Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Gordon Korman
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fantasy, Fiction, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Children’s Fiction
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 4-7
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goodreads Link: Operation Do-Over
Triggers / Content Warnings: Peer conflict/bullying, themes of parental divorce, and the death/loss of a family pet.
Review By: Kim LeRoy
Publisher’s Summary:
Mason and Ty were once the very best of friends, like two nerdy sides of the same coin . . . until seventh grade, when Ava Petrakis came along. Now Mason can trace everything bad in his life to that terrible fight they had over the new girl. The one thing he’d give anything for is a do-over. But that can’t happen in real life–can it?
As a science kid, Mason knows do-overs are impossible, so he can’t believe it when he wakes up from a freak accident and finds himself magically transported back to seventh grade. His parents aren’t yet divorced and his beloved sheepdog is still alive. Best of all, he and Ty haven’t had their falling-out yet. It makes no logical sense, but Mason is determined to use this second chance to not only save his friendship (and his dog!) but do other things differently–like trying out for the football team and giving new friends a chance. There’s just one person he’ll be avoiding at all costs: Ava. But despite his best efforts, will he be able to stop the chain of events that made his previous life implode?
Review:
This fun read has something for everyone including time travel, football, STEM, relationships, and a goofy dog. Although the time travel did throw me off a time or two, it was a fun read that I think most upper elementary students would enjoy. The main character gets to experience time travel and possibly having a “do over” by preventing a sequence of negative events from taking place. Once Mason figures this out he thinks it will be simple. There are also a couple of bullies he has to figure out how to deal with differently on his do-over. Then the whole reason for needing a do-over is the new girl Ava. One element that was a bit disappointing was the underlying message that nerds need to stop being nerds and put themselves out there. Two of the characters achieve increased popularity by joining sports teams. This isn’t a great message to send as children shouldn’t need to change themselves to become more popular. Other than that, there were definitely a few surprises as the story traveled through time but overall I thought it was an entertaining read.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- ELA (English Language Arts): A fantastic mentor text for studying cause-and-effect narrative structures, exploring situational irony, and evaluating how internal character motivations drive plot development in speculative fiction.
- Science & STEM: Connects smoothly to introductory physical science modules, providing a fun springboard for classroom discussions on the theoretical rules of time travel, chronological paradoxes, and the scientific method.
- SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): Offers strong instructional pathways for exploring social dynamics, building peer empathy, navigating bullying, managing parental separation anxiety, and reflecting on individual self-worth vs. popularity.
- Extension Activity / Library Application: Perfect for an interactive middle school library choiceboard selection or media center activity. Librarians can coordinate a “My Personal Do-Over Ledger” workshop. Students can write a short journal entry from the perspective of a fictional character who travels back to fix a past mistake, mapping out the unforeseen “domino effect” changes their choices might make to the surrounding community.
- Diversity & Representation: The book addresses equity and social representation by taking a candid look at middle school social hierarchies, bullying, and identity stereotypes. While the core cast navigates a fairly traditional suburban landscape, the text opens up vital classroom conversations about the pressure marginalized or “nerdy” students face to conform to heteronormative or athletic ideals to achieve institutional acceptance, allowing readers to critically evaluate true inclusivity.
Readalikes:
- The Wishmakers by Tyler Whitesides
- Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
- Fortunes’s Magic Farm by Suzanne Selfors
