The Language of Goldfish

The Language of Goldfish is a delicate book about a young girl who is trying to get beyond her mental illness. The story first leads up to her mental breakdown and her attempted suicide. The second part is about how she is coping with it and growing up. In my opinion the book cannot be used in a class full of young people without good follow up. Teenagers may be confused by it, recognizing some situations and wanting to talk about it. The book tries to picture Carrie as a normal girl, but she has abilities, like drawing and maths, that are rather special. She also has the luck of being assigned to an understanding psychiatrist. Not every teenager with similar feelings has that luck. On the other hand, some teenagers may be blessed with understanding parents, which Carrie is not. Therefore, the book tackles a very interesting topic, and certainly not one to walk away from, but it has to be handled with care.

this book touched my heart. i'm now 26 and i read it while i was in junior high. i remember the pressures of growing up and am glad that i was able to make it through better than carrie. this novel is about the anguish a young woman feels when growing up. everyone wants you to be something you aren't and you don't know how to say no. carrie, instead of rebelling, retreats into her own consciousness. she equates her madness to her lovely pond in the backyard -- where she spent so many young and happy years talking to the goldfish with her sister. its a steady downward slope into the mind of an unstable young girl.. the writing is exceptional and the imagery will stay with you for a lifetime.. trust me, i can't forget this book and i haven't read it since i was a teen.

Now 28, I remember reading "The Language of Goldfish" for the first time at age 12. My original copy, with yellowed pages, still sits on my bookshelf. It's gone with me through seven apartments, six roommates, two degrees -- and over the years it's been sandwiched amidst many books that have come and gone, but it will always stay. Zibby O'Neal is my hero (when I was 12 I thought she had the coolest name in the world!) So glad to see it's still in print!!!

It's about a girl with problems. She keeps thinking about a pond she went to when she was young.

What a fabulous book - I first read it when I was in junior high. It was such a relief to find out that the stresses we all suffer when becoming adults are pretty much universal. To take part in her struggles and solutions - yet have no mention of escape in to drugs or alcohol - how refreshing! This one is a must read for adolescents and their parents!