Restart by Gordon Korman – Book Review

Title: Restart Author: Gordon Korman Publisher: Scholastic Press Release Date: May 30, 2017 Interested in teaching Restart? Check out the LIT Lessons Restart Novel Study.

When Chase Ambrose wakes up in the hospital, he does not remember anything. Not his name, not his own mother, and certainly not how he fell off the roof of his home. Faced with the daunting task of trying to figure out who he is, Chase has a lot of work ahead of him. Yet, after he returns to school, Chase quickly learns that the real challenge is piecing together who he was even before he lost his memory and who he thinks he is now. Why are peers at his school afraid of him? Why are others enraged by his presence? Why do more still treat him like a star? As Chase navigates a life seemingly without a past, he charts a new path forward that just might help him find the redemption he needs to start over.

Restart by Gordon Korman is a powerful novel about starting over, learning from past mistakes, and doing the right thing. The novel’s varied perspectives create a fast-paced plot while lending depth to tough issues such as bullying. It is at once thought-provoking, humorous, and touching. Although told from multiple points of view, Chase’s struggles and transformations never stray far from sight. Korman deftly crafts his main character, creating an individual that, though flawed, is one that readers will root for all the way. This makes him – and his experiences – relatable and moving. Main characters default to White.

Restart is a perfect novel for the classroom. It will easily engage young readers while providing enough material to allow both for deeper exploration of its themes and cross-curricular connections. Whether pairing the novel with a study of the science of memories or using the narrative as an entry into implementing an anti-bullying curriculum, Restart is as rich in instructional potential as it is in the lessons and impressions it will impart on readers.

Classroom Applications

• Teaching Unit – Use the Restart Novel Study to teach a cross-curricular unit with a study of memory.
• Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books written by Gordon Korman.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Science of Memories
• Effects of Brain Trauma
• Amnesia
• Effects of Bullying

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Restart. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• The Giver by Lois Lowry (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• The Fort by Gordon Korman (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)

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