Take a photo of a barcode or cover
linneamo 's review for:
The Fourteenth Goldfish
by Jennifer L. Holm
genre: sci-fi (present day)
summary: Ellie is a normal 12 year-old starting 6th grade. Her parents are divorced but still friendly both obsessed with drama, art and the stage. Meanwhile, her grandfather, a scientist obsessed with logic and delightfully stubborn, does not get a long with his daughter (Ellie's mom) and they often butt heads. Ellie's life changes when one day her mother's returns home late with an oddly familiar 13 year-old boy in tow. The strange teenager reveals himself to be her grandfather! Having discovered a way to reverse the aging process, Ellie's grandfather tested his experimental youth serum by injecting himself. With no access to his lab and no way to finish his experiments, Ellie's grandfather moves in with her family (much to the dismay of Ellie's mother) and is forced to attend middle school. During this strange time, Ellie learns a lot about her grandfather, her family, the history of science, the nature of friendships and the cycle of life.
notes:
for kids who like: weird and wacky sci-fi/fantasy, Aliens on Vacation, Fleabrain Loves Franny,
age group: age 9+ (starts as a casual easy read and end with a more sophisticated undertone)
my review: This book was fun. Unique and fun. It wasn't trying to take itself to seriously but the characterization and the interactions btw the characters were fantastic and intriguing. Toward the end the book, the story took more of a serious tone, discussing something as sophisticated as the nature of discovery and the new world it creates. As Ellie mentions in the book for every polio vaccine there is an atomic bomb. Something that changes every and not necessarily for good. I really liked like book because while preached passion for science, curiosity, and discovery there was a quiet but consistent theme of POV. From Ellie's position within the story, we are see both sides of many arguments (young vs old, consistency vs change, logic vs feeling, science vs art, new vs old, etc)....isn't that what science is all about seeing the different reasons, possibilities, and trying things form different points of view.
After a lot of disappointing books, I feel like I may be giving this one a little too much praise but it was definitely worth the read and maybe some Newbery consideration.
summary: Ellie is a normal 12 year-old starting 6th grade. Her parents are divorced but still friendly both obsessed with drama, art and the stage. Meanwhile, her grandfather, a scientist obsessed with logic and delightfully stubborn, does not get a long with his daughter (Ellie's mom) and they often butt heads. Ellie's life changes when one day her mother's returns home late with an oddly familiar 13 year-old boy in tow. The strange teenager reveals himself to be her grandfather! Having discovered a way to reverse the aging process, Ellie's grandfather tested his experimental youth serum by injecting himself. With no access to his lab and no way to finish his experiments, Ellie's grandfather moves in with her family (much to the dismay of Ellie's mother) and is forced to attend middle school. During this strange time, Ellie learns a lot about her grandfather, her family, the history of science, the nature of friendships and the cycle of life.
notes:
for kids who like: weird and wacky sci-fi/fantasy, Aliens on Vacation, Fleabrain Loves Franny,
age group: age 9+ (starts as a casual easy read and end with a more sophisticated undertone)
my review: This book was fun. Unique and fun. It wasn't trying to take itself to seriously but the characterization and the interactions btw the characters were fantastic and intriguing. Toward the end the book, the story took more of a serious tone, discussing something as sophisticated as the nature of discovery and the new world it creates. As Ellie mentions in the book for every polio vaccine there is an atomic bomb. Something that changes every and not necessarily for good. I really liked like book because while preached passion for science, curiosity, and discovery there was a quiet but consistent theme of POV. From Ellie's position within the story, we are see both sides of many arguments (young vs old, consistency vs change, logic vs feeling, science vs art, new vs old, etc)....isn't that what science is all about seeing the different reasons, possibilities, and trying things form different points of view.
After a lot of disappointing books, I feel like I may be giving this one a little too much praise but it was definitely worth the read and maybe some Newbery consideration.