Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Themes
Synopsis
*A vain teenaged girl is obsessed with beauty and perfection until she uncovers a devastating family secret.* *Click*. Sukie Jamieson takes a selfie after her tennis lesson. *Click*. She takes one before she has to give a presentation in class. *Click*. She takes one to be sure there's nothing in her teeth after eating pizza at Clementi's. And if she can't take a selfie, she checks her reflection in windows, spoons, car chrome—anything available, really. So when her mother gives her an exquisite full-length mirror that once belonged to her grandmother, Sukie is thrilled. So thrilled that she doesn't listen to her mother's warning: “This mirror will be your best friend and worst enemy.” Because mirrors, as Sukie discovers, show not only the faraway truth but the truth close up. And finding out that close-up truth changes people. Often forever. Acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Delia Ephron crafts a powerful novel of truth, beauty, and the secrets about family and friends that lie beneath perfection.
Is The Girl with the Mermaid Hair appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 11 and up.
A thoughtful middle grade story about a girl obsessed with appearance who learns deeper truths through a magical mirror. Addresses body image, self-worth, and family secrets with age-appropriate sensitivity.
What to know going in
This book has no graphic violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include body image issues and anxiety.
Who'll love this
Readers who worry about how they look or struggle with social media will relate to Sukie's journey of discovering what really matters.