The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm
Ellie has a fairly normal life. While her parents are divorced they remain friends. Having just entered junior high school Ellie is starting to learn that growing up can change things that you thought would never change. Your lifelong best friend suddenly has new interests and friends. Your babysitter would rather work in the mall than watch you. You learn a shocking truth about your goldfish after it dies. It’s all tough enough to adjust to without your mad scientist grandfather showing up in the body of a thirteen year old.
Ellie gets to know her grandfather, Melvin, as she never had before, much to the dismay of Ellie’s mom. Ellie’s parents are actors, they've always pushed the arts on Ellie and now here’s grandpa telling her all about how great science is. Melvin and Ellie end up spending a lot of time together — attending school together, attempting to get back into Melvin’s office, making new friends together, and of course disagreeing with each other.
An old man disappearing and a young one showing up in his place? That cannot last forever, right? Melvin needs to reverse what happened to him, right? He needs to fix the mess he’s created. But what if Melvin kind of likes the mess he's created? What if he thinks this whole situation will win him awards and spare him from all of the negatives that old age brings.
A sweet story about a young girl who finally really gets to know her grandfather. A girl who starts to figure out what interests her and starts to question everything. And it’s the story of a man who misses being young, misses all he’s lost.
I have only one real complaint — the ending It felt like a teaser for a series option and this book didn’t need that.
* Disclaimer: I received this book at no cost in order to review it. I offered no guarantee of a positive review, though I only request books I think I'll like because why read a book you think you’ll hate?
