Allen, E. (Released June 13, 2006). Aquamarine. [Motion picture]. United States: 20th Century Fox Studios.
· Plot Summary
Hilary and Claire are lifelong friends, but at the end of the Summer, Hailey finds out that her mother plans to move away from their beloved Florida. The girls make a wish that will enable them not to be separated, a tropical storm hits the region, and fills the swimming pool at the hotel owned by Hilary's grandparents. When the girls discover that the storm has landed a real mermaid in the pool, they resort to keeping her a secret. Aquamarine has legs everyday until sundown, except on those occasions when she is in the water, and eventually falls literally head over heels for local hunk, Raymond. Finally, Aquamarine returns to her oceanic home, but grants her friend's wish in a way that will allow all three girls to be reunited in the future.
· Critical Evaluation
A quirky romp suitable for girls in the early tweens years. A good resolution to the dilemma faced by all three girls. Suffers some by lack of acting experience on the parts of some of the thespians, but probably not sufficiently to keep tweens from being amused.
· Reader’s Annotation
Based on information gained about the novel, this adaptation does not seem true to the original source material. If the reader of Hoffman's novel is hoping for a true version, they will not find it in this film.
· Genre
Fiction, Fantasy
· Booktalking Ideas
Mermaids and other sea creatures in myth and legend.
· Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 4-6/Ages 9-11
· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
This was a DVD my daughter owned, but I had been previously disappointed by the adaption of Hoffman's novel, Practical Magic, so I was in no rush to see this when it came out. From what I can determine, Hoffman's novel may again be far removed from this version, in that Aquamarine begins to die from her time outside the ocean, and must be moved about in a wheelchair.
