Ellie is struggling to adjust to the changes of a new school and getting older, when her mother brings home her grandfather in thirteen-year-old-form! After figuring out how to channel the regenerative properties of a jellyfish into a cure for aging, he tries out his fountain of youth on himself. Still the same crotchety old man he was, but in a thirteen-year-old’s body, he now seeks to publish his research so he can win a Nobel prize.
Even though the premise is an outlandish one (but also very fun), Holm tells a simple, uncomplicated story, one of family and identity, age and even ethical responsibility. Holm’s tone is light-hearted, and she sprinkles humor throughout. I loved Ellie. She’s sweet and introspective. Through her adventures with her grandfather, Ellie discovers an interest in science. She finds friends and a new found confidence in the face of the changes of middle school. The chapters are very short, and I was surprised to find that it was 100 pages because it went so quickly. Very good.
The Fourteenth Goldfish will be released on August 26.
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