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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
I LOVED this book and can't wait to share it with my daughter (one day) and all of the other tween girls (that will eventually be) in my life. Like any good book, this one made me seek out more info -- I wanted to know more about the scientists mentioned. Plus a middle school girl interested in science? Yes! Reading this made me wish I were a scientist...Holm did a great job of making science interesting and also presenting an ethical dilemma.
Ellie has to deal with middle school and all that entails, but to top it off, her best friend is drifting away from her. Then her mother brings home a boy, Melvin, who is very similar to her grandfather, who is obsessed with immortality.
Ellie is trying to find her place. Her parents are very supportive, although they are nothing like Ellie. They are actors and artsy. Ellie finds that she is attracted to science. Something she has in common with the boy, Melvin.
Helping Melvin, Ellie finds friends, more about herself, and her family.
Well-told story. Great for middle grade girls.
Ellie is trying to find her place. Her parents are very supportive, although they are nothing like Ellie. They are actors and artsy. Ellie finds that she is attracted to science. Something she has in common with the boy, Melvin.
Helping Melvin, Ellie finds friends, more about herself, and her family.
Well-told story. Great for middle grade girls.
Book Riot Read Harder Challenge 2016: Read a middle grade novel. Ok, so it wasn't really a challenge of my normal reading habits to read a middle grade book, but I was glad for the excuse to read a new one, since I usually gravitate toward teen books. I hadn't read any Jennifer Holm except for the Babymouse graphic novels.
In this book, Ellie's grandfather figures out the secret to reverse aging, but rather than fame and fortune, he finds himself back in the life of a teenager -- the life when you have very little power or autonomy, and no one believes in you. He has to live with Ellie and her mom and enroll in middle school. But Ellie has a good chance to learn from him as a mentor and even teach him a little as a peer. This unique relationship makes for a very original grandparent story, and the science angle -- the way Ellie learns to appreciate science's skills of observation, perseverance, and consequences -- is particularly nice.
I listened to this on audio, and it was not my favorite. The reader did a great job, but her rendition of the grandfather's deep, gruff voice gave me a weird physical reaction (headache, weird feeling in my chest) that I've also noticed when some men sing falsetto (e.g., Guster). All I can think is that I don't like hearing strain in someone else's voice. Weird, huh?
In this book, Ellie's grandfather figures out the secret to reverse aging, but rather than fame and fortune, he finds himself back in the life of a teenager -- the life when you have very little power or autonomy, and no one believes in you. He has to live with Ellie and her mom and enroll in middle school. But Ellie has a good chance to learn from him as a mentor and even teach him a little as a peer. This unique relationship makes for a very original grandparent story, and the science angle -- the way Ellie learns to appreciate science's skills of observation, perseverance, and consequences -- is particularly nice.
I listened to this on audio, and it was not my favorite. The reader did a great job, but her rendition of the grandfather's deep, gruff voice gave me a weird physical reaction (headache, weird feeling in my chest) that I've also noticed when some men sing falsetto (e.g., Guster). All I can think is that I don't like hearing strain in someone else's voice. Weird, huh?
Wonderful book! Can't wait to put it in the hands of my students this fall! A must read!
Ellie has a fairly normal life. While her parents are divorced they remain friends. Having just entered junior high school Ellie is starting to learn that growing up can change things that you thought would never change. Your lifelong best friend suddenly has new interests and friends. Your babysitter would rather work in the mall than watch you. You learn a shocking truth about your goldfish after it dies. It’s all tough enough to adjust to without your mad scientist grandfather showing up in the body of a thirteen year old.
Ellie gets to know her grandfather, Melvin, as she never had before, much to the dismay of Ellie’s mom. Ellie’s parents are actors, they've always pushed the arts on Ellie and now here’s grandpa telling her all about how great science is. Melvin and Ellie end up spending a lot of time together — attending school together, attempting to get back into Melvin’s office, making new friends together, and of course disagreeing with each other.
An old man disappearing and a young one showing up in his place? That cannot last forever, right? Melvin needs to reverse what happened to him, right? He needs to fix the mess he’s created. But what if Melvin kind of likes the mess he's created? What if he thinks this whole situation will win him awards and spare him from all of the negatives that old age brings.
A sweet story about a young girl who finally really gets to know her grandfather. A girl who starts to figure out what interests her and starts to question everything. And it’s the story of a man who misses being young, misses all he’s lost.
I have only one real complaint — the ending It felt like a teaser for a series option and this book didn’t need that.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
Ellie gets to know her grandfather, Melvin, as she never had before, much to the dismay of Ellie’s mom. Ellie’s parents are actors, they've always pushed the arts on Ellie and now here’s grandpa telling her all about how great science is. Melvin and Ellie end up spending a lot of time together — attending school together, attempting to get back into Melvin’s office, making new friends together, and of course disagreeing with each other.
An old man disappearing and a young one showing up in his place? That cannot last forever, right? Melvin needs to reverse what happened to him, right? He needs to fix the mess he’s created. But what if Melvin kind of likes the mess he's created? What if he thinks this whole situation will win him awards and spare him from all of the negatives that old age brings.
A sweet story about a young girl who finally really gets to know her grandfather. A girl who starts to figure out what interests her and starts to question everything. And it’s the story of a man who misses being young, misses all he’s lost.
I have only one real complaint — the ending It felt like a teaser for a series option and this book didn’t need that.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
Charming little middle-grades story with a wackadoo premise that is played completely straight in service of raising the question: just because science can, should it?
This was a perfect book. I loved the science and the scientists used and referred to in the book. This would make a great read aloud for any middle school class. Many of my teachers do read alouds with their homeroom classes. The unconventional family is perfect and the grandfather as teenager is very funny!
A much lighter read than some of my current books. But, appealed very much to my inner science geek.