The Goldfish Boy

A multilayered mystery at once suspenseful and heartrending.

Thompson strikes the perfect balance, seemingly without compromise, between an issue-driven novel and one with broad, commercial appeal. This empathetic debut is a middle-grade whodunit with a very special heart.

Gr 4-6—Watching from his bedroom window, Matthew, called Goldfish Boy because he never leaves his room, is the last person to observe a neighborhood toddler before the child's disappearance. With his hands tightly secured inside rubber gloves, Matthew struggles with an intense fear of germs, brought on by the death of his baby brother. There are few characters who interact with Matthew: his frustrated parents, a girl who lives down the street, and his adjoining neighbors, all of whom are suspects in the toddler's disappearance. The novel successfully weaves Matthew's personal struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and the search for the missing toddler into a compelling story with a hearty dose of mystery and adventure. Though the topic is serious, the tone is fairly light and the story well-paced, considering the setting rarely changes from Matthew's home. Readers will root for Matthew. VERDICT Recommended for middle grade collections and for use as a classroom read-aloud, ideal for building empathy.—Pilar Okeson, District of Columbia Public Library

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

British 12-year-old Matthew Corbin blames himself for his baby brother's death five years ago and, as a direct result, has developed a mental condition so debilitating that he cannot leave his house. He only travels between his bedroom and the upstairs office, where he can watch all the houses and people in his cul-de-sac, and he constantly cleans every surface, including frequent visits to his bathroom to wash himself. It is from these vantage points that he becomes the last person to see a toddler who goes missing. As the police search for the kidnapped boy, Matthew begins his own investigation, with help from neighbor kids Melody and Jake. Debut author Thompson creates believable doubt in the innocence of Matthew's neighbors, building suspense in this fast-moving Rear Window-type whodunit featuring short chapters and cliffhanger chapter endings. The book stumbles slightly, however, in its handling of Matthew's obsessive disorder. While his daily struggle and tentative reemergence are skillfully handled, his eventual disclosure to his therapist and parents of what caused his problem leads to a too easily resolved ending. Ages 8-12. (Feb.)

Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Praise for Lisa Thompson's The Goldfish Boy

This book is filled with intriguing characters and tragic, mysterious pasts. Thompson has created a modern teenage tale interwoven with classic literary themes like loss, guilt, neglect, and loneliness. This is a story for everyone, featuring mystery, drama, and enough realism to inspire students to research and understand the complexities of the mind. —School Library Connection

"Heart and humour, along with a strong message about the value of family, friends and facing fears [...] make this assured debut stand out." — Observer

"Both a genuine mystery and an emotionally charged examination of fear and loneliness, this is a terrific read with warmly engaging characters." —Daily Mail

"This carefully judged, poignant story should help those with OCD feel less alone-and help others to understand the impulses behind painful acts of repetition." —Guardian

"A genuinely clever mystery." —Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series

"A great cast of characters and an intriguing mystery-I loved it!" —Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster