Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wacky middle school tale of bullies, amnesia, redemption.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 14 kid reviews
Kids say this book is an engaging read that captivates many young readers with its themes of second chances, friendship, and personal growth, driven by a main character who undergoes significant changes following an accident. Despite occasional criticisms of certain characters and moments perceived as dull, most reviewers praise the author for his relatable writing style and the book's overall positive message.
- fun characters
- engaging themes
- impactful story
- positive messages
- varied opinions
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
RESTART is the tale of Chase, an 8th grade star athlete who falls off a roof, hits his head, and loses all memory of his previous life—in which, it turns out, he and his football pals got a pass for a whole lot of bad behavior, from pranks gone wrong to injury-causing physical attacks on "loser" classmates. Worse, they've been stealing from the residents of the assisted living facility where they're supposed to be doing community service. With no memory of any of this, Chase is horrified by each new discovery and determined to make things right. But it's not that simple, as neither he, his former buds, nor his former victims know what to believe.
Is It Any Good?
Gordon Korman's poignant, hilarious middle school classic finds an 8th grade football hero confronting the fact that he's also a real jerk—and doesn't remember any of it since he fell off a roof. As Chase tries to figure out whether he can Restart his life for the better, we hear from his old cronies who want the old bad boy back, and heartfelt musings from his onetime victims now struggling with trust issues: "There's something about being bullied that you could never explain to someone who hasn't had it happen to them. It's worse than the sum of the rotten things that are done to you. Even when no one is bothering you, you're still under attack because you're dreading the next strike, and you know it can come from anywhere, at any time."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about stories—like Restart—where a character loses their memory. Why do you think this idea comes up often in storytelling? What are the biggest difficulties for the characters in this situation?
Have you ever done something you thought was really funny—until you saw how it wasn't funny at all to someone else, and why? What happened? Did you change your mind, or decide you weren't wrong after all?
Chase wonders why people are kind of not allowed to be really good at more than one thing—like being a good athlete and also being a good artist. Have you ever felt limited this way, or do you like a lot of different things and think you can be good at all of them if you work at it?
How does Chase's accident help him develop empathy and humility? Would you believe him if you had been bullied by him? Would you forgive him? Why, or why not?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Friendship
- Topics : Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Empathy , Humility , Integrity
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic
- Publication date : May 30, 2017
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
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