Advice From A Fifth Grader

A book fair is an extremely dangerous place for a girl like me! As I walked among the stacks and piles of literary treasures, I mentally counted up how much of a hit my bank account could take. A book on a back shelf caught my eye, the colorful picture of a goldfish on the cover intriguing me. What on Earth could possibly be said in a chapter book about goldfish? I opened the front, but before I began to read, a young fifth grader touched my elbow.

"Have you read that?" she asked.
"No, I've never even heard of this author," I told her.
"Oh, she's good. I've read stuff by her before and was thinking about maybe getting that one, but I don't think I brought enough money this time," she sighed glumly. I smiled at her.
"That settles it, then," I decided. "I'll buy it and read it, then you can find me and ask how it was. Maybe if it's good, you can add it to your summer reading list."
"Deal," she agreed, happily.

I carried my stack, goldfish book on top, to the harrowed check-out lady. My purchases didn't break the bank, thank goodness, but I also didn't buy as many books as I'd have like to on my book fair trip.

After a long, stressful week, I came home from work today determined to finish The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm. I stretched out on the sofa and sank into the awkward world of middle school (*insert dramatic shudder here*). With a twist of the fantastical, young Ellie (the main character of the book) discovers the magic of science, while also learning some tough life lessons about people, and change, and relationships that are often complicated. Her "fish" tale is fabulous, and when I close the book after reading the final words, I can't help but smile down to my bones. That was exactly what I needed to purge the tension I'd been carrying around.

Below the beaker with the goldfish on the cover of the book are printed the words, "Believe in the possible" (which is written under the crossed out word "impossible). It is a tidbit of advice we seem to start forgetting about middle school age, because when we're younger than that, absolutely nothing seems impossible, except for maybe growing up. Believe in the possible...it is a lesson I want to remember, along with the fact that almost all things are possible, if you are willing to pay the price to attain them.