The (End) Beginning

[Cliff, Moderator]

I took my time with this book as it is rather short. I ended up reading it aloud to my boys.

I think they got a few chuckles out of it, but they were a bit young to empathize with a female protagonist who is somewhat interested in boys. The life lessons to be taken from the book are over their heads.

With that in mind, the book can barely be considered science fiction. In fact, for a read-alike, the first book that comes to mind is Freaky Friday.

[library_jim, Creator & Organizer]

I know what you mean about "barely science fiction" but I think that's mostly what you're going to get in middle grade (3rd through 8th) grade reading. Other than the occasional story like The Green Book (is that still in print?) you're mostly going to get the R is for Rocket and Aliens Ate My Homework type of quote unquote science fiction. Students don't know enough about science to get into that. Animorphs is hard SF to them. I haven't finished it, but hey, it's about a scientist who (yes, implausibly) makes himself younger so what else would you categorize it as? Reminded me of a more emotionally realistic Danny Dunn story. Did anyone read those back in the day? I ate them up when I was in 4th and 5th grade but then I'm 250 years old...

Also, I just started reading it yesterday, left it at work and now they've cancelled school. So I'll have to wait to finish it. So far I like the way she's at least lightly introducing what's attractive about the process of science and throwing a few names of scientists out for interested kids to go look up on their own. That's just the kind of thing that would have had me reading about Galileo as a kid rather than getting it in school. But I'm a nerd. Apparently a 250 year old nerd!

[Beth, Moderator]

Yeah, at this point science is what is called science. The invention is in a lab, so it is science fiction, but a lot of the questions are similar to those in Tuck Everlasting, which is clearly a fantasy.

More fundamentally, it's a what-if type of question. What if there was a serum to make people young? Is that always good? But yes, it's an upper elementary read -- not quite YA but old enough for puberty to be on the horizon.

It's interesting that your boys are put off by the female protagonist. Do you think its her flirting ways, or just being a girl? Because everyone always told me that boys won't read books with girls, but my boys and the boys in my elementary book club don't have a problem with it. Of course, maybe I just got lucky with my kids, and obviously the boys in my book club are probably good readers anyway.

I was trying for something more modern, since we went way back for the past few picks, and then I fell off the internet a bit.

[Cliff, Moderator]

I was packing for a business trip when I posted, so I think I may have edited down some of my comments.

I liked the book. My point about it not really being science fiction is, as Jim pointed out, fairly typical of the books targeted at younger readers. I think we've brought this up before as being a challenge for finding "Laser" books. Elementary school kids have no issue with magic, but science can be a stretch for them. I was not making a statement on the worthiness of the pick. It is science fiction.

I actually got a big kick out of the "pro-science" stance. Jennifer Holm made science interesting to our hero and thus to the reader.

As to my boys' reactions (keep in mind, ages 9 and 7), they didn't see the meaning behind Melvin being the titular 14th goldfish. So, I don't think they really gave much thought to what a cure for aging could mean.
And I think they liked the jellyfish heist bits, but sort of zoned out when she expressed interest in Raj.

[library_jim, Creator & Organizer]

Just finished it. It was fun and makes you think. Science is a major theme and I was impressed with how much she lacks into a light, less-than-200 page book! I'll have to see what my daughter makes of it.

The only thing I never bought was how "old" she made Melvin. My dad is the same age. Melvin was acting more like MY grandfather's generation. My dad would be a cooler middle school kid than Melvin was. He would be fine with jeans, sneakers and wouldn't expect anyone to "dress for dinner." Just saying.