The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

Synopsis:

Believe in the possible . . . with this brilliantly quirky, thought-provoking novel from New York Times bestseller, three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm

 

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.

Rating: ★★★½

Review:

I really liked this as a middle grade novel! Character wise you really forget that Ellie, our main character, is only eleven throughout most of the book but at the same time she still stayed true to her age characteristics. Which was awesome for two reasons, one because I've noticed recently in the middle grade genre characters act way above their age range and you really can't sympathize with them being early or preteen age. And two, it's a good thing for older audiences like myself because it doesn't always feel like I'm reading a children's novel, which keeps it interesting. 

I wish Melvin had better development because I really felt like there was so much more to be done with his character by the end of the book and I feel like there's more of his story to be told.

I loved how fast paced the plot was and the bigger learning experience young readers can get from this. I was unsatisfied with how the book ended. I just feel like the story was left undone and cut short to throw a bow on it and i'm left with so many questions.

As a whole I wouldn't say it was one of the best I've read but I do think this is a good middle grade novel. I can see me adding this to my daughter's book shelf when the time comes.