Download high-resolution image
Listen to a clip from the audiobook
audio pause button
0:00
0:00

The Fourteenth Goldfish

Listen to a clip from the audiobook
audio pause button
0:00
0:00
Ebook (EPUB)
On sale Aug 26, 2014 | 208 Pages | 9780307974365
Age 8-12 years | Grades 3-7
Reading Level: Lexile 550L | Fountas & Pinnell Z
Believe in the possible . . . with this "warm, witty, and wise" New York Times bestselling novel from three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm. A perfect read about a child's relationship with her grandfather!
 
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.

And don’t miss the much-anticipated sequel, The Third Mushroom!

"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!
Goldie

When I was in preschool, I had a teacher named Starlily. She wore rainbow tie-dyed dresses and was always bringing in cookies that were made with granola and flax and had no taste.

Starlily taught us to sit still at snack time, sneeze into our elbows, and not eat the Play-Doh (which most kids seemed to think was optional). Then one day, she sent all of us home with a goldfish. She got them at ten for a dollar at a pet store. She gave our parents a lecture before sending us off.

"The goldfish will teach your child about the cycle of life." She explained, "Goldfish don't last very long."

I took my goldfish home and named it Goldie like every other kid in the world who thought they were being original. But it turned out that Goldie was kind of original.

Because Goldie didn't die.

Even after all my classmates' fish had gone to the great fishbowl in the sky, Goldie was still alive. Still alive when I started kindergarten. Still alive in first grade. Still alive in second grade and third and fourth. Then finally, last year in fifth grade, I went into the kitchen one morning and saw my fish floating upside down in the bowl.

My mom groaned when I told her.

"He didn't last very long," she said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "He lasted seven years!"

She gave me a smile and said, "Ellie, that wasn't the original Goldie. The first fish only lasted two weeks. When he died, I bought another one and put him in the bowl. There've been a lot of fish over the years."

"What number was this one?"

"Unlucky thirteen," she said with a wry look.

"They were all unlucky," I pointed out.

We gave Goldie Thirteen a toilet-bowl funeral and I asked my mom if we could get a dog.
  • WINNER | 2016
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Hawaii Nene Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Massachusetts Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Nebraska Golden Sower Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    North Carolina Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Utah Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Florida Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Colorado Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Georgia Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Indiana Young Hoosier Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Iowa Children's Choice Award
  • SELECTION | 2015
    Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2015
    Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children's and Teens
  • SELECTION | 2015
    Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices
  • FINALIST | 2015
    Commonwealth Club of California Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2015
    IRA CBC Children's Choice
  • FINALIST | 2015
    Children's Choice
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Publishers Weekly starred review, May 26, 2014:
“This is top-notch middle-grade fiction with a meaty dilemma, humor, and an ending that leaves room for the possibility of a sequel. “

Booklist starred review, July 1, 2014:
"A great choice for book groups and class discussions as well as individual reading."

New York Times Books Review, August 24, 2014:
"“Youth, old age, life, death, love, possibilities, and – oh yes – goldfish all come together in this warm, witty and wise novel.”

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, September 2014:
"Holm’s writing is crisp, accessible, and well paced, and her enthusiasm for science and its impact emerges clearly and consistently but not overbearingly, with clear, appreciative nods to the world of theater and its purpose in our lives. Indeed, this novel explores weighty elements of human existence with a light touch, allowing readers to engage with the issues at multiple levels; an excellent appendix of recommended readings encourages exploration and dialogue. This novel would make an ideal classroom read aloud, particularly to expose students to the rich and rewarding STEM fields."
© Photo provided by the author
Jennifer L. Holm is a New York Times bestselling children's author and the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels Our Only May Amelia, Penny From Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on two graphic novel series—the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series and the bestselling Squish series. She lives in California with her husband and two children. View titles by Jennifer L. Holm

About

Believe in the possible . . . with this "warm, witty, and wise" New York Times bestselling novel from three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm. A perfect read about a child's relationship with her grandfather!
 
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.

And don’t miss the much-anticipated sequel, The Third Mushroom!

"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!

Excerpt

Goldie

When I was in preschool, I had a teacher named Starlily. She wore rainbow tie-dyed dresses and was always bringing in cookies that were made with granola and flax and had no taste.

Starlily taught us to sit still at snack time, sneeze into our elbows, and not eat the Play-Doh (which most kids seemed to think was optional). Then one day, she sent all of us home with a goldfish. She got them at ten for a dollar at a pet store. She gave our parents a lecture before sending us off.

"The goldfish will teach your child about the cycle of life." She explained, "Goldfish don't last very long."

I took my goldfish home and named it Goldie like every other kid in the world who thought they were being original. But it turned out that Goldie was kind of original.

Because Goldie didn't die.

Even after all my classmates' fish had gone to the great fishbowl in the sky, Goldie was still alive. Still alive when I started kindergarten. Still alive in first grade. Still alive in second grade and third and fourth. Then finally, last year in fifth grade, I went into the kitchen one morning and saw my fish floating upside down in the bowl.

My mom groaned when I told her.

"He didn't last very long," she said.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "He lasted seven years!"

She gave me a smile and said, "Ellie, that wasn't the original Goldie. The first fish only lasted two weeks. When he died, I bought another one and put him in the bowl. There've been a lot of fish over the years."

"What number was this one?"

"Unlucky thirteen," she said with a wry look.

"They were all unlucky," I pointed out.

We gave Goldie Thirteen a toilet-bowl funeral and I asked my mom if we could get a dog.

Awards

  • WINNER | 2016
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Hawaii Nene Award
  • NOMINEE | 2017
    Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Massachusetts Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Nebraska Golden Sower Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    North Carolina Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    North Dakota Flicker Tale Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Utah Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    New York State Charlotte Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Florida Sunshine State Young Reader's Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Colorado Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Georgia Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Indiana Young Hoosier Award
  • NOMINEE | 2016
    Iowa Children's Choice Award
  • SELECTION | 2015
    Vermont Dorothy Canfield Fischer Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2015
    Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children's and Teens
  • SELECTION | 2015
    Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices
  • FINALIST | 2015
    Commonwealth Club of California Book Award
  • SELECTION | 2015
    IRA CBC Children's Choice
  • FINALIST | 2015
    Children's Choice
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2015
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award

Reviews

Publishers Weekly starred review, May 26, 2014:
“This is top-notch middle-grade fiction with a meaty dilemma, humor, and an ending that leaves room for the possibility of a sequel. “

Booklist starred review, July 1, 2014:
"A great choice for book groups and class discussions as well as individual reading."

New York Times Books Review, August 24, 2014:
"“Youth, old age, life, death, love, possibilities, and – oh yes – goldfish all come together in this warm, witty and wise novel.”

The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, September 2014:
"Holm’s writing is crisp, accessible, and well paced, and her enthusiasm for science and its impact emerges clearly and consistently but not overbearingly, with clear, appreciative nods to the world of theater and its purpose in our lives. Indeed, this novel explores weighty elements of human existence with a light touch, allowing readers to engage with the issues at multiple levels; an excellent appendix of recommended readings encourages exploration and dialogue. This novel would make an ideal classroom read aloud, particularly to expose students to the rich and rewarding STEM fields."

Author

© Photo provided by the author
Jennifer L. Holm is a New York Times bestselling children's author and the recipient of three Newbery Honors for her novels Our Only May Amelia, Penny From Heaven, and Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm, on two graphic novel series—the Eisner Award-winning Babymouse series and the bestselling Squish series. She lives in California with her husband and two children. View titles by Jennifer L. Holm