What do you think it would be like to lose your memory? You don’t remember your family, friends, or what you were like before the amnesia. That’s what happened to Chase Ambrose in Restart by Gordon Korman.
Nobody really knows why he was up there, but Chase fell off the roof of his house and was lucky to survive with only bumps, bruises, and a concussion with the loss of his memory.
It turns out that Chase was a star football player at his middle school and was quite the bully. But he doesn’t remember any of that! The other kids at his school remember all too well and it takes some time for them to trust and adjust to the new Chase Ambrose who is nice, helpful, and hard-working…unlike the old Chase Ambrose who was mean, hurtful and, quite possibly, a thief.
Everyone wonders whether Chase will go back to his old ways as his memory gradually returns or move forward with this fresh start. Very few people ever get a second chance like this and the question remains: Will Chase take this chance?
I recommend this book for 4th through 6th graders who like realistic, humorous fiction, with the slightest touch of mystery.
Book reviewed by Carol C., Elementary School Liaison
