Summary

In Chapter 1, Ellie, the main character and narrator, tells readers about her experience with her pet goldfish. Her teacher had given each student in her class a goldfish to teach them about the cycle of life in a short amount of time, as goldfish don't have long life spans.

Ellie thinks her goldfish is original because it lives for seven years, but, when she finally finds her goldfish dead in its bowl, she discovers that her mother had replaced each previous goldfish upon its death. The one Ellie found was the thirteenth. They bury it and Ellie asks for a dog.

In Chapter 2, Ellie tells readers that she can't have a dog because the backyard is too small and there's no space for a dog to run around. The house has another problem. The toilet gets clogged a lot.

Ellie has a babysitter...