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Ellie is eleven and just starting middle school. She lives in the Bay Area with her divorced, theater teacher mom, while her dad is a traveling actor, but acting doesn't seem to be in Ellie's gene pool. There isn't anything very unique about Ellie except that her goldfish, given to her by her preschool teacher, has lived beyond its years. Then Ellie learns the goldfish was actually replaced 13 times. She also learns her scientist grandfather Melvin, not on best terms with her mom, is now living
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Jennifer Holm has crafted a tender and well-written story for middle grade readers, full of real characters, humor, a bit of fantasy, and some powerful messages about life and growing up. Ellie is an eleven-year-old middle schooler, who is experiencing significant changes and losses: she misses elementary school, she misses her best friend, and she is unsure about her place in the big picture of middle school and life. Then one day, a gawky adolescent boy shows up on her doorstep who bears an ex
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Fun, gentle, wise, feel-good book about growing up and some of the BIG questions about life with a fun plot line that highlights the excitement and glamour of science. Ellie is an 11 year old living with her mom, grappling with middle school, and losing her best friend all before her estranged grandfather finds a way to reverse aging and becomes a teenager. Forced to live under the same roof as her grandfather, they attend the same middle school. Ellie and Melvin find common ground, explore Fren
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The Fourteenth Goldfish is about valuing life in all of its stages, family and friendships and how they inevitably change over time, and food. I mean, come on, who doesn't love a book that cleverly infuses Chinese food into many of its chapters? Holm also has cleverly tucked in bits of science where she can, an homage as she states at the end of the book to her physician father. Young readers will learn about the Nobel Prize, patents, Jonas Salk, Robert Oppenhemier's Manhattan Project, Galileo,
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What a nice read! The story of family and growing up and moving on.
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Old people, regress!
As the mother of a 10-year old girl (similar to the protagonist in "The Fourteenth Goldfish"), I now worry that I, too, will have to parent my dad as a brooding teenage boy, should he get his hands on some kind of a fountain-of-youth cocktail. The thought is so startling, I hardly recall anything else about the book.
It's not about a goldfish, or even thirteen goldfish. It is about a girl and her mom and her grandpa who suddenly turns up looking about sixty years younger than ...more
As the mother of a 10-year old girl (similar to the protagonist in "The Fourteenth Goldfish"), I now worry that I, too, will have to parent my dad as a brooding teenage boy, should he get his hands on some kind of a fountain-of-youth cocktail. The thought is so startling, I hardly recall anything else about the book.
It's not about a goldfish, or even thirteen goldfish. It is about a girl and her mom and her grandpa who suddenly turns up looking about sixty years younger than ...more
How well do you think your grandfather might adapt to living the life of a modern-day teenager? When Ellie's research scientist grandfather--aka Melvin--decides to test the regenerative properties of a newly discovered jellyfish on himself, the results are entertaining and thought provoking. Denied access to his lab, Melvin not only moves in with Ellie and her free-spirited mother, but recruits Ellie and her new Goth friend to help him break into his lab so he can continue his scientific studies
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Ellie is lonely. Everyone is busy doing something else rather than spending time with her. Then her mom brings home a strange boy that turns out to be her grandfather. He found a way to reverse aging but he has been fired and he and Ellie make a plan to break into the lab and steal it.
What would it be like if your grandfather, a scientist, found a fountain of youth and turned himself into a 13 year old with all the memories of his old self. What a great idea and what a great message about believing in yourself (even it's not what your parents want for you) and finding your own passion.
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Charming and simple this is not one I'd call award-winning, but it's an enjoyable read that raises some interesting questions. Less complex than Tuck Everlasting, but a few similar ideas.
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I loved this book. I loved the combination of science with fiction. And the thought of should we be able to turn back the clock? Great thought. Very enjoyable book!
I didn't love this book. The only reason I made it through was because it was short and I listened to it while I did dishes for a few days.
I feel obligated to explain that I'm pregnant so I hate everything and everybody right now. I shouldn't be rating books at all. ...more
I feel obligated to explain that I'm pregnant so I hate everything and everybody right now. I shouldn't be rating books at all. ...more
Apr 29, 2014
Natasha (Vasilly)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-books,
middle-grade
Sep 19, 2014
Marnie
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-book,
science-fiction
Dec 02, 2014
Valerie White
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-literature
Dec 10, 2014
Diana
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
middle-grade,
bay-area-reads
