Will I love The Fourteenth Goldfish?

I read this one to my two sons as they were entering their tween years. Not only did we all love the story, but it also sparked some deep discussions.

Jennifer L. Holm captures those awkward years perfectly with warmth and wit, and yet my favorite character is, yet again, another hilarious grandparent, Melvin, who appears as a thirteen-year-old boy. He’s discovered how to reverse aging! And it turns his eleven-year-old granddaughter’s life upside down.

I love the blend of science, theater, moral philosophy, and family and friend drama. 

I loved how zany and smart this book was. It explores questions about aging and immortality in a fun, kid-friendly way.

When eleven-year-old Ellie bumps into a gawky and rather bossy boy around town, she realizes he reminds her a whole lot of someone else—her Grandpa Melvin! I appreciated how this book weaved in science and ideas about death, family, and what’s possible in such a playful way.  

Books that use humor to explore serious issues are delightful, and this one tops my list. Eleven-year-old Ellie isn’t the biggest fan of change. Then one day her mom is called to pick up Ellie’s grandfather from the police station and comes home with...a thirteen-year-old boy?! Ellie’s grandfather has managed to reverse the aging process, and now he’s enrolled in her middle school. Ellie and her grandfather form a strong bond over their shared interest in science. She even helps him break into his old lab so he can retrieve the specimen he needs to publish his findings. But Ellie… show more.