Eleven-year-old Anthoni Gillis has always wanted a True Blue Friend. It’s been hard to find one while bouncing from town to town, helping her mother sell Beauty and the Bee cosmetic products to keep them both afloat. This summer at Thunder Lake will be different though. Anthoni has a plan-a foolproof checklist for making lifelong friends! There won’t be any maybes this time. But as she grows entangled in local rumors about the Boulay Mermaid, Anthoni must decide if she’ll “stick to the plan,” like always, or dive into a summer full of extraordinary possibilities. Cameron’s energetic and heartfelt debut raises timeless questions about truth, lies, and the hope that grows between them.

“This impressive debut ultimately settles in realism with a refreshingly mischievous wink. An offbeat, earnest novel for those who believe in magic, and those who wish they did.” ―Booklist

“[A] debut novel that captures both the hopes and disillusionments of growing up . . . readers dive not only into Anthoni’s maturation, but into her resiliency.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Anthoni is an engaging heroine whose fears, desires, curiosity, and agency offer much for young readers to relate to, even when, or perhaps especially when, those qualities lead to social mistakes.” ―Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books