My Life in the Fish Tank

by Barbara Dee

From acclaimed author of Maybe He Just Likes You and Halfway Normal comes a powerful and moving story of learning how to grow, change, and survive.

When twelve-year-old Zinnia Manning’s older brother Gabriel is diagnosed with a mental illness, the family’s world is turned upside down. Mom and Dad want Zinny, her sixteen-year-old sister, Scarlett, and her eight-year-old brother, Aiden, to keep Gabriel’s condition “private”—and to Zinny that sounds the same as “secret.” Which means she can’t talk about it to her two best friends, who don’t understand why Zinny keeps pushing them away, turning everything into a joke.

It also means she can’t talk about it during Lunch Club, a group run by the school guidance counselor. How did Zinny get stuck in this weird club, anyway? She certainly doesn’t have anything in common with these kids—and even if she did, she’d never betray her family’s secret.

The only good thing about school is science class, where cool teacher Ms. Molina has them doing experiments on crayfish. And when Zinny has the chance to attend a dream marine biology camp for the summer, she doesn’t know what to do. How can Zinny move forward when Gabriel—and, really, her whole family—still needs her help?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Family, Fiction, Friendship, Mental Illness

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 15, 2020

Reviews

[Robert Khorsand · Rating 4 out of 5]

گفتار اندر معرفی کتاب
زندگی من در آکواریوم، عنوان کتابی‌ست به قلم خانم «باربارا دی»(نویسنده‌ی امریکاییِ رمان‌های مختص سنین کودک و نوجوان) که در ایران با کسب مجوز از صاحبان واقعی اثر و رعایت کلی قوانین مربوط به کپی رایت توسط خانم «آلاله ارجمندی» ترجمه و نهایتا توسط «نشر ایران‌بان» چاپ و منتشر گردیده است.
نویسنده‌ی کتاب در پیامی به خواننده می‌گوید:
همه‌ی ما به کتاب‌ها نیازمندیم تا کمکمان کنند، بفهمیم و ارتباط برقرار کنیم.

سوال و جواب از خودم
سوال:
وقتی خودت می‌نویسی که این نویسنده برای سنین کودک و نوجوان رمان می‌نویسد و پشت جلد کتاب ذکر شده است که این کتاب برای گروه سنی ۹ تا ۱۵ سال مناسب است، اولا چرا این کتاب را خواندی و دوما از خواندنش چه چیزی بدست آوردی؟
جواب:
همه‌ی ما روزی به دنیا آمده‌ایم، دوران خردسالی، کودکی، نوجوانی، جوانی و ... را به ترتیب طی می‌کنیم و وقتی روزی خانواده تشکیل می‌دهیم، صاحب فرزند می‌شویم. طبیعی‌ست که نوع روابط با فرزندانِ خودمان و سایر اطرافیانِ ما حاصل تجارب حقیقی ما در آن سنین و هم‌چنین مشاهدات عینی ما از برخورد اطرافیان‌ ماست و این از نظر من یک محدودیت واقعی‌ست چون داده‌های ما حاصل از یک اجتماع بسیار کوچک است.
به همین منظور شخصا کتاب‌های گروه سنی کودک و نوجوان را می‌خوانم تا اولا کودک درونم از خواندن آن‌ها لذت ببرد، دوما جویای داده‌ها و اطلاعاتی باشم که خودم نه تجربه‌ کرده باشم و نه دیده باشم.

گفتار اندر ستایش مترجم
آلاله ارجمندی یک دوست خوب است.
دوست خوب است چون اولا کتاب‌ها را دوست دارد و از زندگی در دنیای کتاب‌ها و خواندن آن‌ها لذت می‌برد، دوما همان‌طور که خود می‌گوید: شیفته‌ی کار مترجمی‌ست و همان‌طور که من از خواندن کتاب‌هایش و اخلاقش برداشت می‌کنم ذوق سرشاری در این حرفه دارد، سوما نه تنها دهه‌ی شصتی‌ست بلکه همسن من هم هست.
این دومین کتاب خانم ارجمندی‌ست، نخستین اثر او «مرگ ناکار» نام داشت که پیش‌تر آن‌را خوانده و در موردش نوشته بودم اما بدون هرگونه لطف و ارفاقی باید عرض کنم که در امر ترجمه در این کتاب به شکل کاملا محسوس در مسیر تکامل قرار گرفته و به همین دلیل متن این کتاب را بسیار شیرین و دوست‌داشتنی تقدیم خواننده‌ها نموده است.
از هم‌اکنون منتظر کتاب بعدی ایشان هستم و برای‌ ایشان در تمام زمینه‌های زندگی بهترین‌ها را آرزو می‌کنم.

گفتار اندر داستان کتاب
زینی (شخصیت اول کتاب) به همراه ایدن، اسکارلت، گبریل(برادران و خواهرش) و البته پدر و مادرش زندگی‌ می‌کند. او یک بچه‌ی کاملا معمولی همانند همه‌ی بچه‌های دیگر است و زندگی شادی را در کنار خانواده و دوست‌های خود سپری می‌کند تا اینکه روزی همه‌چیز با اتفاقی ناخواسته دست‌خوش تغییر می‌گردد.
برادر بزرگ زینی(گبریل) دچار یک نوع بیماری روانی می‌گردد و پدر و مادرش از او می‌خواهند این رخداد را به عنوان یک راز محرمانه نگه دارد و مسئولیت نگه‌داشتن این راز برای زینی به هیچ‌وجه کار ساده و کم‌بهایی نیست تا اینکه ... .

گفتار اندر محتوای کتاب
زندگی من در آکواریوم، تنها یک رمان ساده با قلمی شیرین نیست. حقیقتا نیست، بلکه رمانی‌ست با دید و پرداخت خوب روانشناسانه که در حین و پس از خواندن کتاب، ذهن خواننده را به شدت به چالشی بسیار مهم می‌کشد.
پس از پایان کتاب، تعدادی سوال، تکلیف، فعالیت و تحقیق مطرح شده که از نظر من ارزشش اگر بیشتر از خود کتاب نباشد کمتر از خود کتاب نیست. از مترجم عزیز شنیدم که این بخش در کتاب اصلی وجود نداشته و در سایت ناشر اصلی قرار گرفته و این ابتکار «نشر ایران‌بان» بوده که در انتهای عنوان فارسی آورده شده و من از آنجایی‌که بسیار از این اقدام خلاقانه لذت بردم، دوست دارم حداقل در مورد یکی از سوالات که به شدت ذهنم را درگیر خود کرد کمی بنویسم.
سوال هفتم کتاب:
بی برو برگرد رفتم در دنیای ابررمان «خانواده تیبو»، جایی که «ژاک» توسط پدرش به مکانی تبعید شد تا اصلاح شود، ژاک بیمار روانی نبود و اصلا مقایسه من در این مورد نیست اما تجربیات ژاک در آن تنهایی و اینکه او چه حسی در مورد برادر و پدرش و نحوه‌ی برحوردشان داشت برای من به یکباره زنده شد.
در چنین مواردی شخصی‌که از محل زندگی خود به یک‌باره به هر علتی(زندان، بیمارستان، تیمارستان، تبعید و ...) جدا می‌شود، وارد بحرانی جسمی و روحی می‌شود.
جسمی چون به علت وارد شدن به یک بحران روحی از غذا خوردن می‌افتد و به شدت ضعیف می‌شود(در زندان به این مورد «تب زندان» می‌گویند) و برای همین بود که گبریل از غذاها و ... بد می‌گفت چون اگر بهترین هم بودند برای او بدترین بودند.
اما همه‌چیز فقط برای آن شخص که وارد یک بحران شده نیست، او در دنیای جدید باید بجنگد و در این جنگ یا پیروز می‌شود و یا شکستی بد را تجربه می‌کند اما سوی دیگر این داستان خانواده و اطرافیان او هستند.
در داستان دیدیم که نحوه‌ی مدیریت پدر و مادرش چه به روز زینی و اسکارلت آورد، ایدن کوچک‌تر از آن بود که خلل مهمی برایش به وجود آید اما با اینکه معتقدم نویسنده در مورد اسکارلت چیزی بیان نکرد، اما او هم درگیری خود را داشت و البته نویسنده با خلاقیت او را نقطه تقابل زینی قرار داد که نمونه‌ی یک رازدار کامل بود و اسکارلت رازداری نکرد.
از بعدی دیگر اگر نویسنده داستانش را از زبان گبریل می‌نوشت به عقیده‌ی من یا باید داستان را از گروه سنی کودک و نوجوان خارج می‌کرد و یا داستانی آبکی از آب در می‌آمد، اما من دوست داشتم حتی شده کمی اسکارلت نقش محوری را در داستان بازی کند و نکرد، اسکارلت همان‌قدر در سایه بود که آیدا(مخلوق عباس‌آقای معروفی در سمفونی مردگان) در سایه قرار گرفت.
در بخشی از کتاب می‌خوانیم که گبریل(برادر بزرگ) زینی را به «بفرما بستنی» می‌برد، این سفر کوتاه از دید من هم برای گبریل و هم زینی ناخوشایند بود چون هم گبریل موجبات انتظار زینی را فراهم کرد و او را مدتی تنها گذاشت و هم زینی پاسخ این انتظار را با درخواستش به رجوع فوری به خانه داد و من این تقابل را نوعی واکنش دفاعی از زینی دیدم و نه بیشتر، اما چون نویسنده با این فلش‌بک خواسته خمیر داستانش را ورز دهد، فکر می‌کنم او در فکرش گبریل را شخصی در حال سقوط ساخته، شخصی‌که تمام المان‌های سقوط در ذهن او شکل گرفته و فقط به یک جرقه برای انفجار نیاز دارد و در این مورد من به هیچ‌وجه زینی را مقصر نمی‌دانم چون واکنشش کاملا غیرارادی بود، دقیقا همانند اینکه شخصی در کنارمان در ذهنش برای خودکشی ثانیه‌شماری می‌کند بی‌آنکه روح ما از ماجرا خبر داشته باشد و درگیری لفظی ما به فاجعه ختم شود... .
در جایی دیگر از کتاب می‌خوانیم که اسکارلت می‌گوید: زندگی من فقط گبریل نیست... ، همه‌ی ما همین هستیم و اسکارلت و عقایدش به خود واقعی من نزدیک‌ بود، اینکه پدر و مادر بچه‌ها با یک رخداد وظایف جدیدی به فرزندان خود محول کنند و آنان را از چرخه‌ی عادی زندگی خارج کنند اصلا صحیح نبود که کردند و حتی بچه‌ها در تامین خوراک خود به مشکل برخورده بودند، پس من شدیدا با اسکارلت همدردی می‌کنم و به او حق می‌دهم.

کارنامه
تنها یک ستاره از کتاب کسر می‌کنم چون حقیقتا دوست‌داشتم بیشتر از اسکارلت بخوانم و به نظرم تقابل‌های شخصیتش با زینی شدیدا خواندنی می‌شد و ضمن منظور نمودن چهارستاره برای کتاب، خواندنش را به دوستان هم‌سلیقه‌ و خوش‌ذوقم و تمام نوجوانان پیشنهاد می‌کنم.

نهم بهمن‌ماه یک‌هزار و چهارصد

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of this cover! Such beautiful artwork and so inviting! I also really appreciated the way Barbara Dee framed a discussion of mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder, through the eyes of Zinnia. When one family member gets ill, the entire family is affected. Zinnia's big brother is spending time in a treatment center after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Her friends want to support her, but Zinnia does not want to talk about it. In fact, her parents have asked that the family try not to give out details on Gabriel's condition in an effort to preserve his privacy. The situation is complicated and emotions run high. With an older sister (Scarlett) and a younger brother (Aiden) gives us as readers the opportunity to witness reactions to the situation from different development levels. The parents are an additional witness to the difficulties families face in such situations. Loved the relationships Zinnia develops with classmates also going through family trauma, the teachers who step up to support her, and the working through of middle school drama with old friends.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Eidelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Dee can do no wrong. I have loved everything she has written and this one was absolutely exquisite - so many tears for me. Middle grade doesn’t have nearly enough high quality representation of mental illness and this one is the gold standard for the impacts it has on families. LOVE. Can’t wait to share with kids!

[human · Rating 4 out of 5]

man, this is EXACTLY why i still read middle grade. we love emotionally resonant books for kids in this household.

[Kasra Shahedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

باربارا دی از اون نویسنده‌هایی است که انگار خودش نوجوونه! و همین ویژگی باعث شده که ارتباط با داستان‌هاش خیلی لذت‌بخش باشه!
خوندن داستان و احساسات و ادراک این دختر نوجوون توی داستان لحظه‌های خیلی خوبی رو برای من ساخت. فوق‌العاده بود 😍 از صمیمیت ترجمه هم هرچی بگم کم گفتم:)

[Margo Jantzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Dee has written another gem for our middle grade readers. Mental illness is given a new more open lens as Zinnia copes with issues facing her family when her older brother is diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Zinny’s parents tell her not to talk about her brother Gabriel’s mental illness after his bipolar diagnosis, she begins pushing her friends away. With the help of a caring science teacher, a lunch time guidance counseling club and her own fighting spirit, she finds her way.

Barbara Dee is the Judy Blume of this generation. Her books hit at the heart of struggles tweens encounter as they navigate family, friendship and life’s ups and downs. MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK helps explain mental illness, through Zinny’s story and through her care of crayfish as a metaphor for life.

Zinnia is a great character with a big heart, trying to do the right thing while protecting herself and her family. She isn’t always kind in her approach, but with the help of people at school, she learns and grows from her mistakes.

I wish long term residential treatment facilities like Gabriel’s existed in the United States, but otherwise the story was realistic and informative.

MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK belongs in every library, classroom be counseling office.

[Laurie]

Barbara Dee has done it again! Another wonderful MG that’s as funny and engaging as it is poignant. I
love the authentic and relatable way this book explores a kid’s experience dealing with her brother’s bipolar disorder.

[Cassie Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Dee is easily becoming a go-to middle grade author for me and my classroom library. I loved Zinny’s character and how she developed throughout the story. The family dynamic is one that I know students out there can relate to on many levels; younger sibling, an issue or traumatic even with a sibling, parents disengaging from the others with another sibling is experiencing trials, an older sassy sister..the list goes on. I loved the way the teachers played a huge role in being the positive outlet for Zinny. It’s a great way to remind kids that sometimes talking to someone is very helpful, and that someone can be a teacher you trust.

[Hugh Mcdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Life in the Fish Tank by Barbara Dee is a quality read for middle schoolers that tells of the struggles of 12 year old Zinnia and her family when they learn of her older brother’s mental illness diagnosis. It’s a refreshing look at a topic that is hard to talk about but needs to be brought more to the forefront. Dee does a wonderful job telling this story filled with kind and understanding characters. #mcdreads

[Julie Jaeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book by Barbara Dee!

[Laura Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ for this incredible book by @barbaradeebooks, author of one of my MG faves, Maybe He Just Likes You. I started it at 6 pm and didn't stop reading until I finished. Out 9/15/20
#Bingeread !!
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Zinny is one of four kids in a quirky, loving family. When her brother Gabriel gets in a car accident and is reported by the hospital to be "a little off," her family's life goes off the rails. Her mom quits her job and spends all her time on the phone with insurance companies, her father barely ever comes home from work, her little brother Aiden becomes obsessed with survival, and her older sister Scarlett struggles, too. The book is told in a fractured storyline with flashbacks and introspective verse chapters, which is very effective. Gabriel is depicted as a larger-than-life, hilarious, fun older brother, but as Zinny explores her memories she finds evidence of his mental illness there, too. Zinny doesn't know how to talk about her fears and her feelings and when her mother tells the kids they should keep their family's situation private (secret), that makes things even harder. Luckily, Zinny has some teachers who won't give up on her and a new group of friends who understand what she's going through to a degree. How can Zinny get past the shame, guilt, and anger she's feeling and how can her family heal?
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I love this book. I love any book that helps to destigmatize mental illness and explores the way mental illness can affect an entire family. My Life in a Fish Tank by @barbaradeebooks does all this brilliantly and with humor, love, and respect. I cannot WAIT to get this into the hands of students and discuss it with them.
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[Jerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good young adult novel with a focus on mental health, specifically bipolar disorder. The author handles the subject matter in a way that would allow kids to be able to relate to, and hopefully empathize with, someone dealing with mental health issues.

Other topics in the book include changing teen friendships, family drama, sibling interactions, and the conflict between reaching for your goals and feeling a sense of responsibility to others.

Zinny, the main character deals with these issues in ways that are age-appropriate and allow the reader to see her grow and change with the help of family, friends and teachers.

Also featured in the book is a social work group, called the lunch bunch, that portrays kids’ quirkiness and effort to connect and is portrayed in a way that is relatable and real. This would be a good read for a child/student that might benefit from seeing a social worker, but was reluctant.

[Lorie Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Dee just keeps getting better and better. She’s becoming one of those authors. You know the ones? “I’ll read anything they’ve written.”

Fish Tank has it all: relatable, VIBRANT characters, a crisp, moving plot that doesn’t slow so kids won’t want to put it down (love those short, tight chapters,) and a focus on mental illness. This last is especially important today, as we as a society begin to understand the harm that keeping things “a secret” can do. Mental illness shouldn’t be a “tough topic,” and if we help kids start to understand and talk about it, maybe it won’t be.

Bravo, Barbara Dee, and many thanks to Aladdin for sharing this one with my reading group. Out next week, already pre-ordered!

[Kathy Iwanicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Growing up, I read and reread Judy Blume’s Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret and Deenie. I saw myself in those characters and it helped me to process the big feelings of my preteen self. This book will do that for today’s middle grade reader. I have yet to have read a book with preteens and mental illness of a teen. Middle grader writers continue to impress me with their willingness to write for an audience that needs them. This story line is one that I have yet to read in middle grade novels. However, the story will appeal to readers of all backgounds.
This is my second book by Barbara Dee and she knocks it out of the park again.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zinnia's life is turned upside down after her older brother, Gabriel, is in an accident, one that was influenced by his new diagnosis: Bipolar disorder. What does that mean for him? Did he always have it, and their family never noticed? Zinny feels like she's in a tank living operating on "Abnormal Standard Time", where things move slowly, while the rest of the world continues on as normal around her. Barbara Dee has a knack for writing engrossing novels for middle graders about difficult situations without oversimplifying them. Every scenario in My Life in the Fish Tank feels true, every interaction between Zinnia and her family, her friends, and even her teachers. Wonderful and heartfelt.

[Corrie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this along with my Junior Book Club. A beautiful story about mental illness (bipolar disorder), family, friendship, secrets, and discovering that you don't have to carry the weight of the world by yourself.

[Kimberly Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Barbara Dee's books and this one did not disappoint.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think most of us would agree that the middle grade years are possibly some of the hardest years. I remember the “fights” with my best friends. We’d inevitably make up and all would be well…until our next fight. Those awkward years when we transition from childhood to “almost” adulthood are hard enough without dealing with a major crisis at home. And a major crisis is exactly what seventh grader Zinny’s family faces when her family receives a phone call letting them know that her brother Gabriel has been in a car accident and seems a bit off.

My Life in the Fish Tank is simply brilliant. Mental illness is something we don’t talk about nearly enough. This is 2020, not 1920! We should know better than to treat mental illness as something that needs to be kept private. We don’t keep cancer private. Since we understand so much more about mental illness than we did in the past, we’ve got to treat it as a “real” thing because it is. Zinny goes through so much more anguish than she would have had to had her family not told her to keep Gabe’s bipolar disorder private (which means secret, right?).



My emotions took a serious beating while reading My Life in the Fish Tank because I could empathize with Zinny’s parents. There were times throughout the book where I had tears running down my face. Though I haven’t had a child spend time in a residential treatment center, I know what it’s like to have a child dealing with depression. And I know what it’s like to live with depression and anxiety myself.

Barbara Dee does an excellent job of showing us how each family member deals with Gabe’s mental illness. She doesn’t just reveal Zinny’s emotions; she shows us how Mom and Dad exist during this period, how Scarlett shuts herself away from her family, and how Aiden’s fears affect his daily life.

I feel like I could write a book about how much I love My Life in the Fish Tank because I haven’t even scratched the surface of the depth of my feelings about it. Ms. Molina, Mr. Patrick, Lunch Club, science class, old and new friends, treatment center trips…these are people and things you’ll have to discover for yourselves.

I seriously didn’t want this book to end and would have gladly read another 320 pages; however, the ending is perfect. I highly recommend it to anyone who has been touched by mental illness: teachers, counselors, middle grade kids, high school kids, parents, grandparents… Dive into My Life in the Fish Tank ASAP!

Thanks to NetGalley and Media Masters Publicity for a free ARC of the book. I was not required to give a review.

[Kasey Short · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an advance digital copy of this novel and couldn't put it down once I begin reading.

I give this book 5 stars! Barbara Dee has a way of taking complex, mature topics and making them assessible, appropriate and engaging for middle grades students. In this novel, she skillfully addresses mental illness and the impact it has on families, specifically a middle grades girl, Zinny. Throughout the novel, Zinny grapples with the new information that her brother has bi-polar disorder and how to face her feelings when her parents are asking her to keep her brothers’ illness a secret. Dee uses flashbacks to illustrate Zinny’s changing family dynamics, her relationship with her brother and complex changing friendships. Ultimately Zinny learns the value of true friends, how helpful it is to share her feelings with trusted adults and peers and mental illness is not shameful. This book would be especially helpful for anyone who is dealing with mental illness themselves or knows someone who is. It would help them to have words to express is going on and reinforce that mental illness, like a physical illness is nothing that should cause shame. All middle grades students would benefit from the valuable lessons about humanity illustrated in this book as well as be engaged with the plot and relatable characters. I have already preordered this book and encourage you to do so as well. It would be perfect for any 5th-8th classroom library and would also be beneficial for counselors to read and have on their shelves to recommended to students who might specifically relate.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

Dee has done it again. She is a master of tackling difficult and "mature" themes in a way that is 100% appropriate, relatable, and understandable for a middle grade audience. In My Life in the Fish Tank Dee shows what it is like when mental illness affects a family.

Zinny's older brother Gabriel has always been larger than life. He can be reckless, but he can also be more fun than her other siblings. So when the call comes early in the morning the week of Thanksgiving break during his freshman year at college, when she is a 7th grader, letting the family know that he has been in a car accident but that seems have been a "little off" with him lately, she knows that things are changing. When her parents come home they tell the rest of the family that Gabriel has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and will be going to a rehabilitation facility to get help. But they don't want the kids to tell others about this in order to protect his privacy. Zinny doesn't understand this, but wants to follow her parent's orders. But, by keeping quiet she is losing friends and struggling to know what is OK to talk about and what isn't.

Highly recommend this one. This is a first purchase type of book. I know it doesn't come out for a while, but while we are all at home right now due to COVID-19, go ahead and make yourself a fall 2020 book order and place this one at the top. Recommended for grades 5-9.

[Salty Mushroom · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book at all when I first read it. It's been a while, and I think I dislike it even more. I was really excited to learn about people with bipolar issues, and how their struggles don't mean they're not capable. This, was not it. The writing style was flat, and Zinny seems a little too old to think so emotionally incapable. Zinny also seems immature, and honestly her personality is a type that I dislike a lot. I wanted to see more of her interactions with Gabriel, and how he acted, but all it talked about made her far away. I wanted to see how her feelings changed towards Gabriel, but she still loved him. I wanted to see how as a family, Zinny's family would be able to support eachother and Gabriel. But no, I get Zinny complaining about James Ramos, complaining about how her friends don't understand her problems... because she doesn't want to tell her friends her problems, complaining about getting help, complaining about not getting help. She sounds so ungreatful and bratty and so self centered. I also disliked the fact that the book would randomly go into script mode when there was more than three people talking. It ruins the emersion and flow, and makes me annoyed that I have to read differently.

If you want to hate on Zinny, be my guest to read "My Life in the Fish Tank".

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Life in the Fish Tank tells the story of Zinnia Manning, a twelve year old with a seemingly ideal family life. But one day, her big brother has an accident while away at college and the aftermath changes her entire family dynamic. Soon, Zinnia finds her relationships with her family and friends falling to pieces around her as she struggles to handle her brother's newly diagnosed mental disorder.

I felt this was a decently paced contemporary middle grade fiction novel with mostly strong, believable characters. I enjoyed Zinnia's perspective and felt connected to her immediately.

[Lindsay Currie · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK is a powerful portrayal of a twelve-year old dealing with her sibling’s newly discovered mental illness. Author Barbara Dee deftly weaves in themes of friendship, family, and secrets, while also reminding us all to accept what we can’t control. A beautiful novel with notes of hope that linger long after its last page.

[Jodie Chapdelaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Dee hit it out of the park again with her new middle grade book. We all know we need more book about mental illness. Barbara tackles the topics most don’t want to touch and writes it for our kids. Thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone to write.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

‪“Just keep your eyes open for everything. Because everything can happen.”‬

‪I’ve been in Abnormal Standard Time before, just like Zinny, & My Life in the Fish Tank will connect with all #mglit readers who’ve been impacted by mental illness.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Barbara Dee and Aladdin publishing for sharing an ARC with #bookexpedition.

Barbara Dee knows middle grade readers. She consistently writes stories about important topics in an authentic way using characters that stay with you, while addressing those topics using honesty and humor. My Life in a Fish Tank is no different.

Twelve year old Zinny’s older brother Gabriel has just been diagnosed with a mental illness. And now her family is operating on “Abnormal Standard Time,” where her life moves slowly while the rest of the world moves on without her.

Zinny’s parents ask the family to keep Gabriel’s bipolar disorder private, so Zinny feels she can’t share what’s going on with her two best friends, pushing them away while deflecting their questions.
She also doesn’t want to talk with others in Lunch Club (how did she get stuck there anyway?) and plans on quitting it as soon as possible.

She finds solace at school in Science class where she’s learning about crayfish. And when she has the chance to attend an amazing marine biology program in the summer, she doesn’t know if she’s ready to move forward while the rest of her family isn’t.

The storytelling of this book is amazing. Each chapter heading is written as a snapshot in time and told in either flashbacks and current events. Highly recommend this MG novel with themes of acceptance, growth, change, and survival. Publishing in September 2020-preorder now!

[Kristin Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Media Masters for sharing a copy of My Life in the Fish Tank with Collabookation.
Barbara Dee does it again! Great story, great pacing, great characters.
Zinnia's big brother is away at college when he gets into a serious car accident. Physically he recovers quickly, but the car accident highlights some of his erratic and concerning behaviors that have been flying under the radar since he left home.
When he is diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, Zinnia's parents ask the siblings to keep it a secret, for Gabriel's sake. But doing so puts Zinnia under intense pressure, with no release valve.
This book is about more than a young girl coping with family change, but it balances some very heavy issues with light ones as well - like Zinnia's efforts to help her younger brother in all the best ways, or Zinnia connecting with her Science teacher and finding respite in her classroom at lunch.
Barbara Dee writes real characters who make mistakes, and this goes for every member of Zinnia's family. It was interesting to see what I found to be realistic coping mechanisms for both the parents and siblings of Gabriel, along with Gabriel himself. At its heart, My Life in the Fish Tank is a book about caring for others while simultaneously making sure to care for yourself.
Highly recommend to students in grade five and up!

[bjneary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as part of the 2nd #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge, Book by Same Author. Zinny is a happy 12 yr old with a large family and friends and a love of science. Life suddenly stops and takes an abnormal turn when her beloved oldest brother, Gabriel, has a car accident and is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, while a freshman in college. Trying to grasp what is happening, their devastated parents tell Zinny, Scarlet, and Aiden to keep Gabriel's condition private without really explaining what that means. As her concerned friends try to comfort her, Zinny will not tell them anything about Gabriel, staying true to her parents wishes. Zinny begins going to her science teacher's classroom at lunch because she loves science and wants to dodge her friends' judgments. What I liked about this book is that Dee explores all the aspects of family dynamics, mental illness, Zinny's confusion, parent and teacher concern in a way that feels vital to the characters and the larger story. The closure of the story was positive and I was so happy with Zinny's journey. This was a stunning and inspiring novel, students will be sharing and talking about this book! Highly recommended!

[Charlene Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Barbara Dee's middle-grade book My Life in a Fish Tank is captivating! The non-linear plot structure, short chapters, and conversational style make this book a quick and interesting read. It tells the story of Zinny, whose college-age brother has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. As Zinny adjusts to a new normal, she tries to understand her family's insistence to keep her brother's mental illness "private," leaving Zinny unable to talk to her friends at a time when she needs them most. The author writes about this subject in an honest and compassionate way. Recommend for older middle-grade students looking for books about a topic that hasn't been given much attention for this audience. Excellent! Thanks to #netgalley and #simonandschusterchildrenspublishing for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.