained. I’m just assuming this is the case, since Aquamarine seems so desperate for Raymond to love her. But it’s not defined at all. Blink and you’ll miss it!
Conclusion:I definitely thought this was a cute mermaid story, and this would definitely appeal to younger readers (guestimating 8-13). Keep in mind that there’s no plot whatsoever with no direction in mind. But it’s an easy breezy read for the summer, or anytime. You’ll blow through this book in about an hour.
Watch This!:Back in the Golden Age of innocent teen movies (the early 2000s), Hollywood decided to make a movie version of this book. Starring Sara Paxton, Emma Roberts, and Jojo, it’s considerably different from the book (so you’ve been warned). I would say that unlike the book, this is more targeted at older teens, but it’s also suitable for families to watch. But be sure to check it out if yu want to be transported back to a time when teen movies were full of cheese and dystopian genres of teen movies were unheard of.
October 14, 2019
Best friends Hailey and Claire spend their last summer together before Claire moves away at the old Capri Beach Club, where they discover the mermaid Aquamarine in the unused pool one day. Their efforts to return her to the sea before her demise parallel their struggle to come to terms with their impending separation.
Hoffman, whose adult work seems to straddle the line between fantasy and "chick lit," made her first foray into the world of children's literature with Aquamarine, which is short and unremarkable. I understand that mermaids hold a strong appeal for a certain segment of our young population (for me, it was dragons), but surely there are better works out there...? The Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler, for instance, or Mollie Hunter's The Mermaid Summer .
Hoffman, whose adult work seems to straddle the line between fantasy and "chick lit," made her first foray into the world of children's literature with Aquamarine, which is short and unremarkable. I understand that mermaids hold a strong appeal for a certain segment of our young population (for me, it was dragons), but surely there are better works out there...? The Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler, for instance, or Mollie Hunter's The Mermaid Summer .
May 13, 2020
Was incredibly attached to this movie as a tween. Had 2 read the OG. jojo I love u. I actually did love the book as well even tho it's so different from the movie. It's like dripping with this visceral childhood sadness that is v melancholic but real.
August 13, 2024
This made me wish I had discovered a secret mermaid in my pool 🤭🧜🏽♀️
I absolutely loved the Aquamarine movie growing up, and after reading this, I love it even more! 🫶🏽
🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️ spoilers 🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️
I always thought Raymond was kind of a sleaze ball in the movie, but the book had him completely the opposite! I’m glad he and Aquamarine got their happy ending 😌
I absolutely loved the Aquamarine movie growing up, and after reading this, I love it even more! 🫶🏽
🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️ spoilers 🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️🌊🧜🏽♀️
I always thought Raymond was kind of a sleaze ball in the movie, but the book had him completely the opposite! I’m glad he and Aquamarine got their happy ending 😌
March 12, 2008
I got this with Indigo by Alice Hoffman at the elementary school book fair for $2. Loving other Alice Hoffman books, I grabbed this without a second thought. It is meant for a younger audience, which I didn't realize at first. It is well written for younger girls to whom friendship and love mean everything. As an adult, I didn't find it a wonderful, thought provoking story. It was a very quick read, and not entirely boring either though.
May 11, 2018
"I don't think that's possible." Raymond shook his head. He'd read so many books that he thought he knew how every story ended.
"Anything is possible," Aquamarine told him, and when the girls looked at her face, they knew that this was true.
This story is short and sweet. This makes me nostalgic, I read it when it came out like in 2001. I still wish it was about three times longer, like an actual novel, but it's a cute story with some beautiful imagery.
"Anything is possible," Aquamarine told him, and when the girls looked at her face, they knew that this was true.
This story is short and sweet. This makes me nostalgic, I read it when it came out like in 2001. I still wish it was about three times longer, like an actual novel, but it's a cute story with some beautiful imagery.
June 10, 2024
The movie was better 🤷🏻♀️
March 13, 2023
Solid message for teens. Snobbish mermaid.
Years and years ago I had the paperback. The idea of a mermaid story always intrigued me but never enough to get past the first page. I'd watched the movie a few times and really enjoyed that. Fast forward about twenty years and I see a 99-cent eBook sale for Aquamarine. I didn't even hesitate. I'm proud to say I finished it in one sitting on the same day I bought it. My thoughts on the book, however...
Likes:
~As I said, mermaid story.
~I enjoyed a brief visit back to my childhood. Especially the illustrations. I vividly remember flipping through the book just for those.
~The summer beach vibes were fun. This is a perfect selection for the summer season.
~I'm all for starry descriptions and imagery and there was a ton of that!
Examples:
"The wind was so strong, it knocked on the rooftops and rattled the stars up above."
"...the moon jellyfish glittered like stars."
"They went in past the whitecaps that shone like stars."
~I believe Hoffman succeeded in bringing Aquamarine (the character) to life. Her descriptions were lovely and the fact that so much of her personality and qualities had watery comparisons was great.
~The second half of the book is where my enjoyment picked up. Aquamarine's bratty attitude eased up and she was a lot more likable. The doom and gloom tone relaxed too.
~Things didn't magically work. The move still happened, and the girls had to make do and learn to cope. That may have sounded cold, but I liked that it was realistic. In real life, we have to deal with changes, and I believe this book has a solid message of making the best of what you have, holding onto the good memories, and being willing to make new ones.
Dislikes:
~I did not like Aquamarine to begin with. I had no desire to see her and Raymond meet. As far as I was concerned, she could stay in the pool and turn to dust. She was that bratty and snotty. Thankfully, there was some improvement.
~Speaking of wanting to meet Raymond, what was that all about? It was so abrupt and superficial.
~Hailey and Claire were such downers! It seemed like there was a reminder about their separation on every. single. page. This element would set better with teens and middle graders. I know because I was there once (not the same situation) and I remember being a bit overdramatic about things and running things into the ground and I was probably annoying about it, lol.
~There was too much of a lack of dialogue for me.
Overall:
~3.5 stars. I'm so glad I finally gave this book a chance. I can't see myself continuing the series tho.
~Definitely recommend for MG and tween readers. There wasn't any magic in this. Perfect for an easy summer read and mermaid fans. The movie was really fun and I actually like that storyline more. I think it just made more sense and the characters have a bit more oomph.
Years and years ago I had the paperback. The idea of a mermaid story always intrigued me but never enough to get past the first page. I'd watched the movie a few times and really enjoyed that. Fast forward about twenty years and I see a 99-cent eBook sale for Aquamarine. I didn't even hesitate. I'm proud to say I finished it in one sitting on the same day I bought it. My thoughts on the book, however...
Likes:
~As I said, mermaid story.
~I enjoyed a brief visit back to my childhood. Especially the illustrations. I vividly remember flipping through the book just for those.
~The summer beach vibes were fun. This is a perfect selection for the summer season.
~I'm all for starry descriptions and imagery and there was a ton of that!
Examples:
"The wind was so strong, it knocked on the rooftops and rattled the stars up above."
"...the moon jellyfish glittered like stars."
"They went in past the whitecaps that shone like stars."
~I believe Hoffman succeeded in bringing Aquamarine (the character) to life. Her descriptions were lovely and the fact that so much of her personality and qualities had watery comparisons was great.
~The second half of the book is where my enjoyment picked up. Aquamarine's bratty attitude eased up and she was a lot more likable. The doom and gloom tone relaxed too.
~Things didn't magically work. The move still happened, and the girls had to make do and learn to cope. That may have sounded cold, but I liked that it was realistic. In real life, we have to deal with changes, and I believe this book has a solid message of making the best of what you have, holding onto the good memories, and being willing to make new ones.
Dislikes:
~I did not like Aquamarine to begin with. I had no desire to see her and Raymond meet. As far as I was concerned, she could stay in the pool and turn to dust. She was that bratty and snotty. Thankfully, there was some improvement.
~Speaking of wanting to meet Raymond, what was that all about? It was so abrupt and superficial.
~Hailey and Claire were such downers! It seemed like there was a reminder about their separation on every. single. page. This element would set better with teens and middle graders. I know because I was there once (not the same situation) and I remember being a bit overdramatic about things and running things into the ground and I was probably annoying about it, lol.
~There was too much of a lack of dialogue for me.
Overall:
~3.5 stars. I'm so glad I finally gave this book a chance. I can't see myself continuing the series tho.
~Definitely recommend for MG and tween readers. There wasn't any magic in this. Perfect for an easy summer read and mermaid fans. The movie was really fun and I actually like that storyline more. I think it just made more sense and the characters have a bit more oomph.
July 31, 2019
The movie adaptation is much better than the book, in my opinion. I find the book kind of dull and unoriginal but maybe kids would enjoy it better than 23 year old me..
I loved the movie adaptation as a kid and I'm pretty sure I'd still like it a lot now.
I loved the movie adaptation as a kid and I'm pretty sure I'd still like it a lot now.
May 7, 2018
I never knew this was a book? I loved the movie growing up and tbh I didn't love this book. In this case I enjoyed the film adaptation more than this.
March 17, 2023
5 stars bc this book inspired the hit 2006 movie Aquamarine starring Emma Roberts, Jojo, and Sarah Paxton (aka the best movie to ever exist do not fight me on this, you will loose). i do have to say tho, they changed a whole bunch for the movie, i will be listing them now:
-Claire moved to Florida with her grandparents, in the book, in the movie, both already lived in Florida and Hailey was moving to Australia for her mom’s job
- Claire’s parents died in a car accident in the book, in the movie they drowned, that’s why she was afraid of the water
-Capri, the beach club, was closing down at the end of the summer in the book, in the movie, it was thriving
-Raymond was a lifeguard in the movie, he worked in the concession stand in the book
-Claire falls into the pool discovering Aquamarine in the movie, in the book Hailey dives into the pool and sees Aquamarine
-In the movie, Aquamarine swam away from home in search of true love bc she didn’t want to marry a prince, in the book she swam away from her sisters during a storm and got to land
-In the movie, Aquamarine can have legs during the day, as long as she doesn’t get wet, in the book, within a week on land she turns to dust :/
-In the movie, Aquamarine and Raymond go on a date to the last splash, in the book, Claire and Hailey set up a date at the beach club
-In the movie, Raymond finds out Aquamarine is a mermaid when Cecilia (gag) pushes her off the dock and Aqua is being pulled back to sea by her dad, in the book Raymond finds out she’s a mermaid by diving into the pool to save a boy named Arthur who fell in
-In the movie, Raymond and Aquamarine decide they are going to meet in Fuji, in the book Aquamarine follows Raymond to Miami, where he is going to college
-Hailey and Claire are given sea shells by Aquamarine to communicate with each other wherever they are in the world in the book, but in the movie, Aquamarine gifts them each a starfish, that compliments them and they are gifted a wish, because as we all know, if you help a mermaid, you get a wish (obviously).
overall, im going to say, the movie is better, thank you
-Claire moved to Florida with her grandparents, in the book, in the movie, both already lived in Florida and Hailey was moving to Australia for her mom’s job
- Claire’s parents died in a car accident in the book, in the movie they drowned, that’s why she was afraid of the water
-Capri, the beach club, was closing down at the end of the summer in the book, in the movie, it was thriving
-Raymond was a lifeguard in the movie, he worked in the concession stand in the book
-Claire falls into the pool discovering Aquamarine in the movie, in the book Hailey dives into the pool and sees Aquamarine
-In the movie, Aquamarine swam away from home in search of true love bc she didn’t want to marry a prince, in the book she swam away from her sisters during a storm and got to land
-In the movie, Aquamarine can have legs during the day, as long as she doesn’t get wet, in the book, within a week on land she turns to dust :/
-In the movie, Aquamarine and Raymond go on a date to the last splash, in the book, Claire and Hailey set up a date at the beach club
-In the movie, Raymond finds out Aquamarine is a mermaid when Cecilia (gag) pushes her off the dock and Aqua is being pulled back to sea by her dad, in the book Raymond finds out she’s a mermaid by diving into the pool to save a boy named Arthur who fell in
-In the movie, Raymond and Aquamarine decide they are going to meet in Fuji, in the book Aquamarine follows Raymond to Miami, where he is going to college
-Hailey and Claire are given sea shells by Aquamarine to communicate with each other wherever they are in the world in the book, but in the movie, Aquamarine gifts them each a starfish, that compliments them and they are gifted a wish, because as we all know, if you help a mermaid, you get a wish (obviously).
overall, im going to say, the movie is better, thank you
April 15, 2012
I had just finished reading Bridge To Teribithia by Katherine Paterson, and, on a whim/book-induced high, I picked up my copy of Aquamarine that I had bought in 2006 as a young girl. I had never read it before today. Well, that was a mistake. It was, quite honestly, a waste of time.
Things that truly bothered me:
- this book.
- the characters.
- the plot.
Alright, the book as a whole was just plain bad. The plot and the characters made it painful to read. It was just awful. As far as I can tell, there really wasn't much of a plot to begin with, but rather an unoriginal idea. How many books are there about best friends moving away? Hmm.. let's just throw an irritating, conceited Mermaid into that and, BAM, we have a completely new & fresh idea. Gaaah. What is wrong with people? The characters were so unbelievably flat and stupid that I cannot believe this book was published. Claire & Hailey were just stupid, Raymond was a tool [he didn't do anything to make the plot progress, he was just sort of there], and Aquamarine was a bitch. The book may be centered around a mermaid, but, the book isn't really about the mermaid/fantasy whatsoever. Just about two girls who are flatter than a piece of paper. There was no depth at all and I was bored out of my mind while reading it.
There is such a lack of depth with this book that I cannot write a proper review because, well, there's NOTHING to write about.
I think this is the worst book I have read to date. Legit.
Things that truly bothered me:
- this book.
- the characters.
- the plot.
Alright, the book as a whole was just plain bad. The plot and the characters made it painful to read. It was just awful. As far as I can tell, there really wasn't much of a plot to begin with, but rather an unoriginal idea. How many books are there about best friends moving away? Hmm.. let's just throw an irritating, conceited Mermaid into that and, BAM, we have a completely new & fresh idea. Gaaah. What is wrong with people? The characters were so unbelievably flat and stupid that I cannot believe this book was published. Claire & Hailey were just stupid, Raymond was a tool [he didn't do anything to make the plot progress, he was just sort of there], and Aquamarine was a bitch. The book may be centered around a mermaid, but, the book isn't really about the mermaid/fantasy whatsoever. Just about two girls who are flatter than a piece of paper. There was no depth at all and I was bored out of my mind while reading it.
There is such a lack of depth with this book that I cannot write a proper review because, well, there's NOTHING to write about.
I think this is the worst book I have read to date. Legit.
February 18, 2012
I read this like 10 years ago in middle school, and I thought it was the CUTEST book ever! I loved it! :)
April 18, 2018
Sorry book. :P I made it to page 11 and felt like I was wasting my time. Too confusing, to backstory-y, no mermaids.
August 21, 2022
A very biased rating, but I used to reread this every summer in middle school and I still love it very much. This is another instance where the movie adaption is vastly different from the source material but both are cute and highly enjoyable! Aquamarine (the book and the movie) will always have a lil special place in my heart
April 24, 2022
NGL. Sadder than I had expected it to be
April 11, 2025
Cute story but I like the movie better.
November 9, 2022
After producing a virtual tour for Hoffman's cancer memoir in 2013, I was curious to read what she sounded like ten years earlier, so I picked up this book, not noticing that the publisher was Scholastic.
It's a mermaid story with a happy ending. :) Content is pretty mild considering what teens are reading today.
It's a mermaid story with a happy ending. :) Content is pretty mild considering what teens are reading today.
October 25, 2024
I LOVE the movie, but I didn’t like the way this story went. Obviously I knew going into in it wasn’t going to be great but wow. Needed a light read and it was a super quick read. I liked the storyline of the movie way better than this.
March 14, 2025
Better than I expected. Bailey Carr's narration was great as always.
November 21, 2023
holy cow i loved this so much. alice hoffman is maybe just my favorite author, NO ONE can write like her. it’s like she’s actually weaving love into the paper and you can truly feel it in everything she does. this was perfect for what it was and i will read it many more times 💙🐟🔵🥏🚹🥣🌀🪣
August 20, 2025
I just watched the movie for the first time a few weeks ago, so I thought I'd check out the book. It was a cute, quick read! The movie changed a lot, but it did keep the heart of the book, which is the friendship between Claire & Hailey and how they don't want to move away from each other.
January 19, 2014
I love Alice Hoffman's books, so I was very excited to read the first of her Water Tales. This is a short & sweet read about friendship and mermaids. It's for pretty young readers, but if you want a sliver of Hoffman's writing, or you want a very quick, fun read, and you love mermaids, I recommend this. Hoffman has her own style of writing. As a writer entranced by her storytelling abilities, I've been trying to understand how she weaves her narrative magic for years:D (It's true!) This smaller work is probably an easier study to deconstruct (if that's possible!) My husband is an artist, and his teacher taught him to study the masters. For me, Alice Hoffman is a master! The version of the book I got includes the first chapter of Indigo, Water Tale #2. Now, I'm anxious to read that.
This book also reminded me of Hoffman's Green Angel. I'm guessing Water Tales is probably for middle grade readers, and the Green Heart novels, of which Green Angel is the first, is more Young Adult. The two novels in the Green Heart series are also short, but they're more complex, and there's more poetry in the writing. (My opinion.) I THINK they were written after 9/11.
Also, last year we had our first Annual Alice Hoffman Blog Hop to celebrate her birthday. (March 16th, she's a Pisces!) It was an intimate and emotionally intense experience as ten readers and writers gushed about what Alice Hoffman's work means to us. Check it out, and join us on March 16th!
http://heidigwrites.blogspot.com/p/al...
This book also reminded me of Hoffman's Green Angel. I'm guessing Water Tales is probably for middle grade readers, and the Green Heart novels, of which Green Angel is the first, is more Young Adult. The two novels in the Green Heart series are also short, but they're more complex, and there's more poetry in the writing. (My opinion.) I THINK they were written after 9/11.
Also, last year we had our first Annual Alice Hoffman Blog Hop to celebrate her birthday. (March 16th, she's a Pisces!) It was an intimate and emotionally intense experience as ten readers and writers gushed about what Alice Hoffman's work means to us. Check it out, and join us on March 16th!
http://heidigwrites.blogspot.com/p/al...
May 22, 2013
I'm not really sure what I expected this book to develop into, but I was still disappointed in the result.
The "main" two girls are flat. There's the brave one and the scared, smart one. How innovative.
Next there's the dreamboat snack shack guy. He's attractive, likes to read, and going to college soon. Okay.
Annnnd then there's the mermaid. She's rude, selfish, and greedy. I was at least expecting her to develop a little throughout the book, perhaps learn a little humility, or that sometimes you have to make sacrifices for everyone's well-being, or at least to appreciate the things you have and what other people are willing to do for you. I guess she leaves something behind in the end, but I feel like those could have been reminders for the characters to think about HER, as she is rather self-obsessed. In the end, she's just as spoiled and she still gets what she wants, despite causing others dismay and slight difficulties in the process.
None of the characters truly develop. They change locations, but any of the changes (ex: Claire getting over some of her fears) seem tacked on at the end, not like the result of a true process of growth. I was disappointed.
The "main" two girls are flat. There's the brave one and the scared, smart one. How innovative.
Next there's the dreamboat snack shack guy. He's attractive, likes to read, and going to college soon. Okay.
Annnnd then there's the mermaid. She's rude, selfish, and greedy. I was at least expecting her to develop a little throughout the book, perhaps learn a little humility, or that sometimes you have to make sacrifices for everyone's well-being, or at least to appreciate the things you have and what other people are willing to do for you. I guess she leaves something behind in the end, but I feel like those could have been reminders for the characters to think about HER, as she is rather self-obsessed. In the end, she's just as spoiled and she still gets what she wants, despite causing others dismay and slight difficulties in the process.
None of the characters truly develop. They change locations, but any of the changes (ex: Claire getting over some of her fears) seem tacked on at the end, not like the result of a true process of growth. I was disappointed.
March 22, 2016
Ok, on its own, this book is okay. It's very short, but the story has interesting subject matter; it just seems like there's not much to it.
Then again, I watched the movie first, and that may have made a LOT of difference. Despite its intended audience being, oh, let's say the 10-14 set, I really enjoyed it. So imagine my surprise when I get the book out of the library, and the only things that are the same are:
1) There are two girls, Hailey and Claire, one of whom is being forced to move away.
2) There is a mermaid named Aquamarine who ends up in the pool of a beach club.
3) There is a guy named Raymond.
That's about it. I have never seen a movie SO LOOSELY based on its book, with the exception of maybe Last of the Mohicans. Honestly, I'd say go rent the movie if you want a story with a bit more depth (no mermaid puns intended).
Then again, I watched the movie first, and that may have made a LOT of difference. Despite its intended audience being, oh, let's say the 10-14 set, I really enjoyed it. So imagine my surprise when I get the book out of the library, and the only things that are the same are:
1) There are two girls, Hailey and Claire, one of whom is being forced to move away.
2) There is a mermaid named Aquamarine who ends up in the pool of a beach club.
3) There is a guy named Raymond.
That's about it. I have never seen a movie SO LOOSELY based on its book, with the exception of maybe Last of the Mohicans. Honestly, I'd say go rent the movie if you want a story with a bit more depth (no mermaid puns intended).
March 20, 2024
When I tell you this book is garbage… I’m sorry I know it’s a kids book but wow. I’m a HUGE Aquamarine movie fan, so going into this book with it being one of my top 5 fave movies of all time, probably didn’t help. This was way too fast, aquamarine is a dried out brat, and everything just had zero substance. One of the biggest disappointments reading wise, in a while.
July 21, 2014
Cute quick read.
March 2, 2018
Not what I thought it would be. Disappointed
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