[Izzy]

Dear Gordon Korman,

The title is meant to be semi comedic but it’s honestly accurate I believe. 

So from what we can infer in restart, Johnny and Frank have a strained relationship, and I’m assuming it’s because Frank is (in pg terms), a big jerk. Or at least he obviously prefers and favors Chase over Johnny. I’m also assuming the divorce is his fault but thats just a side note.

What I mean by this is Frank jusr straight up says in front of Johnny to Chase’s face to not let his mom “turn him into a wimp like he did with Johnny”, Johnny just says a sarcastic “thanks dad” that makes me think it’s common or not unheard of for Frank to say things like that. Which is…well, bullying his own child at best and abusive at worst. 

But at the end of Restart Frank also seems to realize he’s a huge jerk, according to what he said to Chase and at his court trial at least. And I’m just wondering….would he ever apologize to Johnny? Would Johnny accept it? Could they fix their relationship? As someone who (unfortunately) relates to Johnny a lot I’ve always wondered what happened to him, especially involving Frank. 

Besides that I do want to thank you for making even your side characters so interesting and relatable for kids to connect with, not many authors excel at that.

Sincerely, 

Izzy

Hi, Izzy,

Wow. You're right. It's comedic, but only semi.

I see very little reformation in Frank. Yes, he rises to the occasion at the end, but only because it has to be shocking to see your son on trial! The minute that's resolved happily, he's Frank again. I really don't believe he would ever be able to change who he is, mostly because the real him just doesn't get it. At the end, he realizes that his son dodged a bullet, and so did he. But it would never occur to him that he didn't do right by the older son. 

BUT if by some chance he had a flash of sensitivity and actually realized how his behavior affected his boys, I think the boys would be old enough and wise enough to accept it at face value, and not expect it to be real, or to last very long.

I could be wrong. I'd LOVE to be wrong. But people who see ther kids as a means of proving their own self-worth usually can't change, and don't really understand that there's anything wrong with them.

I have an amazing Dad, and my two grandfathers were everything a kid could hope for. So I don't think I'm being cynical. But it's what I believe about Frank. And you might save a little sympathy for Frank himself, who really is missing out.

Thanks Izzy, for writing, for your praise for my work, and for making me think about this!

                                                  Kindest regards,                                      -----Gordon Korman-----

[Izzy]

Dear Mr. Korman,

Sigh…unfortunately I thought that’d be the answer. I guess I can only headcanon Johnny found people who valued him and truly cared and left the dead weight (Frank.) behind to skip through fields of sunshine and rainbows. Honestly if you ever write a sequel I think more of a look into Johnny as a character and his relationship with Chase and Frank would be interesting…just spitballing.

also, this is something my girlfriend asked me to ask, (She goes by Moogie I think she’s been on here a few times actually) but is Frank sort of two faced? Moogie says she thinks he is because even at the first time we see him, he’s very kind and warm to Chase but instantly snaps and becomes defensive when Tina gets angry about the keys and says he has a right to be there because “he pays for it”, She remembered there’s also also a point in the book where Frank downplays this saying he never even meant to threaten Tina which implies he just, naturally defaults to threatening people.

All of this is to say, does Frank maybe have an “approachable” and “good” side he shows when he’s getting his way, like we see with Chase, and an “ugly” and “bad” side he shows when he isnt, like with Tina and Johnny and whoever else catches his ire. Obviously this isn’t to say Frank cant control himself, the “bad” side is probably closer to his true nature while he can act like the “good” side when he feels like he’s being perceived well. This also calls into question intentional and unintentional maliciousness. Perhaps knowing what his actions are while simultaneously thinking he knows better or is doing it for a good reason. Whats your opinion on this take of him? Also I’m sorry if I’m bothering you so much I just hold Johnny very dear to me.

PS. Was Frank’s thinking that Johnny reflected poorly on him basically imagined? I assume hes more of an academically inclined person judging by how Frank hates smart people and that he’s going to college. I also can’t imagine people disliking Johnny as he seems like a good kid. Was this a non problem invented in Franklin (derogatory nickname)’s head? The people, aka an autistic kid with a special interest yearn to know the answers Mr. Korman.

 

Sincerely and for real this time,

 

Izzy.

Listen to Moogie, Izzy. She's smart.

Don't read complicated stuff into Frank. He's your average self-centered jerk who is being his genuine self all the time. That is, he shows his good side when he's getting his way, and gets increasingly hard to stomach when things aren't going the way he thinks they should. There is really no good side or bad side, Moogie. It's just Frank. He may even love his kids, but it would be in his own way -- if they aren't pleasing him, then they're out. When they please him again, they're back in. Etc. Johnny is bright, and will learn to live with this, as has Chase.

OK?                                                                                                          --GK--