This book is about a girl named Ellie. Her parents are divorced, but still are good friends. Her mother and grandfather however don't get along that well. He sometimes tells her that she could have made a better choices. However he is also a scientist, and has discovered the secret of T. melvinus (Turritopsis melvinus). It can have the power to reverse age a person. Ellie's grandfather decides to test it on himself. It worked! However, he is forced to stay with Ellie and her mom. He takes the name Melvin, and is forced to go to school with Ellie. They meet a new friend, Raj. The book includes there adventures and also a mini-heist. I enjoyed this book, and found it inspirational. I also love science. It had good messages at the end too! The story sort of teaches you at the end to look at reverse aging a different way. The good and bad of innovations. The book can also be read by younger kids too. It is a great all-ages book.
The Fourteenth Goldfish
By Jennifer L. Holm
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 10 - 9 | Z | 4.1 | 25209 |
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.
"Warm, witty and wise"—The New York Times
"Awesomely strange and startlingly true-to-life. It makes you wonder what's possible." -- Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me
SUNSHINE STATE AWARD FINALIST!
Book Reviews (93)
This book was very interesting. This author is my favorite author. It is very inspirational. This is a very interesting science fiction type book. I loved this book!
I would love it if this book had a sequel. While the book does a cliffhanger which is rather troublesome cause there's no continuation. It is rather down to earth and charming in more ways than one. She grows closer to her grandfather who makes and takes a youth potion(thanks to a jellyfish), and discovers that change isn't that bad after all. I would definitely recommend it.
Just so-so... some of it was boring some of it was exciting
This book was really good! Melvin is such an interesting character, and it's kind of cool how Ellie's opinion on Raj and Melvin changes throughout the book. This was a really good book, and I enjoyed reading it a lot.
This book was not a good read for me. It was not relate able, and overall just failed to keep me interested. It has become my friends favorite book though.
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it was good it was a cliff hanger though!
This book was extremely imaginative yet down-to-earth at the same time. It tells the story of a girl who's grandfather manages to find a way to make himself young again. She learns from him what scientists are, and discovers she has a natural knack for it. She grows closer to her grandfather, and helps him decide whether his "fountain of youth" scientific discovery is needed or not. This story is both touching and very, very humorous. A lighthearted book that is appropriate for all ages, I highly recommend it.
very amazing
SPOILER ALERT, SPOILER ALERT AMAZING! This book leaves you wanting a sequel. Sadly, i do not believe a sequel will come out after all these years. Anyways, the end is really horribley cliff-hangery: Ellie's grandpa gets another jellyfish this time, which might make something even cooler than making you young again! Read this book - too amazing to be true. Well, I kind of ruined the ending, but don't say I didn't warn you a spoiler was coming!