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Teenage Mermaid
Spencer almost drowns in a surfing accident when a sparkling, golden girl saves him with a kiss of life before she suddenly disappears. Where did this dream girl come from, and will she return? Lilly rescues a boy from nearly drowning and dangerously steps out of her own watery world. Curious to explore this forbidden land, she's gotta find her handsome Earthdude. A silver heart locket is their only clue. Ellen Schreiber revamps a classic favorite with a funky magical romance that shows what transpires when boy meets girl, but discovers girl is really a . . .
160 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2003
23 people are currently reading
2086 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Schreiber
53 books4,201 followersBefore I took pen to paper, I was an actress. I attended a local university majoring in theatre and spent a summer in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts where I learned about the “Old Bard” from amazingly talented teachers.
When I returned from London, I relocated to Chicago where I lived for five years. There, I graduated from the Second City Training Center and performed improv, Shakespeare, comedies and dramas--I even sang and danced on a cruise boat--without falling in Lake Michigan! A classmate of mine from Second City and I created and performed a two woman show for a year before I braved it alone doing stand-up comedy. It was during this time I began to write an adult novel about a rock star--I had always enjoyed writing...
Fast forward a couple of years along with a move home where I was performing “stand-up” at comedy clubs in the area. On a plane to LA to decide my fate-- “to move to LA or not to move to LA” that is the question, my big bro, Mark, coincidentally with the same last name as mine (author of PRINCES IN EXILE, DREAMS OF THE SOLO TRAPEZE and STARCROSSED) handed me a young adult book he found at the library he thought I’d like to read during the flight.
As I read the book, I thought, ‘I can do this!’
I returned from LA, and instead of moving there, I wrote my story about the rock star as a young adult novel and called it JOHNNY LIGHTNING.
Mark, my writing mentor, edited JL for me. He was kind enough to send the manuscript to his publisher in Belgium--Facet--and they published it! In Dutch!
I was now on a new life path!
In 2001 HarperCollins made me an offer I couldn’t refuse! Not only was HarperCollins going to publish TEENAGE MERMAID, but it was in a language I could read and book stores I could walk into! HarperCollins also bought VAMPIRE KISSES and COMEDY GIRL.
It was a dream come true!
Since beginning my new life path, VAMPIRE KISSES, TEENAGE MERMAID, and MY MOTHER, THE CLOWN have been published by Facet in Belgium and JOHNNY LIGHTNING has been published in Germany by Ravensburger.
Then my fabulous editor at HarperCollins asked me for a sequel to VAMPIRE KISSES!
HarperCollins published VAMPIRE KISSES 2--KISSING COFFINS and now the soon to be released VAMPIRE KISSES 3--VAMPIREVILLE. I am currently writing VAMPIRE KISSES 4!
When I'm not writing about the love affair between vampire obsessed, goth girl Raven and my favorite mysterious dark-eyed hottie, Alexander Sterling, I enjoy working on my other novels, shopping for Hello Kitty items, and attempting to gain control of the remote from my boyfriend.
When I returned from London, I relocated to Chicago where I lived for five years. There, I graduated from the Second City Training Center and performed improv, Shakespeare, comedies and dramas--I even sang and danced on a cruise boat--without falling in Lake Michigan! A classmate of mine from Second City and I created and performed a two woman show for a year before I braved it alone doing stand-up comedy. It was during this time I began to write an adult novel about a rock star--I had always enjoyed writing...
Fast forward a couple of years along with a move home where I was performing “stand-up” at comedy clubs in the area. On a plane to LA to decide my fate-- “to move to LA or not to move to LA” that is the question, my big bro, Mark, coincidentally with the same last name as mine (author of PRINCES IN EXILE, DREAMS OF THE SOLO TRAPEZE and STARCROSSED) handed me a young adult book he found at the library he thought I’d like to read during the flight.
As I read the book, I thought, ‘I can do this!’
I returned from LA, and instead of moving there, I wrote my story about the rock star as a young adult novel and called it JOHNNY LIGHTNING.
Mark, my writing mentor, edited JL for me. He was kind enough to send the manuscript to his publisher in Belgium--Facet--and they published it! In Dutch!
I was now on a new life path!
In 2001 HarperCollins made me an offer I couldn’t refuse! Not only was HarperCollins going to publish TEENAGE MERMAID, but it was in a language I could read and book stores I could walk into! HarperCollins also bought VAMPIRE KISSES and COMEDY GIRL.
It was a dream come true!
Since beginning my new life path, VAMPIRE KISSES, TEENAGE MERMAID, and MY MOTHER, THE CLOWN have been published by Facet in Belgium and JOHNNY LIGHTNING has been published in Germany by Ravensburger.
Then my fabulous editor at HarperCollins asked me for a sequel to VAMPIRE KISSES!
HarperCollins published VAMPIRE KISSES 2--KISSING COFFINS and now the soon to be released VAMPIRE KISSES 3--VAMPIREVILLE. I am currently writing VAMPIRE KISSES 4!
When I'm not writing about the love affair between vampire obsessed, goth girl Raven and my favorite mysterious dark-eyed hottie, Alexander Sterling, I enjoy working on my other novels, shopping for Hello Kitty items, and attempting to gain control of the remote from my boyfriend.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
February 4, 2017
This was so cute! I wish there was more! It was such a quick and easy read. I totally recommend it if you want a quick and easy mermaid read. It's definitely for a younger audience since both of the main characters are 15. If you can get past that then this is such a cute read.
July 25, 2009
This is one of those books that I just stumbled upon at my local library. Schreiber is an author that I have been meaning to read, but with my TBR pile at least a mile long, her books have a bad tendency to get constantly pushed back in the pile. However, I was feeling I was in the mood for a fairy tale so I finally decided to give this book a try.
Teenage Mermaid is pretty much what I thought it would be. The plot focuses on Waterlilly (the mermaid) and Spencer (the Earthee) who happen to meet while Spencer is in the middle of drowning. Of course, she saves his life and disappears only moments later. He pines for her, she pines for him... I am pretty sure that you know The Little Mermaid plot.
What I liked:
It was a quick read at only 150 pages. Generally, I like her writing style and the new twist she put on the tale. It was a bit refreshing (and funny) to see the characters act like valley girls and boys. Also thanks to the book, I now have tons of funny little quotes-- my favorite is: "I would have even kissed Arnold Schwarzenegger in a blue bikini" (p.37). I feel like Schreiber set out to have fun with this book, and she definately suceeded.
What I did not like:
Although I liked a lot about this book, it is not without its problems. Many of the characters were overly stereotyped and sometimes annoyed me. I liked the main characters, but almost all of the secondary characters could have disappeared and I would not have cared-- I just do not think they added much to the story. For example, one character I really did not care for was Robin. She is a friend of Spencer's who is depicted as different by always wearing dark baggy clothes and being an outcast. She is also in love with Spencer and continuously throwing herself at him. What bothered me the most about her character is that she undergoes an ugly duckling type transformation, but Screiber never explains why. I mean one scene she is normal Robin, then she is "total babe" Robin. It just did not make any sense. My other grip is the necklace. It is basically what bring Lilly and Spencer together. Schreiber hints at it being magical or have magical powers, but it is not really explored. I would start to think Schreiber was going to further explain the necklace, but then she would go off in a different direction.
Overall, it was a good read with some issues. If you like fairy tale retellings, you should like the book since is a fun and offers an interesting twist. I would have liked this book to have more substance to it, but I am not heartbroken that it did not.
Teenage Mermaid is pretty much what I thought it would be. The plot focuses on Waterlilly (the mermaid) and Spencer (the Earthee) who happen to meet while Spencer is in the middle of drowning. Of course, she saves his life and disappears only moments later. He pines for her, she pines for him... I am pretty sure that you know The Little Mermaid plot.
What I liked:
It was a quick read at only 150 pages. Generally, I like her writing style and the new twist she put on the tale. It was a bit refreshing (and funny) to see the characters act like valley girls and boys. Also thanks to the book, I now have tons of funny little quotes-- my favorite is: "I would have even kissed Arnold Schwarzenegger in a blue bikini" (p.37). I feel like Schreiber set out to have fun with this book, and she definately suceeded.
What I did not like:
Although I liked a lot about this book, it is not without its problems. Many of the characters were overly stereotyped and sometimes annoyed me. I liked the main characters, but almost all of the secondary characters could have disappeared and I would not have cared-- I just do not think they added much to the story. For example, one character I really did not care for was Robin. She is a friend of Spencer's who is depicted as different by always wearing dark baggy clothes and being an outcast. She is also in love with Spencer and continuously throwing herself at him. What bothered me the most about her character is that she undergoes an ugly duckling type transformation, but Screiber never explains why. I mean one scene she is normal Robin, then she is "total babe" Robin. It just did not make any sense. My other grip is the necklace. It is basically what bring Lilly and Spencer together. Schreiber hints at it being magical or have magical powers, but it is not really explored. I would start to think Schreiber was going to further explain the necklace, but then she would go off in a different direction.
Overall, it was a good read with some issues. If you like fairy tale retellings, you should like the book since is a fun and offers an interesting twist. I would have liked this book to have more substance to it, but I am not heartbroken that it did not.
September 14, 2016
This is a cute little mermaid inspired story and I enjoyed it
August 16, 2011
I absolutly loved this book.Everthing about it.Really.Even though it's on the short side,it's worth reading.I re-read it so many times.I just love re-reading the story because you see the whole story unfold.Again and again.It doesn't get old for me.I read it as a paperback,despiet the what the edition says.It's such an old book for me.The cover is a little ripped,and many pages are bookmarked.For me,those are signs of a loved book.Two other signs is re-reading it over and over and wanting to buy the book after reading it from the library.My favorite books shelf shows all the books I've read and absolutly love these books.If you want any suggestions,look there.
Back to the book.
This book is definatly worth your time and money.I love it so much.If there is going to be a sequel to this book,I would absolutly be very,VERY happy.It is going into my "wish there was a sequel " shelf.(As soon as I make one!)Try this book,you won't regret it.I promise.You can thank me later.
-Emmy96
Back to the book.
This book is definatly worth your time and money.I love it so much.If there is going to be a sequel to this book,I would absolutly be very,VERY happy.It is going into my "wish there was a sequel " shelf.(As soon as I make one!)Try this book,you won't regret it.I promise.You can thank me later.
-Emmy96
September 21, 2024
3 stars
This book is about teen love.
At some point, I would have thought it was a cute story, but when I read it, I kind of skimmed through it. So it didn't work out for me.
This book is about teen love.
At some point, I would have thought it was a cute story, but when I read it, I kind of skimmed through it. So it didn't work out for me.
October 31, 2017
It’s the sign of a true retelling fanatic when you pull up a book like Teenage Mermaid that you haven’t read for over ten years just because you’re curious how it holds up. It’s probably the sign of a fanatic that I even still have this book after long outgrowing it. I blame nostalgia. It came from the good old elementary school Scholastic days, when shiny new paperbacks were delivered to you at the end of a class day in a sealed plastic bag; those days were kind of magical. Or it could just be that nice, cool blue, Ariel-style cover; I do like that cover.
But, nostalgia aside, Teenage Mermaid is not a particularly sophisticated story. Were it not for two instances where a character says “damn”, I’d say it safely belongs among a readership of nine-year-olds (which is about how old I was when I read it). The writing, from an adult perspective, is really cringe-y—a whole lot of fish puns and exclamation points, and the characterization is overly simplistic. The mer-society under the sea, a punny reflection of stereotypical American high school culture—a bunch of “finball” players and undersea diners where they chill out after mer-school—is kind of ridiculous and groan-worthy (although I was entertained by the grungy, drug-filled underworld where Lilly went to get her magic potion, a human-society parallel that I certainly didn’t appreciate or understand as a child).
To a certain extent, I’m willing to let its cheesiness and simplicity off the hook (bad fish pun) because it IS meant for a younger audience—which is not to say that kids are stupid. But they ARE less critical and not as concerned about things like interior character conflict and the dynamics of mermaid society, like I am. I know when I read Teenage Mermaid as an elementary schooler, I liked it just fine—heck, I think I liked it a lot—and the stuff that bugs me about it now didn’t cross my young mind at all.
But, you know, it’s a weird book because it straddles the line between young adult and childish content—technically, it’s marketed as Young Adult even though it so doesn’t read that way—and a part of me ended up judging it pretty hard this time around for certain things. For example, the love story: every single part of me says “irrational, childish, teenage hormones”—the romance is given almost no time to develop and both narrators are so clearly young that it’s hard to take their proclamations of love seriously. But these are also criticisms that have been lobbed by many (including me) at The Little Mermaid. And The Little Mermaid happens to be one of my favorite stories of all time.
Minor side-tangent (which is kind of relevant): as a stickler for characterization and well-developed relationships, I have a complicated relationship with The Little Mermaid tale—certainly I think that Ariel and Eric of the 1989 film are one of the blandest Disney couples ever (fight me, I dare you) and I still have that “dumb teenagers, stop throwing your lives away on a relationship where you barely know each other” reaction to that film. BUT. There are other versions of the story where I get it, and I’m as swept away by it all as the two star-crossed lovers; The Little Mermaid musical has one of my favorite romances of all time. The Siren is also a great example. And Once On This Island. So I’d be a big old hypocrite if I accused Teenage Mermaid of this when technically so many other versions of the story do the same. I’m just less inclined to believe it here because Schreiber’s writing is so glib and the storytelling so high school and fish punny and quick that we don’t see or feel Lilly or Spencer connect. Teenage Mermaid doesn’t have a "One Step Closer". But the central plot point is not something I can in good conscience sneer at because I fall for it completely in similar stories. I can (and will) fault the book for not giving us more time or character development, but I also have to remember that this book is for a younger audience, and younger me was pretty okay with all of it.
But, oh hell, it is corny and cliched, the kind of juvenile writing that grates like nails on a chalkboard. The dialogue is SO BAD: Spencer gets the absolute worst of the dramatic love proclamations that plague the novel’s back half—“a white rose for your skin, a yellow one for your hair, a pink one for your lips”—but both narrators have some nauseating statements. “I felt his soul in mine.” “This is the softest thing I’ve touched besides your lips.” Excuse me as I just vomit over here.
No, what really makes Teenage Mermaid interesting—and why it’s stuck with me for all these years—is the ending, which is messy but pretty effective. Messy endings can work; dissatisfaction can be a good thing as long as it makes you think. And I have thought about this ending for years. On a basic human level, it’s depressing and frustrating (a character leaves his/her family behind forever) and on a critical reading level it feels wrong (Lilly is interested in the human world, but there’s no payoff for her; there are implications that Spencer was unhappy in his life, but you need more than two tossed-off lines for that to sit right with such a dramatic change), but it’s also fascinating because there’s a necessary element to it all. It isn’t so much a selfish decision as it is a sacrificial one, and that adds an element to it that no other Little Mermaid retelling has ever had before.
And, you know what, as messy as that ending reads, and as corny and shallow as most of what came before it, I must give Teenage Mermaid some serious points for hitting on some of the central themes of The Little Mermaid (upon which it is clearly based), however clumsily: how two starry-eyed, impulsive teens can find a connection that most adults will likely roll their eyes at but feels powerfully real to them, and how someone must sacrifice something and leave an old life behind to be with the person he or she loves. It might not be entirely satisfying, it might be crazy and superficial, but it's a definite theme of the story, and as a retelling buff, I appreciate it. And that, most likely, is the real reason why it has stuck with me all of these years.
But not everyone in the world is a retelling buff and so I can’t say Teenage Mermaid will have such semi-redeeming qualities for them. It’s probably really only worth it for retelling buffs, people who are nostalgic because they read it as children, and actual children. I wish it had held up a little better than it did, but it’s not terrible—just very juvenile—and there is an audience out there for it. And it fed younger-me’s mermaid obsession, which would eventually lead me to superior retellings of the story—like the spectacular Broadway musical or The Siren—so it certainly had its use.
3 stars.
But, nostalgia aside, Teenage Mermaid is not a particularly sophisticated story. Were it not for two instances where a character says “damn”, I’d say it safely belongs among a readership of nine-year-olds (which is about how old I was when I read it). The writing, from an adult perspective, is really cringe-y—a whole lot of fish puns and exclamation points, and the characterization is overly simplistic. The mer-society under the sea, a punny reflection of stereotypical American high school culture—a bunch of “finball” players and undersea diners where they chill out after mer-school—is kind of ridiculous and groan-worthy (although I was entertained by the grungy, drug-filled underworld where Lilly went to get her magic potion, a human-society parallel that I certainly didn’t appreciate or understand as a child).
To a certain extent, I’m willing to let its cheesiness and simplicity off the hook (bad fish pun) because it IS meant for a younger audience—which is not to say that kids are stupid. But they ARE less critical and not as concerned about things like interior character conflict and the dynamics of mermaid society, like I am. I know when I read Teenage Mermaid as an elementary schooler, I liked it just fine—heck, I think I liked it a lot—and the stuff that bugs me about it now didn’t cross my young mind at all.
But, you know, it’s a weird book because it straddles the line between young adult and childish content—technically, it’s marketed as Young Adult even though it so doesn’t read that way—and a part of me ended up judging it pretty hard this time around for certain things. For example, the love story: every single part of me says “irrational, childish, teenage hormones”—the romance is given almost no time to develop and both narrators are so clearly young that it’s hard to take their proclamations of love seriously. But these are also criticisms that have been lobbed by many (including me) at The Little Mermaid. And The Little Mermaid happens to be one of my favorite stories of all time.
Minor side-tangent (which is kind of relevant): as a stickler for characterization and well-developed relationships, I have a complicated relationship with The Little Mermaid tale—certainly I think that Ariel and Eric of the 1989 film are one of the blandest Disney couples ever (fight me, I dare you) and I still have that “dumb teenagers, stop throwing your lives away on a relationship where you barely know each other” reaction to that film. BUT. There are other versions of the story where I get it, and I’m as swept away by it all as the two star-crossed lovers; The Little Mermaid musical has one of my favorite romances of all time. The Siren is also a great example. And Once On This Island. So I’d be a big old hypocrite if I accused Teenage Mermaid of this when technically so many other versions of the story do the same. I’m just less inclined to believe it here because Schreiber’s writing is so glib and the storytelling so high school and fish punny and quick that we don’t see or feel Lilly or Spencer connect. Teenage Mermaid doesn’t have a "One Step Closer". But the central plot point is not something I can in good conscience sneer at because I fall for it completely in similar stories. I can (and will) fault the book for not giving us more time or character development, but I also have to remember that this book is for a younger audience, and younger me was pretty okay with all of it.
But, oh hell, it is corny and cliched, the kind of juvenile writing that grates like nails on a chalkboard. The dialogue is SO BAD: Spencer gets the absolute worst of the dramatic love proclamations that plague the novel’s back half—“a white rose for your skin, a yellow one for your hair, a pink one for your lips”—but both narrators have some nauseating statements. “I felt his soul in mine.” “This is the softest thing I’ve touched besides your lips.” Excuse me as I just vomit over here.
No, what really makes Teenage Mermaid interesting—and why it’s stuck with me for all these years—is the ending, which is messy but pretty effective. Messy endings can work; dissatisfaction can be a good thing as long as it makes you think. And I have thought about this ending for years. On a basic human level, it’s depressing and frustrating (a character leaves his/her family behind forever) and on a critical reading level it feels wrong (Lilly is interested in the human world, but there’s no payoff for her; there are implications that Spencer was unhappy in his life, but you need more than two tossed-off lines for that to sit right with such a dramatic change), but it’s also fascinating because there’s a necessary element to it all. It isn’t so much a selfish decision as it is a sacrificial one, and that adds an element to it that no other Little Mermaid retelling has ever had before.
And, you know what, as messy as that ending reads, and as corny and shallow as most of what came before it, I must give Teenage Mermaid some serious points for hitting on some of the central themes of The Little Mermaid (upon which it is clearly based), however clumsily: how two starry-eyed, impulsive teens can find a connection that most adults will likely roll their eyes at but feels powerfully real to them, and how someone must sacrifice something and leave an old life behind to be with the person he or she loves. It might not be entirely satisfying, it might be crazy and superficial, but it's a definite theme of the story, and as a retelling buff, I appreciate it. And that, most likely, is the real reason why it has stuck with me all of these years.
But not everyone in the world is a retelling buff and so I can’t say Teenage Mermaid will have such semi-redeeming qualities for them. It’s probably really only worth it for retelling buffs, people who are nostalgic because they read it as children, and actual children. I wish it had held up a little better than it did, but it’s not terrible—just very juvenile—and there is an audience out there for it. And it fed younger-me’s mermaid obsession, which would eventually lead me to superior retellings of the story—like the spectacular Broadway musical or The Siren—so it certainly had its use.
3 stars.
July 29, 2018
It's dumb, it's chock full of cliches, there's a few jokes that feel a bit out of place reading it in 2018...and despite that, I love it.
It knows exactly what it is. It makes fun of teen comedies, mermaid cliches, and everything in between. The writing is snappy and the characters are constantly quipping. Spencer is really dense at times, but that's kinda part of the fun. Lilly is comically naive. It's essentially a teenaged version of the movie Splash, with more modern teen cliches thrown in and minus the whole government capturing aspect, which honestly, works in the books favor.
It's a very quick read, and there's not really much to judge here, or to spoil. The main characters are fun, the plot is fun and light, and it pokes fun at various mermaid tropes and teen movie/book cliches. If you have a couple of hours free and you enjoy lighthearted stories, then it's definitely worth the read.
It knows exactly what it is. It makes fun of teen comedies, mermaid cliches, and everything in between. The writing is snappy and the characters are constantly quipping. Spencer is really dense at times, but that's kinda part of the fun. Lilly is comically naive. It's essentially a teenaged version of the movie Splash, with more modern teen cliches thrown in and minus the whole government capturing aspect, which honestly, works in the books favor.
It's a very quick read, and there's not really much to judge here, or to spoil. The main characters are fun, the plot is fun and light, and it pokes fun at various mermaid tropes and teen movie/book cliches. If you have a couple of hours free and you enjoy lighthearted stories, then it's definitely worth the read.
December 7, 2020
What to say about this.
I have read the entire Vampire Kisses, the entire Full Moon trilogy and all of the manga books Blood Relatives and Graveyard Games. I have enjoyed it all. This one was comparatively alright but disappointed me somewhat based on the other stories this author had published and that I have read.
I have always loved mermaids from the time I was small. This story doesn't feel very original to me. It doesn't stand out. It's not a bad story and I'm not disappointed I read this, however, it's very cliché and felt just like the Little Mermaid a bit too much. It's a decent story, I won't deny it but I didn't catch anything that really stood out amongst most mermaid stories. Feel free to give this a read of you don't mind the lack in, for lack of better wording, creativity and solidarity as something original and different from what other stories have been done before. Read if you love the cliché stories that are done in repetition over and over everywhere else.
I have read the entire Vampire Kisses, the entire Full Moon trilogy and all of the manga books Blood Relatives and Graveyard Games. I have enjoyed it all. This one was comparatively alright but disappointed me somewhat based on the other stories this author had published and that I have read.
I have always loved mermaids from the time I was small. This story doesn't feel very original to me. It doesn't stand out. It's not a bad story and I'm not disappointed I read this, however, it's very cliché and felt just like the Little Mermaid a bit too much. It's a decent story, I won't deny it but I didn't catch anything that really stood out amongst most mermaid stories. Feel free to give this a read of you don't mind the lack in, for lack of better wording, creativity and solidarity as something original and different from what other stories have been done before. Read if you love the cliché stories that are done in repetition over and over everywhere else.
July 25, 2019
This book is a short and cute read. Fun for a bit of relaxation but you may be disappointed if you’re looking to throw yourself into the world of the story instead of just being an onlooker for this one. It’s a bit shallow in that way. Overall, a good read for a younger audience or a gentle read for a quick bubbly mermaid story.
February 1, 2018
As much as I love and can handle Ellen's writing and silliness. This was way too cringy for me. It felt so cartoony and targeted for a much younger audience.
December 30, 2018
So,its for really young readers.Entertaining and short.Zero character development.Like a Disney movie, sweet, fairytale like. Okay for when you ard bored,but way too short.
March 22, 2020
I really like what world building we had of the underwater society. I probably would have liked it more if I were younger.
July 19, 2020
Ok, nothing special, but not too bad.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
January 3, 2024
4/5: En su momento me gustó
November 26, 2024
Cringe.
December 6, 2025
loved this book so much i bought my own copy, as if i wasn’t already obsessed with mermaids
December 3, 2017
Teenage Mermaid is loosely based on the classic fairytale, but the title is misleading. The main characters are technically teenagers, but I think the target audience is around 11. This is more like a Nickelodeon version of what high school is like.
None of the characters are very well developed and the drama is pretty shallow, so it's hard to immerse yourself in Schreiber's world. The undersea scenes are better than the ones on land, mainly because this is a chance for some deviations from Hans Christian Andersen's tale, but even here the book reads like a pulp romance translated into the ocean.
Nothing really objectionable here, but nothing very inspiring, either. Kids (not adolescents) might find it a fast, enjoyable story. Everyone else will be rolling their eyes along with the protagonist.
None of the characters are very well developed and the drama is pretty shallow, so it's hard to immerse yourself in Schreiber's world. The undersea scenes are better than the ones on land, mainly because this is a chance for some deviations from Hans Christian Andersen's tale, but even here the book reads like a pulp romance translated into the ocean.
Nothing really objectionable here, but nothing very inspiring, either. Kids (not adolescents) might find it a fast, enjoyable story. Everyone else will be rolling their eyes along with the protagonist.
April 1, 2020
It was a very good book. I like the style of how the author writes it.
December 4, 2014
3 stars - YA Fantasy Romance
The pages looked a lot but actually, it took me few hours to finish it. This book tells about a forbidden love between human (Spencer) and a mermaid (Waterlily/Lily). A dude who loves to surf, got knocked off by his surfboard and nearly got drowned. Only then a mermaid, Lily, came to rescue his life but then a locket belonged to the mermaid was being pulled accidentally by Spencer. Since, she was afraid to being sent to Atlantic ocean, she risked her ocean life and everything to get the locket bad - to become a human.
Then - fall in love, curiosity, revelation etc etc.
The last thing you know when Spencer said, "I didn't have to say goodbye, after all. In fact, I was just beginning to say hello". Curious? Go read the book.
Okay, the storyline is really super-fast. Everything happened really fast. It's like you're driving a car at 100km/hr. I've found a lil' fun in it as the story was told too fast. But so far, I recommended this book especially to teen readers. So far, good.
The pages looked a lot but actually, it took me few hours to finish it. This book tells about a forbidden love between human (Spencer) and a mermaid (Waterlily/Lily). A dude who loves to surf, got knocked off by his surfboard and nearly got drowned. Only then a mermaid, Lily, came to rescue his life but then a locket belonged to the mermaid was being pulled accidentally by Spencer. Since, she was afraid to being sent to Atlantic ocean, she risked her ocean life and everything to get the locket bad - to become a human.
Then - fall in love, curiosity, revelation etc etc.
The last thing you know when Spencer said, "I didn't have to say goodbye, after all. In fact, I was just beginning to say hello". Curious? Go read the book.
Okay, the storyline is really super-fast. Everything happened really fast. It's like you're driving a car at 100km/hr. I've found a lil' fun in it as the story was told too fast. But so far, I recommended this book especially to teen readers. So far, good.
January 10, 2008
Cute love story between a rebellious teen mermaid and a hopelessly romantic human teen boy. They narrate alternating chapters.
Lilly rescues Spencer when he falls off his surfboard and nearly drowns. During the rescue, he grabs the necklace she is wearing. Since it is an heirloom that belongs to her mother that Lilly is not supposed to be wearing, she is desperate to get it back. Thanks to a potion from the sea witch, Lilly spends a glorious day with Spencer, but is having such a great time that she returns to the ocean without the necklace.
Crazy in love, Lilly is soon back in the sketchy part of the ocean getting more potion from the sea witch. Luckily, the sea witch sympathizes with Lilly, as she once loved a human too.
Sophisticated readers will see the end coming from miles away, but younger teens will relate to the strong emotions and Lilly and Spencer get swept away on a wave of love at first sight.
Lilly rescues Spencer when he falls off his surfboard and nearly drowns. During the rescue, he grabs the necklace she is wearing. Since it is an heirloom that belongs to her mother that Lilly is not supposed to be wearing, she is desperate to get it back. Thanks to a potion from the sea witch, Lilly spends a glorious day with Spencer, but is having such a great time that she returns to the ocean without the necklace.
Crazy in love, Lilly is soon back in the sketchy part of the ocean getting more potion from the sea witch. Luckily, the sea witch sympathizes with Lilly, as she once loved a human too.
Sophisticated readers will see the end coming from miles away, but younger teens will relate to the strong emotions and Lilly and Spencer get swept away on a wave of love at first sight.
April 30, 2013
For me this one was on the young side of young adult. I usually enjoy YA books. But this one was a bit young for me.
It reminds me alot of the little mermaid. Every few minutes there was a parallel of some kind. So it really felt to me as though the Author wrote this with Little Mermaid in mind.
It was ok. I dont know, maybe its because it did feel so young, that it just didnt strike anything with me. It was just... ok. I read it all in under an hour, so its a short read. I couldent sleep and it was at the top of my to-read list on my kindle.
It has good reviews, which is what prompted me to pick it up. The duel views is something i typically enjoy. But sometimes the chapters were really short. I kept expecting the story to delve deeper into description and what was going on around and under the sea. But i didnt get that and i think that is in part why im not giving this a higher rating.
Good for the pre-teen range i think. Short and to the point. :)
It reminds me alot of the little mermaid. Every few minutes there was a parallel of some kind. So it really felt to me as though the Author wrote this with Little Mermaid in mind.
It was ok. I dont know, maybe its because it did feel so young, that it just didnt strike anything with me. It was just... ok. I read it all in under an hour, so its a short read. I couldent sleep and it was at the top of my to-read list on my kindle.
It has good reviews, which is what prompted me to pick it up. The duel views is something i typically enjoy. But sometimes the chapters were really short. I kept expecting the story to delve deeper into description and what was going on around and under the sea. But i didnt get that and i think that is in part why im not giving this a higher rating.
Good for the pre-teen range i think. Short and to the point. :)
May 14, 2011
I adore mermaid tales, you all know this. This one was a modern teenager take on The Little Mermaid. A mermaid saves a surfer dude from drowning and then takes a potion to land and become human for awhile. Not the best story, but charming and warm. I liked the creative ideas of what life under the sea was like. I liked the way that the love between the surfer dude and the mermaid was described, very magical. But the story was too brief in the telling and too full of modern wannabe teenager language. I never felt like too much was at stake, and so that was disappointing. But I really did enjoy reading it just because of my love for mermaid tales! :)
July 6, 2012
Uhhhhhhhhh.......Why? This book was so unbelievably predictable. Usually, I really like mermaid stories. This one....? No. I got through about the first 20 pages, got super bored, guessed what the ending would vaguely be like...and what do you know? Spot on! Except for one super cliche detail.....broken heart? Really? Broken hearts can be so romanticly tragic and perfect-if you do it a certain way. This one made me laugh because of it, at least. Some people probably like this book, so good for you if you do. But do not expect me to agree with you.
August 21, 2016
Ever read a book that's so bad it's morbidly fascinating? That's how I felt about Teenage Mermaid. It was a donation to my classroom library, so I felt an obligation to read it. The story is very brief and while the premise is interesting, the plotting is non-existent and the characterization is flat. Only the two main characters are drawn with any detail--and most of that revolves around physical attributes. I know some readers will enjoy it for its mindless sit-com quality, but I can't recommend it.
November 11, 2009
Spencer almost drowns in a surfing accident when a sparkling, golden girl saves him with a kiss of life before she suddenly disappears. Where did this dream girl come from, and will she return?
Lilly rescues a boy from nearly drowning and dangerously steps out of her own watery world. Curious to explore this forbidden land, she's gotta find her handsome Earthdude.
A silver heart locket is their only clue.
Lilly rescues a boy from nearly drowning and dangerously steps out of her own watery world. Curious to explore this forbidden land, she's gotta find her handsome Earthdude.
A silver heart locket is their only clue.
February 8, 2013
Oh mi DIOS!, esto es exactamente lo que una chica de 15 años NO DEBE LEER! POR FAVOR!! aiiish esto fue demasiado meloso, el principio estuvo bien, el problema fueron las ultimas 20 paginas! casi vomito con taaanta cursileria xD ademas de que a los 15 años no vas a encontrar el VERDADERO AMOR, o tu alma gemela o media naranja -como lo pongan-.
Ya pues si no te gusta las cosas empalagosas no leas este libro n.n
Ya pues si no te gusta las cosas empalagosas no leas este libro n.n
April 30, 2013
I picked this book up looking for a mermaid book to read over the summer. It really caught my attention because its a modern reselling of a classic story and I was really excited to read it. But, it wasn't worth my time, the plot is really cliche and predictable ( not in the I know the little mermaid story way but in a I can already tell where this is going way) it's a book more for preteens because it was very boring for me.
February 3, 2014
This author uses a lot of personification, imagery, and similies. Spencer nearly drowns but is saved by a beautiful girl but he cannot see her face, she pulls him out of the water to shore where another girl gets help and saves him. Also, the girl comes out of her comfort zone for an adventure in the surface world, pretty good book actually. I reccommend reading this during the summer time. Although it is a short book, it is worth reading.
July 27, 2010
I really enjoyed this one. It didn't have quite as much humor as Vampire Kisses, but the way Schreiber took the typical cliches and turned them into something original was amazing. I love Lilly and Spencer.
And the ending reminded me of "The Lady or the Tiger." Why? Because it's vague in a good way.
And the ending reminded me of "The Lady or the Tiger." Why? Because it's vague in a good way.
April 24, 2011
I read this a long time ago. I loved this teen romance story. It was so cute and it made my heart feel warm and fuzzy.My favorite part was when Sadly, since I bought this book when I was in 5th grade I lost it. :(
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