The fourteenth goldfish

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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.And don’t miss the much-anticipated sequel, The Third Mushroom!"Warm, witty and wise"—The New York Times"Awesomely strange and startlingly true-to-life. It makes you wonder what's possible." -- Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach MeSUNSHINE STATE AWARD FINALIST!

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Contributors
Carpenter, Tad illustrator., ill
Holm, Jennifer L. Author
Perna, Georgette Narrator
ISBN
9780375870644
9780307974365
9780804193832
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Also in this Series

  • The fourteenth goldfish (Fourteenth goldfish Volume 1) Cover
  • The third mushroom (Fourteenth goldfish Volume 2) Cover

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Similar Series From Novelist

NoveList provides detailed suggestions for series you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
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These series have the appeal factors amusing, character-driven, and first person narratives, and they have the subjects "middle schools," "schools," and "middle school students"; and characters that are "introspective characters" and "sympathetic characters."
These series have the appeal factors amusing, and they have the genre "stem fiction"; and the subjects "middle schools," "schools," and "middle school students."
These series have the appeal factors amusing and funny, and they have the genre "science fiction"; and the subjects "middle schools" and "middle school students."
These series have the appeal factors amusing, witty, and first person narratives, and they have the subjects "middle schools" and "middle school students"; and characters that are "introspective characters."
These series have the appeal factors amusing, well-crafted dialogue, and first person narratives, and they have the subjects "middle schools," "schools," and "middle school students."
These series have the appeal factors amusing, funny, and well-crafted dialogue, and they have the genres "science fiction" and "stem fiction"; and characters that are "likeable characters."
These series have the appeal factors amusing, well-crafted dialogue, and first person narratives, and they have the subjects "middle schools," "schools," and "middle school students"; and characters that are "introspective characters," "likeable characters," and "sympathetic characters."

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NoveList provides detailed suggestions for titles you might like if you enjoyed this book. Suggestions are based on recommendations from librarians and other contributors.
These books have the appeal factors amusing and well-crafted dialogue, and they have the subjects "middle schools," "schools," and "eleven-year-old girls"; and characters that are "introspective characters" and "authentic characters."
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Experiments gone wrong have significant consequences in these intriguing and slightly bittersweet stories. Both books offer a winning blend of out-there science fiction elements and typical tween concerns about friends and family. -- Rebecca Honeycutt
The grandparents of science-minded kids share the spotlight with them in these approachable chapter books. While each story is lively, they also delve into serious issues: mortality in The Fourteenth Goldfish and food insecurity in Matchmaker. -- NoveList Advisor
While Annabel and her mother magically switch bodies in the classic, Freaky Friday, it is Ellie's scientist grandfather whose body is changing as he grows ever younger in The Fourteenth Goldfish. Both speculative stories are attention-grabbing, accessible, and amusing. -- NoveList Advisor
Geeky girls use gadgets, witty banter, and science to assist humanity while still dealing with average middle school anxiety. In Goldfish, Ellie assists her grandfather in reversing the aging process; Ginger (Flinkwater) investigates screen savers that turn people into zombies. -- Lindsey Dunn
These funny, moving, fish-out-of-water stories star central characters adjusting to school: Ellie's scientist grandfather who has reversed the aging process in Goldfish and Black tween cartoonist Jordan who attends a mostly white school in the graphic novel, New Kid. -- NoveList Advisor
Moonpenny Island - Springstubb, Tricia
While coping with family changes and suddenly uncertain friendships, tween girls form new bonds and discover an interest in science. Though Moonpenny Island is more poetic and bittersweet, both books have a quirky, feel-good charm. -- Rebecca Honeycutt
Fans of realistic fiction and science fiction alike can enjoy these genre-blended books. In each, a likable middle school girl assists a scientist (Ellie's grandpa in Goldfish, Jordie's neighbor in Baxter) with the unexpected results of a cutting-edge experiment. -- Rebecca Honeycutt
These thoughtful, amusing novels with well-crafted dialogue star likable tween girls with a passion for science. Ellie has an important connection with her gerontologist grandfather in Fourteenth; Maya, with an amiable Black shopkeeper, in the own voices Robot. -- NoveList Advisor
In amusing, attention-grabbing chapter books, which are also introspective, one half of a duo interested in science -- a grandfather in Fourteenth and a teenage boy in Operation -- finds himself in his younger body. -- NoveList Advisor

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Published Reviews

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* It's a little strange for 11-year-old Ellie when her mother brings home a boy who looks to be about 13 but dresses like Ellie's grandfather. But it's a shocker when Ellie realizes that the kid is her grandfather, a scientist who has suddenly succeeded in reversing the aging process. Now sleeping in their den and newly enrolled in Ellie's middle school, Grandpa connives with her to sneak into his old lab and swipe what he needs to continue his research. Meanwhile, Ellie comes to admire the grandfather she has barely known, listens to his stories of famous scientists, and discovers her own passion for science. Written in a clean, crisp style, with lively dialogue and wit, this highly accessible novel will find a ready audience. The idea of an adult in a young teen's body may not be new, but Ellie's first-person narrative makes good use of the situation's comic potential, particularly in the fractious, role-reversed relationship between Mom and Grandpa. Along with the comedy, the story has a reflective side, too, as Ellie thinks through issues such as death and immortality and confronts Grandpa with the social consequences of his research. A great choice for book groups and class discussions as well as individual reading. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A three-time Newbery Honor-winning author, whose books have also ranked on the New York Times best-seller lists, Holm has a formidably sized fan base waiting for her next release.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
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Publisher's Weekly 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.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-7-Ellie's amicably divorced parents found their passion in the "thee-a-tah." Her previous best friend found hers in sports. Ellie doubts she'll ever find anything she's passionate about, but then her mother brings home Melvin, Ellie's cranky scientist grandfather. He's found the fountain of youth in the compound of a newly discovered species of jellyfish, the T. melvinus. His proof? Melvin now resides in the body of a sullen 13-year-old boy. He insists a Nobel Prize is imminent and enlists Ellie's help in recovering the T. melvinus from the research lab. In the course of their (mis)adventures, Ellie discovers a passion for science, meets a new friend, and finds life is full of opportunities to make the impossible possible. Holm provides a humorous view into the ever-evolving cycle of relationships and the importance of the wonder of science. Narrator Georgette Perna is exceptional, especially as cankerous, trying-to-maintain-his-dignity Melvin. The well-constructed mix of historical nonfiction and age transformation is a little bit Blue Balliett's The Calder Game and a little bit Mary Rogers's Freaky Friday. A top pick.-Cheryl Preisendorfer, Twinsburg City Schools, OH (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Horn Book Review

One of the most persuasive charms of Holm's Fourteenth Goldfish is the unlikely, irresistible combination of science, science fiction, and shtick. On its surface, it delights as a comic tale of a middle-school girl coming to terms with her grandfather's fountain-of-youth breakthrough, which has turned him into a teenager. As the plot bounces along, however, subtle character development and substantial inquiry add layers of meaning, posing important questions about bioethics and family responsibility. Perna's frothy narration enhances the novel's lighter elements, keeping the pace brisk and humorously reflecting the adolescent cadence of the dialogue; when the novel's deeper revelations surface, they are that much more surprising and reverberant. thom barthelmess (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Kirkus Book Review

What would it be like if your grandfather turned up in your house as a 13-year-old boy?For sixth-grader Ellie, this leads to a recognition of the importance of the cycle of life and the discovery of her own passion for science. After her scientist grandfather finds a way to regain his youth, hes denied access to his lab and must come to live with Ellie and her mother. Although he looks young, his intellect and attitudes havent changed. He still tells Ellies mother what to wear and when to come home, and he loathes middle school even more than Ellie does. Theres plenty of opportunity for humor in this fish-out-of-water story and also a lesson on the perils as well as the pluses of scientific discovery. Divorced parents, a goth friend and a longed-for cellphone birthday present are among the familiar details setting this story firmly in the present day, like Holms Year Told Through Stuff series, rather than in the past, like her three Newbery Honorwinning historical novels. The author demonstrates understanding of and sympathy for the awkwardness of those middle school years. But she also gets in a plug for the excitement of science, following it up with an authors note and suggestions for further exploration, mostly on the Web.Appealing and thought-provoking, with an ending that suggests endless possibilities. (Science fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
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Booklist Reviews

*Starred Review* It's a little strange for 11-year-old Ellie when her mother brings home a boy who looks to be about 13 but dresses like Ellie's grandfather. But it's a shocker when Ellie realizes that the kid is her grandfather, a scientist who has suddenly succeeded in reversing the aging process. Now sleeping in their den and newly enrolled in Ellie's middle school, Grandpa connives with her to sneak into his old lab and swipe what he needs to continue his research. Meanwhile, Ellie comes to admire the grandfather she has barely known, listens to his stories of famous scientists, and discovers her own passion for science. Written in a clean, crisp style, with lively dialogue and wit, this highly accessible novel will find a ready audience. The idea of an adult in a young teen's body may not be new, but Ellie's first-person narrative makes good use of the situation's comic potential, particularly in the fractious, role-reversed relationship between Mom and Grandpa. Along with the comedy, the story has a reflective side, too, as Ellie thinks through issues such as death and immortality and confronts Grandpa with the social consequences of his research. A great choice for book groups and class discussions as well as individual reading. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A three-time Newbery Honor–winning author, whose books have also ranked on the New York Times best-seller lists, Holm has a formidably sized fan base waiting for her next release. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.
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Publishers Weekly Reviews

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.)

[Page ]. Copyright 2014 PWxyz LLC

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School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 5–7—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

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