The Fourteenth Goldfish

My 10-year old's science class is reading this book and I was TOLD I should read it, too! Okay, then!

Jennifer Holm does a nice job weaving what appears, at first, to be a fun story but actually has more serious topics peeping through. Such as growing apart from a childhood best friend and making a new friend you at first think seems weird and scary. Or parents who are no longer together and are making their way on different paths. And the double-edged sword of scientific progress.

But, most of all, read this book to meet MERVIN! Mervin Sagarsky is a riot and a treasure who stole just about every scene. He will certainly make readers of most ages laugh.

I look forward to turning my book report into my stepdaughter and getting her thoughts, as well as reading the next book in the series.

My 10-year-old grandson and I love this author. The stories are whimsical and also interesting. I look forward to listening to more.

Cute short middle grade reader about science, family, and what really matters. I liked the earnest POV character, Ellie, and the way the story felt modern.

Aww, I really loved this one. Totally fun and charming family drama with a hint of sci-fi that delves into some ethical quandaries in a really cool way. Reminds me a little of [b:Tuck Everlasting 84981 Tuck Everlasting Natalie Babbitt https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311978194s/84981.jpg 1955922] but it's more contemporary and lighthearted than that? A great one for tweens who are interested in science.

What 11 year old describes an adult male as brooding? Fun and sweet, though, with good messages about tween friendship, science, and learning from your grandparents.

I absolutely love when Middle Grade stories aren't afraid to take on the big subjects. When they don't conform to gender norms and popular ideas. I love books that are willing to carve their own little niche into the reading world, and The Fourteenth Goldfish is definitely one of those. I wish this book would have been around when I was a young reader. Thank you, Jennifer L. Holms, for recognizing that not every little girl wants to be a princess. That sometimes, just maybe, they just need someone to show them that it's okay to dream big.

Can I please gush about the fact that Ellie, our protagonist, has parents who are divorced and are still friends? That her parents can be apart, and still love her. That her mom's new boyfriend can be in the picture, but her father can be too. I so loved this. Add in the fact that Ellie's mom was such a big part of her life, and so vibrant, and I'm sold. Wearing what she wanted, urging her daughter to be a free spirit, Ellie's mother was all about breaking the mold and I ate it up. Maybe it's not true for everyone's family but, as a girl who grew up in a home like this one, I loved it. Did I mention that I really wish this book was around when I was younger?

I also fully enjoyed the simple fact that Ellie's story had nothing to do with crushes or petty fights. It does deal with friendship. With growing apart, and learning to make new friends. Never does it even hint at worrying about boys though. No, Ellie is much bigger than that. The Fourteenth Goldfish urges its readers to think about endings, and beginnings. To look at possibilities. It's a beautiful thing.

So why the three star rating, you ask? I know, I'm gushing like crazy. To be honest, the premise of this book was utterly fabulous but it just didn't have that spark for me. While I loved Ellie and her family, the story focuses a lot on her Grandfather who, while he's a fun character, didn't feel whole. I imagine that if an elderly man suddenly became a teenager? There'd be a few more questions asked. If nothing else, I definitely wanted to see more from his point of view. I loved Ellie, I did. However this story would benefit a lot from her newly young Grandfather's point of view. After all, who better to share a new beginning than a man who has suddenly reset the clock?

The writing never pulled me in either. It's very simplistic, which is fine for the reading group it's aimed at, but I was hoping for more since it deals with so many out of the box ideas. I was smitten with Ellie's deep thinking. With her musings on morality and legacies. It was great! I would have just been so much more involved if the chapters sucked me further into their depths. So, while this wasn't my favorite read of the year, I definitely see a lot to love in The Fourteenth Goldfish. I truly believe this is a book that needs to make its way onto many a bookshelf out there. Especially those of the young girls out there who are waiting, and dreaming big.