Olivia Shores
James Wood Middle School
1313 Amherst St.
Winchester, VA 22601
Dear Gordon Korman,
There are many times, almost all the time, that I don’t think and consider my decisions. Making a cup of tea, staying up late, lighting a candle, or watching a movie. As harmless as these might seem, every little decision we make could affect our life in a big way. t could be a perfectly normal day and we turn around and nothing is the same again.
Reading your book Restart really impacted my life such as no other book, song, or movie. When Chase fell off of that roof it really got me thinking about me starting over. I love my life, but getting a fresh start would let me fix all of my mistakes, fix broken bonds. Then I thought about the fact that I could never really fix a broken bond. Other people wouldn’t forget my wrong, and I could never remember how to fix my past.
Chase opened his eyes after the accident to a room of strangers. He returned to school having no clue what people’s smiles and frowns meant. This made me realize how fortunate I am. I have family and friends who love me in a way no one could ever think was possible. I am part of a community where even strangers accept me for who I am. This wacky, loving goofball wants nothing more than a great life. I have my wish.
Restart made me really realize the meaning of “Don’t judge a book by its cover” in a brand new way. We all know that if someone is mean to not judge because they may be dealing with hard times. With Chase when he forgot everything but he did his work, made friends, and had a good life. Then as the book continued it made me realize what kind of person Chase was. Then I remembered I could not judge because he just wanted a second chance.
We take life for granted. We take each day like a broken record, playing over and over again, while we should treat each day as our last. Each small decision we make is really important to our lives. The book taught me this. You taught me this.

Sincerely,
Olivia Shores