Holly can’t help that she looks different from the other kids, especially with her fish-like eyes. After all, she is secretly a mermaid. Instead of living near the sea like the rest of their kind, Holly and her mother reside on the Vermont side of Lake Champlain. Her mother is a member of Clear Water Mer, an underground mermaid environmental group stationed on the lake. Holly spends her days trying to fit in while avoiding Brad Aster, a school bully who torments her. Holly learns of a threat to her beloved lake that will affect Brad’s family farm as well. When Brad spies Holly in mermaid form, he offers a deal—if she helps him find sunken treasure, he’ll keep her identity safe. Holly and her nemesis must work together to find the treasure and foil the plans that could hurt those they love. But can they find the fortune before it’s too late? And will Brad, whom Holly has no choice but to trust, keep her secret from the world?
Maija Barnett grew up in Central Vermont and now lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two teenage daughters. She loves nature, poetry, hiking in the woods with her dog, and finding ways to get kids excited about reading. Maija holds degrees in English and teaching and currently teaches at a school for students with learning differences. She is also the author of Heart Like a Broken Arrow.