[Barbara Garringer]

Hi,

I am an elementary school teacher and my students wrote letters to you after reading Restart in Literature Circles.  Here they are...

Dear Gordon Korman, My name is Lily and I live in Los Angeles. I am in the 4th grade. I read your book Restart and loved it so much. Thank you for writing the book Restart. My favorite part of the book Restart is when At the end when Shoshona Weber gives a speech about how Chase was not a bad person. Sure he made some mistakes but in all he has changed ever since he fell off his roof.

I also liked the characters of the book. My favorite character of the book is Chase because he totally changed himself by being nicer after he fell off his roof and got amnesia. He got nicer, yet people still thought that he was a bully.

         If there is a sequel to the book Restart then I would be more than happy to read it. In the book Restart I really liked how you described Chase. If I were Chase then I would feel quite confused on how to restart my life. 

          If there was one thing that I would change about the book Restart then it would be how Joel and Chase get along. Chase used to be this big huge bully  to Joel and it affected Joel so much that he once got a black eye!

          Either way there is really nothing to change because I liked the book so much. If I were Chase then I would not really like to have Aaron and Bear as friends. They should have supported Chase more since he once got amnesia.

        All in all the book Restart was an amazing book with detail and description. If there is a sequel I would like to know what it is called so I can read it. Some parts of the book were not happy, like when Shoshana poured her frozen yogurt all over Chase’s head. Some parts were happy like when Chase found out that he was not going to juvie.

                                                                               From,

 

                                                                                Lily   

Dear Gordon Korman, 

In my class in Los Angeles I am in 4th grade and we just finished reading your book in my lit circles.The book you wrote Restart was the one my group read. It was amazing. Thank you for writing it.I really enjoyed how you wrote the story how a bully has to “Restart” his life.He change from bully to being really nice.Like how he stole Mr Solway’s Meald of Honor and how he tried to return it to him.So how Chase turns from Mean to nice regardless of what his friends say or do.It is a really good book I if I did a book report do this or read it in my free time because it is an fast & fun book to read.This is the only book in the books you have wrote but now that I read this on I want to read your other books.

Best wishes:Shreya

Dear Gordon Korman, 

My name is Philip, and I am 9 years old, in 4th grade,  and I live in Los Angeles. 

   I read the book Restart, and I really enjoyed it, and wanted to thank you for writing it. I enjoyed how the book was about an unusual topic, where Chase, a middle schooler, falls off the roof and gets amnesia. He then has to piece together his life, including who all of the strange people around him are. He realizes that he wasn’t a very good person before, and wants to change. The characters are interesting, and I like how all of their opinions about Chase change throughout the book. 

   I would love to read the sequel if there was one, and I hope that you do make one. I would love to see how you would continue the book, as well as the new characters and plot. 

   Another thing I enjoyed about Restart was that it wasn’t too long, and that it stayed on topic. You didn’t add in one-thousand extra and unnecessary details that dilute the main story and that make the reader lost and unfocused on the story. The main thing I think would have been too much is if you included too many details about the setting. In my opinion, for this book, the setting doesn’t have that big of an effect on the story, and I am glad that you didn’t do that. Restart is a great book, and you did an amazing job writing it. 

Sincerely,  Philip

 

Dear Gordon Korman,

 

I’m Jackson I am in fourth grade, ten years old and I live in Los Angeles. I read Restart thank you for me to enjoy, I liked Restart because of the problem where Chase forgets everything. Another thing I like about your story is how Chase and Brandon  are really funny. I also like how he kept Some of his old life and made some new parts too. If there was a sequel I would read it to see if he makes some new friends as he ages. I think you could have done no better than you did to make Restart.

 

If I was Chase I would totally change my life because if I knew I was a jerk before I would stop forever. I like the videoclub because it’s fun to make new funny videos and have fun watching it over with friends. One last thing I liked about Restart is there is multiple problems at once like the Medal of Honor and Chase hase to find it so he can meet Mr. Salway. This book is one of the best books I have ever read thank you.

 

Sincerely, Jackson

 

Dear Gordon Korman, 3-17-25

I am a 11-year old boy who lives in Los Angeles. Some classmates and I read your book Restart and really enjoyed it! I enjoyed lots of things about the story. I like how Chase has to rediscover his life. It turns out not to be who he was, but who we will become. It’s a change from what I usually read. I like fantasy books with lots of fights and adventures, so it was nice to read something different.

I like all the plot twists in the book. For example, Chase is becoming friends with the other kids and then Arron and Bear come out of nowhere with the fire extinguishers and ruined Chase's entire friendship with the video club. It makes the story a whole lot more interesting. And it also shocks me when they happen.

If there was a sequel I would read it. If I liked the first book, then why not the 2nd? Also I recently got a concussion and broke a bone like Chase. Thankfully, I didn't get amnesia. So I can kind of relate to him.

From, Harlan

Hi, Lily, Shreya, Philip, Jackson, & Harlan,

Thanks for your friendly letters! I'm very pleasedto hear that RESTART made such a big hit with the five of you. I hope you'll go on, along with Shreya, and read more of my books. I can promise you some laughs, and some adventure and suspense too if you do!

I'm especially glad, Jackson, that you found the humor in the book. The comedy from people like Brendan was done as a kind of relief from the tense parts about Chase and the life he used to lead. (And the froyo over the head was a scene I couldn't resist. I thought it was extra funny because Chase didn't even remember Shoshanna, and he certainly didn't know why she was mad at him!)

Thank you, everyone, for your letters. It was great to hear from all of you.

                                        Best regards,                                                         -----Gordon Korman-----

And all of you commented in on e way or another that the book was about second chances, and starting over.