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I’d like to post comments AFTER some of you guys so my ideas aren’t always the first ones for each chapter, but you clearly stay up way past my bedtime. Maybe some days I’ll try posting early in the morning about the previous day’s chapter. But for today, here are my thoughts on…

Chapter 7

> I like how Shakespeare gets a name drop (as a YouTube video co-producer who would’ve been as unlikely as Chase Ambrose). If you read enough Korman, you’re bound to start watching for appearances from the Bard.

> Speaking of “if you read enough Korman,” one of the reasons a lot of his stories are so captivating is because they have a big goal with an unmovable timeline. And then of course a bunch of other storylines weave together throughout the book to give the final scene even more chaotic importance. In the Gordon Korman Forum Book Club’s recent discussions, Theo and Reef (MIXED UP) are in a race to be ready for the lightning storm before their memories are lost forever! A flag football competition is SLUGFEST’s “deadline,” with the question of whether the kids will be able to graduate middle school thrown in for suspense. Following along as the characters figure out how to accomplish their goal before time runs out is a reading thrill! While reading chapter 7, it seemed like the National Video Journalism Contest would be a likely candidate for a deadline/goal for RESTART’s video club crew.

> Chase seems to be doing the right things. He shows up, he interacts, he shows appropriate interested at the video club (and he’s appropriately fearful when he sees Shoshanna!). But Shosh466 isn’t judging him by his current behavior. And the text messages with her “younger” brother make it pretty clear Chase has a lot of rectifying to accomplish before Shoshanna sees him as anything except the enemy.