the fourteenth goldfish by jennifer l holm

Want to raise kids who embrace curiosity, thrill in discovery, appreciate science, and care about ethics? Hand them this book. To enjoy the time we have instead of constantly wishing we were younger or could repeat our youth. Despite the funny concept, the author notes that live has a process and should be lived out accordingly. There were also much deeper thoughts included in the book, such as even if we could reverse the aging process, should we? Ellie points out that if no one aged, then there would not be grown ups around to raise the children. It was also great to see a young female protagonist interested in science, as there is a public stigma that boys like science and girls do not. The interactions between Melvin, Ellie and Ellie’s mother were hilarious because despite the age reversal, the family dynamics did not change. What saves the book from this is the authors mix of humor and her great original characters. Lots of scientific names, theories and such if a young reader did not like science it is possible they wouldn’t like this book. Written for a younger tween audience, it deals with some scientific concepts that could very well be above their heads. He enlists Ellie for help and the two form a strong bond.Ī very interesting concept, what would an old person be like if they became young again? And how would they be perceived by other young adults? This book was very humorous in tone, the grandfather in a thirteen year old body acting in curmudgeonly ways, ordering adults around and criticizing fellow youth for not acting as mature. Mentally a seventy year old man in the body of a thirteen year old, Melvin is having trouble accessing his lab to gain all of the data that made him young.

Through a special jellyfish, Melvin developed a serum to reverse the aging process, and he used it on himself.

One day her mother gets a call to pick up her grandfather from the police, and brings home a thirteen year old boy Melvin, who is actually her grandfather. Ellie has just started the sixth grade, started middle school and is feeling overwhelmed and lost. Ellie is eleven years old, lives with her eccentric actress of a mom while her dad is a traveling actor.

The fourteenth goldfish by jennifer l holm