Restart

by Gordon Korman

Hardcover, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

J4D.Kor

Publication

Scholastic Press

Pages

243

Description

Chase does not remember falling off the roof, in fact he does not remember anything about himself, and when he gets back to middle school he begins to learn who he was through the reactions of the other kids--trouble is, he really is not sure he likes the Chase that is being revealed, but can he take the opportunity amnesia has provided and restart his life?

Collection

Juvenile

Barcode

8761

Language

English

Original language

English

Original publication date

2017

Physical description

243 p.; 8.5 inches

ISBN

1338053779 / 9781338053777

User reviews

LibraryThing member ewyatt

Chase fell off his roof and wakes up in the hospital not remembering anything about himself. He soon discovers he was not a nice person, not the kind of person he wants to be. When he can't play football and joins the video club, he is friends with other 8th graders who he had previously

terrorized. As Chase comes to terms with his past and who he wants to become, there are certainly rocky times. But you will cheer with him as he gets the chance to restart his life.

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LibraryThing member sgrame

Chase falls off of the roof and loses his memory. When he gets back to school, he finds people reacting to him really strangely- almost like they are afraid of him. As time goes by, he realizes he was not a very nice kid and wants to make a new start. Old friends have certain holds though. Can

Chase break through the bonds and move on to a new life that he really likes? This book shows that bullies don't have to always stay bullies and lines can be crossed between sports heros and geeks. This would be good for a book discussion for early middle school.

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LibraryThing member mcorbink

Excellent book for young readers. Korman has done it again ! The story revolves around a once bully who falls off his roof and gets a concussion. He has amnesia and is horrified to learn who he was before the accident. He has a new personality, but he's not sure it will last. Excellent story!

LibraryThing member sweetiegherkin

After a fall from his rooftop, Chase Ambrose doesn't remember anything at all -- not his family, not his friends, and certainly not how he was the biggest bully in his middle school. Post-accident Chase is ready to start with a clean slate as a nice guy, but will anyone in his school ever forgive

him for his past actions?

This was an interesting take on the wish we all sometimes have of magically erasing our past transgressions. What's nice is that Chase becomes a more empathetic person, but he doesn't have an easy go of convincing others about this right away. It's important for kids to learn that while they can do better in the future, that doesn't wipe away what's already been done -- and therefore it's important to choose wisely from the start.

Another good thing about this book was how it wasn't written entirely in Chase's perspective. We also see kids who are victims of bullying as well as some other school bullies. With the audiobook, multiple narrators really bring all these characters to life.

Korman does a fine job of mixing just the right amount of humor into this book about rather serious topics. And while it's perhaps a little too neatly wrapped up at the end to be considered 100% realistic, sometimes it's nice for kids (and adults) to have a happy ending with everyone getting their just desserts.

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LibraryThing member SamMusher

One of Korman's best. Gets at a lot of the same ideas as Schooled (what does it mean to be an outsider? how do you know who your real friends are? how do you make amends for something you've done wrong?) but it's much better written. Kids I've given it to have generally enjoyed it. My only quibble

is that if a serious concussion changes your personality, it's likely to make you *more* impulsive, selfish, and incapable of thinking through consequences, not less. I could see this story confusing a kid about the public conversation around football head trauma, so a quick, "This is fiction; how concussions really work is xyz" is probably a good idea.

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LibraryThing member MrNattania72

Only because I am modeling to read outside of my comfort zone did I pick up this book. It's message is that: It is not what we have done that defines us, it's what we do to correct the wrongs we have inflicted on others. Everyone makes mistakes and in this book, Chase has made quite a few. Being

the school bully and leaders of the Jocks, Chase has tormented just about everyone in the community. It is only have he wakes up and has amnesia that he is given the chance to be a different person. Though its message and a great one for students to read, I doubt the bullies of the school will even pick up a book, not to mention one that directly deals with what they are doing to students, teachers and other community members. I would recommend this book for boys and girls from grades 6 . It was not as predictable as most Realistic Fiction books I tend to read, so I'd give it a 7 out of 10.

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LibraryThing member McSarah

Chase Ambrose doesn't remember falling off the roof of his house, which isn't s surprise since he doesn't remember who he is either. After recovering, physically from his injuries, he goes back and begins to find out who he was when students are afraid and seem to avoid him. Although he was a

middle school football star there are still many kids that dislike him and he slowly learns it is because he was treating them badly. This story explores whether or not it is possible to re-invent yourself and shows how the things we say and do have a long lasting impact. This book shows the importance of being kind and giving people second chances.

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LibraryThing member DonnaMarieMerritt

A bully falls from a roof and ends up with amnesia. Does not remembering your past make you a new person? Or once a bully, always a bully? And what happens when the horrible things you've done start coming back to you, but they come along with the feeling of power and invincibility you once had?

Add to that a final scene that had me bawling my eyes out and you've got a winner of a story. Absolutely adding it to my grade 4/5 school library—and I think older kids and adults will love it, too.

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LibraryThing member genieinanovel

Chase is the star of the middle school football team, and he seems to have it all. Popularity, cool friends, and he basically rules the school. That is, until he falls off his roof and ends up with amnesia.

He forgets everything about his life and who he is as a person. As he tries to get back into

a groove at school, he finds out some things about himself that shocks him… sure, the football team worships him, but rest of the student body fears him. He and his two best friends even drove the school’s music prodigy out of town.

To put it simply, Chase is the worst bully in town.

As Chase tries to regain memories of his past-self, he comes to discover that he doesn’t like the person he was. Though as memories come back, he fears that he’ll once again become that person, so the question he’s left with is, can he really change for the better?

This was an excellent book to read and it’s honestly great for all ages. It shows us that there can be second chances in life and that sometimes the people we choose to hang around with can really help shape us into the people we are, but we obviously hold the responsibility to let outside forces affect us.

It’s told in multiple points-of-view of not only Chase, but the kids he’s bullied and his two best friends. You can see who Chase was and who he’s becoming from all sides, and I found myself rooting for him to make the better choices and show that he wasn’t the person he was before.

I highly recommend this one.

Rating: 5/5 stars

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LibraryThing member BookwormMarie

What happens when the bully at school falls and gets amnesia?
Is he still the same person? Will he remember the things he did and who he did them to? You will be asking those questions after reading the first chapter of this book.

From a distance Chase Ambrose, star middle school football player

seems to have it all. He has an entourage of jock friends, girls love him, and he basically can do anything he wants. He is also the son of the schools former football hero. He seemed untouchable. With his nasty attitude he bullied students around so much, one student left school because of him.

Chase’s future changes quite instantly when he accidentally falls off the roof and lands flat on his face. Chase wakes up in a lot of pain and amnesia. Now the tables have turned and he becomes the new “kid” in school. How will he deal with this new position?

This book will take you on Chase’s journey as he learns the truth about who he was and the person he wants to be.

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LibraryThing member carolfoisset

Great book to read with kids. Some schools have it on their Battle of the Books - great discussions about choices you make and can you change what type of person you are and how you treat others.

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