All students recently received copies of the book “Restart” by Gordon Korman, as part of the “One Book One School” (OBOS) initiative, and they have the option to read it, if they choose.
The OBOS program, funded by the library and English department, was carefully selected as a book that would be appealing to both middle school students and adults, and all students are encouraged to read it.
“The main character in the book is in eighth grade,” said Librarian Teka Keane. “and he goes through what a lot of middle schoolers go through, such as changing friend groups and discovering new interests, so it’s relatable on so many levels. I loved it, it’s funny and thought-provoking. Some of the characters are into athletics, some are into art or music, so there’s something for everyone.”
Parents can encourage their children to read it and discuss it together with them.
“The themes in ‘Restart’ naturally lend themselves to thoughtful discussion about choices, behavior, forgiveness, and standing up for others,” said Principal Amy Gladstone. “It explores themes that are especially relatable to young adolescents, including resilience, friendship, courage, bullying, kindness and acceptance. Students are invited to think deeply about second chances, empathy, and the power people have to change.”
In an email to parents and caregivers, she offered suggestions for optional family discussions around the book.
English teachers handed out copies of the book and encouraged students to read it.
Sixth graders in Ali Mazza’s class built excitement by doing a poetry mystery activity to try to guess the title of the book.
“We read various poems centered around the book’s themes to guess the title of the poems and then see if we could figure out the book’s title before the big reveal,” Ms. Mazza said.
In addition to receiving a copy of the book, each student also received a suggested reading schedule, as part of a school-wide reading challenge.
Every day at 3 pm, Ms. Keane will email one trivia question related to that night’s suggested reading and each day one randomly selected student with the correct answers will win a gift bag, including a gift card to local food establishments and other vendors in town, as well as journals and notebooks.
Seventh graders in Alicia Moraitis’ class have recently begun their graphic novels unit, so she is putting the emphasis on having them read this book as an outside-of-the-classroom activity, just for fun.
“I want them to put their phones down, enjoy this book and read for the love of reading,” she said.
Eighth graders in James Ryan’s class are currently exploring the “Diary of Anne Frank,” and he hopes to tie this into the book.
“We will be pairing the books together,” he said. “On the surface, ‘Restart’ is about bullying, but with the older students we will discuss the deeper themes of self-discovery and identity. We will create a dialogue between the two books and students who make those connections will receive extra credit. Although the book is optional, I think this will be an interesting read for eighth graders. My goal is to get students to enjoy reading in general, so I hope everyone reads this.”
Ms. Gladstone hopes parents and students use this opportunity to connect with one another.
“The book is an engaging story that many families find surprisingly enjoyable to share,” she said. “Reading together can create meaningful moments of connection and reflection.
“Sharing a powerful book like this helps build a bridge between home and school and supports our shared goal of fostering a strong culture of literacy and empathy at Briarcliff Middle School.”
When students complete reading the book, the library will host a discussion during lunch on March 18 for any students who choose to participate.