The Fourteenth Goldfish

by Jennifer L Holm (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
Believe in the possible . . . with this warm, witty, and wise New York Times bestselling novel from three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm. A perfect read about a child's relationship with her grandfather!

Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.
Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?

Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He's bossy. He's cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie's grandfather, a scientist who's always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?

With a lighthearted touch and plenty of humor, Jennifer Holm celebrates the wonder of science and explores fascinating questions about life and death, family and friendship, immortality . . . and possibility. 

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ALA/Booklist

Starred Review
A great choice for book groups and class discussions as well as individual reading.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Middle school doesn't start smoothly for 11-year-old Ellie, whose best friend finds her passion (volleyball) and new teammates to eat lunch with, while Ellie flounders, uninterested in sports or her parents' avocation, theater. A startling addition to the household helps Ellie get her groove back when Grandpa Melvin, a scientist, moves in after engineering a cure for aging (the regenerative properties of jellyfish are involved) and transforming himself into a teenage boy. Though Melvin dresses and acts like the crotchety old man he was, he and Ellie bond over spirited discussions about Jonas Salk, Robert Oppenheimer, the possibilities of science, and the moral questions scientific advances can raise. Though the subject matter has a lot of intellectual heft, the writing has Holm's ever-present light touch. The small cast, which refreshingly includes divorced parents who treat each other respectfully, is so well realized that the farfetched aspects of the plot seem almost plausible. This is top-notch middle-grade fiction with a meaty dilemma, humor, and an ending that leaves room for the possibility of a sequel. Ages 8-12. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Grinberg Literary Management. (Aug.)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Eleven-year-old Ellie Cruz's life changes dramatically when her mother brings a teenage boy home one night and she learns it is her estranged grandfather. Melvin is a scientist who has figured out how to reverse aging and is now 13 again. Tensions are high between Melvin and his adult daughter, Ellie's mother, but Ellie feels like she now has the opportunity to really get to know her grandfather. Her interest in science blossoms, and she is eager to help Melvin retrieve the jellyfish specimen he used in his experiments so he can publish his discovery. Fascinated, Ellie learns about the work of Jonas Salk, Robert Oppenheimer, and Marie Curie. But as she learns more, she realizes that scientific discoveries often have unforeseen consequences. Readers are carried along with Ellie as she navigates old and new friendships in her first year in middle school with the added complication of her teenage grandfather at the same school. Short chapters keep the story moving at an engaging pace, and the interactions among the characters will easily hold readers' interest. Ellie's growing relationship with her grandfather helps her make discoveries about herself. Melvin, who begins as unapologetically single-minded in his determination to continue his work, also learns from Ellie. With humor and heart, Holm has crafted a story about life, family, and finding one's passion that will appeal to readers willing to imagine the possible.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH!!!!

I LOVE FISHIES

Jennifer L Holm
Brother-and-sister team MATTHEW "Ink Boy" HOLM and JENNIFER "Writer Girl" HOLM are the daring duo behind the award-winning Babymouse series. Jennifer writes novels, including three Newbery Honor winners and her latest New York Times bestseller, The Fourteenth Goldfish. Matthew Holm is a graphic designer and freelance writer.

You can look for Matthew Holm at @mattholm and Jennifer Holm at @jenniholm on Twitter, and visit the Babymouse and Squish website at Babymouse.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780375870644
Lexile Measure
550
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication date
August 20, 2014
Series
The Fourteenth Goldfish
BISAC categories
JUV053000 - Juvenile Fiction | Science Fiction
JUV039030 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Death & Dying
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
Library of Congress categories
Families
Family life
Scientists
Grandfathers
Aging

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