What would it be like if your grandfather turned up in your house as a 13-year-old boy?For sixth-grader Ellie, this leads to a recognition of the importance of the cycle of life and the discovery of her own passion for science. After her scientist grandfather finds a way to regain his youth, hes denied access to his lab and must come to live with Ellie and her mother. Although he looks young, his intellect and attitudes havent changed. He still tells Ellies mother what to wear and when to come home, and he loathes middle school even more than Ellie does. Theres plenty of opportunity for humor in this fish-out-of-water story and also a lesson on the perils as well as the pluses of scientific discovery. Divorced parents, a goth friend and a longed-for cellphone birthday present are among the familiar details setting this story firmly in the present day, like Holms Year Told Through Stuff series, rather than in the past, like her three Newbery Honorwinning historical novels. The author demonstrates understanding of and sympathy for the awkwardness of those middle school years. But she also gets in a plug for the excitement of science, following it up with an authors note and suggestions for further exploration, mostly on the Web.Appealing and thought-provoking, with an ending that suggests endless possibilities. (Science fiction. 10-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

*Starred Review* It's a little strange for 11-year-old Ellie when her mother brings home a boy who looks to be about 13 but dresses like Ellie's grandfather. But it's a shocker when Ellie realizes that the kid is her grandfather, a scientist who has suddenly succeeded in reversing the aging process. Now sleeping in their den and newly enrolled in Ellie's middle school, Grandpa connives with her to sneak into his old lab and swipe what he needs to continue his research. Meanwhile, Ellie comes to admire the grandfather she has barely known, listens to his stories of famous scientists, and discovers her own passion for science. Written in a clean, crisp style, with lively dialogue and wit, this highly accessible novel will find a ready audience. The idea of an adult in a young teen's body may not be new, but Ellie's first-person narrative makes good use of the situation's comic potential, particularly in the fractious, role-reversed relationship between Mom and Grandpa. Along with the comedy, the story has a reflective side, too, as Ellie thinks through issues such as death and immortality and confronts Grandpa with the social consequences of his research. A great choice for book groups and class discussions as well as individual reading. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A three-time Newbery Honor-winning author, whose books have also ranked on the New York Times best-seller lists, Holm has a formidably sized fan base waiting for her next release.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist

WHO DOESN'T ENJOY a well-drawn curmudgeon? Children's books are rife with them. From dour Eeyore moping about the Hundred Acre Wood to the irritable Mary Poppins, they come in all shapes and species. Proudly singular, such cantankerous characters are invariably exasperating, endearing and entertaining all at the same time. And now along comes Jennifer L. Holm with a doozy. Best known for her works of historical fiction, three of which have won Newbery Honors ("Our Only May Amelia," "Penny From Heaven," "Turtle in Paradise"), and the graphic novel series "Babymouse," Holm uses a surprising twist to bring us a particularly memorable grouch in her latest, "The Fourteenth Goldfish." Life is out of whack for 11-year-old Ellie. Navigating middle school is proving to be a challenge, especially since she can no longer count on Brianna, her best friend since forever, who has discovered a passion for volleyball and now spends all her time with her teammates. Then there are Ellie's amicably divorced parents, a high school drama teacher and a touring actor, who pour their heart and soul into theater. Lacking any enthusiasm for sport or stage, Ellie is pondering just what her passion could possibly be when a stranger comes to town. He's a longhaired boy who looks to be around 13, clad in a tweed jacket, khaki polyester pants, black socks and leather loafers, brought home one night by her mother. As Elbe tries to figure out who this unknown person is, puzzling over his very unadolescent attire, he demands to know if she made the honor rob, pointing out that "you need good grades if you're going to get into a competitive Ph.D. program," and then snaps at her mother, "Is that what you wear to work?" Listening to their bickering and contemplating the boy's oddly familiar stance, Elbe is shocked to realize that he is, improbably, her grandfather, the scientist Melvin Sagarsky, who until that day was 76 years old. It seems Grandpa Melvin has made a discovery that reverses the aging process. And while he's delighted with the return of health and hair, what really matters to him is that the scientific community will finally recognize his brilliance, with a Nobel at the very least. There is just one problem. This fountain of youth takes the form of a compound made from the T. melvinus, a unique species of jellyfish that is at his now-inaccessible lab. For though Elbe recognizes him as the old guy in his driver's license photo, the lab's security guards do not. In short order, Grandpa Melvin is attending Elbe's middle school, coping with such indignities as detention for going to "the facilities" without a pass, while scheming for a way to get back the all-important T. melvinus. This crotchety old soul in a young body is lovingly and hilariously rendered. Spot on are his long sessions in the bathroom, his rigid insistence on Chinese takeout and his fatherly fury when Elbe's mother comes back late from a date. Yet Grandpa Melvin takes much of teenage life in stride, and so his granddaughter takes him in stride too. She finds him acne cream, has no problem when he borrows her hot-pink ponytail holders to pub back his hair, and accepts his lunch-time company at school. Most of all, she listens with fascination as he talks about scientific discoveries and the scientists who made them. Experiencing life in another person's shoes is a familiar motif in children's books. In Mary Rodgers's "Freaky Friday," a mother and daughter switch bodies for a day, developing greater empathy for each other as a result. But here the change is permanent. Grandpa Melvin isn't suddenly going to go back to his adult self; he is going to grow up and old all over again. Yet not, we can see, in the same way. Even as he helps Elbe recognize they are kindred spirits, bonded by their love of science, she helps him reconsider his priorities. Perhaps the most important prize is not the Nobel after all. Youth, old age, life, death, love, possibilities and - oh yes - goldfish all come together in this warm, witty and wise novel. It seems Grandpa Melvin has made a discovery that reverses the aging process. MONICA EDINGER, a fourth-grade teacher in New York City, is the author of "Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad." She blogs at Educating Alice.

One of the most persuasive charms of Holm's Fourteenth Goldfish is the unlikely, irresistible combination of science, science fiction, and shtick. On its surface, it delights as a comic tale of a middle-school girl coming to terms with her grandfather's fountain-of-youth breakthrough, which has turned him into a teenager. As the plot bounces along, however, subtle character development and substantial inquiry add layers of meaning, posing important questions about bioethics and family responsibility. Perna's frothy narration enhances the novel's lighter elements, keeping the pace brisk and humorously reflecting the adolescent cadence of the dialogue; when the novel's deeper revelations surface, they are that much more surprising and reverberant. thom barthelmess (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Middle school doesn't start smoothly for 11-year-old Ellie, whose best friend finds her passion (volleyball) and new teammates to eat lunch with, while Ellie flounders, uninterested in sports or her parents' avocation, theater. A startling addition to the household helps Ellie get her groove back when Grandpa Melvin, a scientist, moves in after engineering a cure for aging (the regenerative properties of jellyfish are involved) and transforming himself into a teenage boy. Though Melvin dresses and acts like the crotchety old man he was, he and Ellie bond over spirited discussions about Jonas Salk, Robert Oppenheimer, the possibilities of science, and the moral questions scientific advances can raise. Though the subject matter has a lot of intellectual heft, the writing has Holm's ever-present light touch. The small cast, which refreshingly includes divorced parents who treat each other respectfully, is so well realized that the farfetched aspects of the plot seem almost plausible. This is top-notch middle-grade fiction with a meaty dilemma, humor, and an ending that leaves room for the possibility of a sequel. Ages 8-12. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Grinberg Literary Management. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Gr 3-7-Ellie's amicably divorced parents found their passion in the "thee-a-tah." Her previous best friend found hers in sports. Ellie doubts she'll ever find anything she's passionate about, but then her mother brings home Melvin, Ellie's cranky scientist grandfather. He's found the fountain of youth in the compound of a newly discovered species of jellyfish, the T. melvinus. His proof? Melvin now resides in the body of a sullen 13-year-old boy. He insists a Nobel Prize is imminent and enlists Ellie's help in recovering the T. melvinus from the research lab. In the course of their (mis)adventures, Ellie discovers a passion for science, meets a new friend, and finds life is full of opportunities to make the impossible possible. Holm provides a humorous view into the ever-evolving cycle of relationships and the importance of the wonder of science. Narrator Georgette Perna is exceptional, especially as cankerous, trying-to-maintain-his-dignity Melvin. The well-constructed mix of historical nonfiction and age transformation is a little bit Blue Balliett's The Calder Game and a little bit Mary Rogers's Freaky Friday. A top pick.-Cheryl Preisendorfer, Twinsburg City Schools, OH (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.