The Fourteenth Goldfish is, at its core, a science fiction story; however, it's not a "weird" science fiction story. It is a story filled with humor that has lessons about family, friendship, acceptance, and life. When Ellie's scientist Grandfather, Melvin, finds a way to reverse the aging process, she ends up having him at her middle school as a fellow student-- a seventy-year old man in a 13 year-old's body. Far from being a bad thing, Ellie is involved in adventure and discovery with the 13 year-old Melvin, and she ends up meeting some new friends along the way. She also learns that she has a real interest in science, and wonders if she might have a future as a scientist. 
 I loved this book. It made me laugh, and even made me cry- just a LITTLE bit. I loved the characters and all the strange predicaments they got into, and I was interested to find out what was going to happen to Melvin. I highly recommend this short, fun, and thought-provoking read!