A review by 24hourlibrary
Aquamarine by Alice Hoffman

4.0

Hoffman's Aquamarine leads readers into late summer with a story of friendship and coming of age. Full of symbolism that is both charmingly natural and obvious enough to be an excellent source for school papers, the short novel introduces readers to a world where mermaids are real and Claire and Hailey's friendship is about to face a big test. Hoffman gives her characters reasonably realistic agency, which is especially refreshing as many other novelists who might take on this story would prefer to focus on the tale's love story. Exciting and told with comfortable and cozy prose that feels like childhood summers, Aquamarine includes excellent lines such as, "...a mermaid love is more irrational than a jellyfish and more stubborn than a barnacle," and "He'd read so many books that he thought he knew how every story ended." A great read aloud for connecting with young readers or a great choice for independent readers, Aquamarine stands up to time seventeen years after its publication.