The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
2016 Colorado Children's Book Award Nominee
This 2016 CCBA nominee is by Jennifer L. Holm, the author of the hugely popular GN series Babymouse and Squish. The book is an entertaining and thought-provoking read that feels younger than the target age. One night, a mysterious teenager shows up at the home of 6th grader Ellie and her mother. He turns out to be Ellie's grandfather, a driven scientist, who has discovered a rare jellyfish that can reverse aging, but has been chased from his own lab and into the custody of his daughter, Ellie's mom. Grandpa must enroll in middle school, and serve as Ellie's babysitter, while trying to figure out how to break into his lab to recover the precious jellyfish specimen. Things are tense -- middle schoolers learn garbage (he's not even listed in their science textbook!), and he is perpetually disappointed in Ellie's mom's life choices (she is a high school drama teacher). He does awaken a curiosity about science in Ellie, however, and the two become close. Ellie is inspired by scientists Jonas Salk, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Marie Curie, until she begins to question the ethics and dark sides of scientific discoveries. A good book to recommend to kids interested in science, but not a top read for me.
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