Synopses & Reviews
Believe in the possible... with this New York Times bestseller by three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm.
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 gawky teenager 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. Look for exclusive new material in the paperback — including Ellie's gallery of scientists and other STEM-appropriate features.
A Sunshine State Award Finalist
Review
"Warm, witty, and wise." The New York Times
Review
"Written in a clean, crisp style, with lively dialogue and wit, this highly accessible novel will find a ready audience." Booklist, Starred
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"Top-notch middle-grade fiction." Publishers Weekly, Starred
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"Ellie's memorable journey into the world of science will inspire readers to explore the world around them and celebrate the possible." Shelf Awareness, Starred
Review
"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
About the Author
Jennifer L. Holm's father was a pediatrician and she grew up listening to him talk about the wonder of antibiotics and how science could change the world. Today Jennifer is the NY Times bestselling author of three Newbery Honor Books, as well as the co-creator of the Babymouse series (a 2013 Eisner Award Winner) and Squish series, which she collaborates on with her brother Matthew Holm.