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Operation Do-Over
Gordon Korman’s new novel poses the what would you do if you were given the chance to do things over? Mason and Ty have been best friends since they were old enough to form thoughts. But one day an atomic warhead walks into their seventh-grade classroom ready to annihilate their Ava Petrakis, the new transfer student from New York. Mason finds himself competing against his best friend for the first time in his life, and it’s not pretty. So they make a a non-Ava treaty. If it worked for the Romulans and the Klingons, it has to work for them. At least that’s what Mason thought until he realized Ava might actually like him back. Before he realizes it, he’s kissing Ava beside the wrecked Tilt-a-Whirl sign in the middle of a freak storm, and his friendship with Ty is obliterated. Five years later, Mason’s life is a mess. He has no friends, no girlfriend, his dog has been hit by a Roto-Rooter truck, his parents are divorced and he has just been expelled from school in his senior year. Everything has gone wrong and he can trace all of it back to that one day by the Tilt-a-Whirl sign. If he could go back he would do everything differently. That’s exactly what he’s thinking when his Volkswagen crashes into a furniture van. When he wakes up, he’s 12 years old again. This is his chance for a do-over. Will Mason be able to fix everything, or are some things just a matter of fate?
304 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2022
187 people are currently reading
3007 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Korman
248 books4,402 followersGordon Korman is a Canadian author of children's and young adult fiction books. Korman's books have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide over a career spanning four decades and have appeared at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 311 reviews
January 7, 2022
This new release from Gordon Korman has something for everyone: time travel, football (and a little track), STEM, and a very G-rated love triangle. What's not to like? I think this may be my favorite from Korman. There are elements of the movie "Big" (remember Zoltar?), but in reverse. Mason is seventeen with regrets and finds he has returned to being twelve. Is his life flashing before his eyes? Is he stuck in this new timeline forever? What if he is stuck in an endless loop, doomed to repeat the same five years of his life over and over? Perhaps Mason will learn from the mistakes he made in the first time around. If he chooses B instead of A, will the B outcome be a totally different life? Hopefully not, there are some people and a certain dog named Rufus (you will love this big white fluffball) he would love to keep around.
Thank you to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Balzer + Bray and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2021
Unsurprisingly, this gave me very similar vibes to Korman's other novel, Restart. While it uses the mechanism of time travel instead of amnesia, the main premise is still a character trying to avoid the mistakes of the past.
This was an interesting premise and it was tricky to see where the plot was going. Overall I enjoyed the book and I loved the description of Mason and Ty 's friendship (although some of their personal decisions were questionable). It ended up giving me a surprise near the end, with the story not resolving in the way I expected. On reflection, i'm not sure whether I liked the resolution. (I can't really explain why without giving spoilers).
One other element I wasn't sure about - I felt there was an underlying message that nerds need to stop being nerds and "put themselves out there". Both Mason and Clarisse achieve increased popularity by joining sports teams. I don't want to encourage kids who are into science, maths, reading and learning in general to try and change themselves to find popularity or happiness. I want to encourage them to be confident in themselves and in the things they enjoy, regardless of what others think.
This was enjoyable, but not as strong for me as some of Korman's other novels.
This was an interesting premise and it was tricky to see where the plot was going. Overall I enjoyed the book and I loved the description of Mason and Ty 's friendship (although some of their personal decisions were questionable). It ended up giving me a surprise near the end, with the story not resolving in the way I expected. On reflection, i'm not sure whether I liked the resolution. (I can't really explain why without giving spoilers).
One other element I wasn't sure about - I felt there was an underlying message that nerds need to stop being nerds and "put themselves out there". Both Mason and Clarisse achieve increased popularity by joining sports teams. I don't want to encourage kids who are into science, maths, reading and learning in general to try and change themselves to find popularity or happiness. I want to encourage them to be confident in themselves and in the things they enjoy, regardless of what others think.
This was enjoyable, but not as strong for me as some of Korman's other novels.
December 21, 2022
নিজের অতীতে ফেরত যেয়ে সব ভুল ঠিক করা নিয়ে এতো বেশি সিনেমা দেখেছি যে এই বিষয় নিয়ে লেখা গল্প নতুন করে ভালো লাগানো কঠিন। বিশেষ করে গল্পটা যখন একেবারেই ফর্মুলামাফিক।তারপরও করম্যানের লেখা বলে পড়তে ভালো লাগলো।
December 30, 2021
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
My students and I cannot get enough of Gordon Korman’s stories. He definitely knows the middle grade audience, and he keeps readers interested with relatable friendship and family problems. In this case, the main character gets to experience time travel and possibly have a “do over”-by preventing a sequence of negative events from taking place. However, this proves to be more difficult than he initially thought. Great story!
My students and I cannot get enough of Gordon Korman’s stories. He definitely knows the middle grade audience, and he keeps readers interested with relatable friendship and family problems. In this case, the main character gets to experience time travel and possibly have a “do over”-by preventing a sequence of negative events from taking place. However, this proves to be more difficult than he initially thought. Great story!
Read
January 11, 2022This new release from Gordon Korman has something for everyone: time travel, football (and a little track), STEM, and a very G-rated love triangle. What's not to like? I think this may be my favorite from Korman. There are elements of the movie "Big" (remember Zoltar?), but in reverse. Mason is seventeen with regrets and finds he has returned to being twelve. Is his life flashing before his eyes? Is he stuck in this new timeline forever? What if he is stuck in an endless loop, doomed to repeat the same five years of his life over and over? Perhaps Mason will learn from the mistakes he made in the first time around. If he chooses B instead of A, will the B outcome be a totally different life? Hopefully not, there are some people and a certain dog named Rufus (you will love this big white fluffball) he would love to keep around. *Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge*
October 13, 2023
Okay, this one was wacky and fun and hilarious at times! Lol...
Characters:
This one was consistently one POV...Mason Rolls and it was so funny! His friend Ty and then all the side characters and his family, the dog, the everyone's! Lol...
Language:
N/A
Romance:
Nothing much just mentions of people liking each other and one non descriptive kiss.
Overall:
This was hilarious! The concept of going back 5 years and the hilarity that ensued because Mason was trying to figure out what happened...lol...that was great! I honestly really enjoyed this time travel concept, and it was so much fun!
There were some great moments both funny and those that were heartfelt...and just...yes! I really enjoyed this book!
Recommend ages 10+
Characters:
This one was consistently one POV...Mason Rolls and it was so funny! His friend Ty and then all the side characters and his family, the dog, the everyone's! Lol...
Language:
N/A
Romance:
Nothing much just mentions of people liking each other and one non descriptive kiss.
Overall:
This was hilarious! The concept of going back 5 years and the hilarity that ensued because Mason was trying to figure out what happened...lol...that was great! I honestly really enjoyed this time travel concept, and it was so much fun!
There were some great moments both funny and those that were heartfelt...and just...yes! I really enjoyed this book!
Recommend ages 10+
September 29, 2024
I loved this book it made me edging my seat for hours and Rufus the dog absolutely adorable if your into time traveling romance this is fantastic
December 9, 2023
Warning may contain slight spoilers.
Actual rating: 4.5
Another hilarious Korman book!
Language: N/A (There are a few times where characters say "What the—" but never finish thier sentence)
Violence: A few people getting ruffed up, but no blood or anything.
Magic: N/A (in less you count time travel without a time machine magic)
(Parent warning: There is a part where two twelve year olds (one of them being the MC) kiss. Nothing deep, just a slight touch of the lips, but still, they're twelve!)
This was a super fun story! I really enjoyed it! And finally a story about nerdy science characters without glasses!!
Mason was a great MC and so funny!😂 Ty was a great character and an overall cinnamon roll🥰 I felt bad for him, poor guy💖
Clarisse was fun, I actually enjoyed her character more then Ava, she was sweet, nerdy, and reminded me of myself with her controling nature.🤪
Ava was... well, sometimes I liked her, she was sweet, but then sometimes... like she had to know she was causing tension between Mason and Ty, and how dare she hang out with Ty when she was only trying to get to Mason! Ugh, idk, she was sweet sometimes and other times so oblivious...
And Rufus! Aww, he was so cute and funny! He reminded me of my dog Ruger (albeit a little duller then Ruger), with his quirky personality and how he acted like you gone forever when it was really a few hours...lol... Ruger does the same exact thing😂🐶
Overall this was a super easy and fun read, the only reason it isn't a complete 5 stars is that I was a bit disappointed with the ending... idk, what exactly I was expecting but that definitely wasn't it. I guess my biggest problem with the ending is the whole Mason and Ty's friendship problems started out with Mason lying but then in the end where Ty asks Mason if he really was from the future like he said he was, Mason lied and said no. Idk, just to end on a lie felt wrong, especially since that was the start of thier problems in the first place, Ty deserves better Mason! *crosses arms*
In the end, I really enjoyed this fun story about friendship, destiny, and second chances!
Ages 9+
Actual rating: 4.5
Another hilarious Korman book!
Language: N/A (There are a few times where characters say "What the—" but never finish thier sentence)
Violence: A few people getting ruffed up, but no blood or anything.
Magic: N/A (in less you count time travel without a time machine magic)
(Parent warning: There is a part where two twelve year olds (one of them being the MC) kiss. Nothing deep, just a slight touch of the lips, but still, they're twelve!)
This was a super fun story! I really enjoyed it! And finally a story about nerdy science characters without glasses!!
Mason was a great MC and so funny!😂 Ty was a great character and an overall cinnamon roll🥰 I felt bad for him, poor guy💖
Clarisse was fun, I actually enjoyed her character more then Ava, she was sweet, nerdy, and reminded me of myself with her controling nature.🤪
Ava was... well, sometimes I liked her, she was sweet, but then sometimes... like she had to know she was causing tension between Mason and Ty, and how dare she hang out with Ty when she was only trying to get to Mason! Ugh, idk, she was sweet sometimes and other times so oblivious...
And Rufus! Aww, he was so cute and funny! He reminded me of my dog Ruger (albeit a little duller then Ruger), with his quirky personality and how he acted like you gone forever when it was really a few hours...lol... Ruger does the same exact thing😂🐶
Overall this was a super easy and fun read, the only reason it isn't a complete 5 stars is that I was a bit disappointed with the ending... idk, what exactly I was expecting but that definitely wasn't it. I guess my biggest problem with the ending is the whole Mason and Ty's friendship problems started out with Mason lying but then in the end where Ty asks Mason if he really was from the future like he said he was, Mason lied and said no. Idk, just to end on a lie felt wrong, especially since that was the start of thier problems in the first place, Ty deserves better Mason! *crosses arms*
In the end, I really enjoyed this fun story about friendship, destiny, and second chances!
Ages 9+
January 26, 2022
Wow! This story is Gordon Korman’s book 99. Yes you read that correctly, his hundredth book is the next one out, The Fort. My introduction to Korman’s works was the 39 Clues back in 2009. Since then I have read 15 of his books. Barely a drop in the buck, but with each one I read I am entertained and often challenged. My son who is 14 did not initially want to read this one because of the description about a fight over a girl. But when he saw how much I was enjoying it he gave it a try as well.
My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together a few years ago. Prior to that I had a read a few of his contributions to the 39 Clues. We have mostly been reading his more recent titles. We had this one on our wish list from a Canadian bookseller but the US version released almost 2 months earlier so we tracked it down there. (In the US published by Balzer & Bray an imprint of Harper Collins, in Canada published by Scholastic.) I consider Korman a master of the Middle Grade and even Young Adult genres. His books are amazing for kids, tweens and teens. And even some of us older readers. C.S. Lewis in On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature stated: “It is very rarely that a middle-aged man finds an author who gives him, what he knew so often in his teens and twenties, the sense of having opened a new door.” Korman accomplished that in this and to be honest many of his other books I have read. With 1 shy of 100 books published it is hard to say something an author has written is very new and different. But I can state that this was an amazing read! The description of this books is:
“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?”
And what a ride the story is. Many of Korman’s books are told where the Chapters are alternating first person accounts. This whole story is first person told from Mason’s eyes. But the chapters in this give his age:
1. Twelve Years Old
2. Zero Years Old
3. Seventeen Years Old
4. Twelve Years Old
5. Twelve Years Old
6. Twelve Years Old
7. Twelve Years Old
8. Seventeen Years Old
9. Seventeen Years Old
10. Twelve Years Old
11. Twelve Years Old
12. Twelve Years Old
13. Twelve Years Old
14. Twelve Years Old
15. Twelve Years Old
16. Twelve Years Old
17. Twelve Years Old
18. Twelve Years Old
19. Twelve Years Old
20. Twelve Years Old
21. Twelve Years Old
22. Twelve Years Old
23. Twelve Years Old
24. Twelve Years Old
25. Twelve Years Old
26. Twelve Years Old
27. Twelve Years Old
28. Twelve Years Old
29. Twelve Years Old
30. Seventeen Years Old
31. Seventeen Years Old
Mason believes he may be dying or lost his mind, when he wakes up back in his 12 year old body. And yet has clear memories of being 17 and having lived those 5 years. Once he concludes it is not a near death experience, and that he actually has a chance for a Do-Over. And he does everything he can to try and stop some of the bad things happening. And his main focus is on Ava, his dog, and his parents’ marriage. In trying to not fall for Ava and lose his best friend he ends up alienating him anyways.
The question is, is Mason doomed to relive those five years and make several mistakes over again, or even make them worse. Or will he get a do over and be able to make things better. How many of us have something that we have in our lives we would not have done, or done differently or better. Would we take a change and go back and change it not knowing what other changes we might cause to happen.
Another amazing read from Korman’s masterful pen!
My son and I started reading Gordon Korman books together a few years ago. Prior to that I had a read a few of his contributions to the 39 Clues. We have mostly been reading his more recent titles. We had this one on our wish list from a Canadian bookseller but the US version released almost 2 months earlier so we tracked it down there. (In the US published by Balzer & Bray an imprint of Harper Collins, in Canada published by Scholastic.) I consider Korman a master of the Middle Grade and even Young Adult genres. His books are amazing for kids, tweens and teens. And even some of us older readers. C.S. Lewis in On Stories: And Other Essays on Literature stated: “It is very rarely that a middle-aged man finds an author who gives him, what he knew so often in his teens and twenties, the sense of having opened a new door.” Korman accomplished that in this and to be honest many of his other books I have read. With 1 shy of 100 books published it is hard to say something an author has written is very new and different. But I can state that this was an amazing read! The description of this books is:
“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?”
And what a ride the story is. Many of Korman’s books are told where the Chapters are alternating first person accounts. This whole story is first person told from Mason’s eyes. But the chapters in this give his age:
1. Twelve Years Old
2. Zero Years Old
3. Seventeen Years Old
4. Twelve Years Old
5. Twelve Years Old
6. Twelve Years Old
7. Twelve Years Old
8. Seventeen Years Old
9. Seventeen Years Old
10. Twelve Years Old
11. Twelve Years Old
12. Twelve Years Old
13. Twelve Years Old
14. Twelve Years Old
15. Twelve Years Old
16. Twelve Years Old
17. Twelve Years Old
18. Twelve Years Old
19. Twelve Years Old
20. Twelve Years Old
21. Twelve Years Old
22. Twelve Years Old
23. Twelve Years Old
24. Twelve Years Old
25. Twelve Years Old
26. Twelve Years Old
27. Twelve Years Old
28. Twelve Years Old
29. Twelve Years Old
30. Seventeen Years Old
31. Seventeen Years Old
Mason believes he may be dying or lost his mind, when he wakes up back in his 12 year old body. And yet has clear memories of being 17 and having lived those 5 years. Once he concludes it is not a near death experience, and that he actually has a chance for a Do-Over. And he does everything he can to try and stop some of the bad things happening. And his main focus is on Ava, his dog, and his parents’ marriage. In trying to not fall for Ava and lose his best friend he ends up alienating him anyways.
The question is, is Mason doomed to relive those five years and make several mistakes over again, or even make them worse. Or will he get a do over and be able to make things better. How many of us have something that we have in our lives we would not have done, or done differently or better. Would we take a change and go back and change it not knowing what other changes we might cause to happen.
Another amazing read from Korman’s masterful pen!
February 4, 2024
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Time travel plots are kind of hit or miss for me, but after reading Restart, I knew that Gordon Korman could pull it off through good writing alone.
And, thankfully, I was indeed right and this is indeed a treat!
______________
We meet our protagonist, Mason, for whom life takes a total nosedive in the seventh grade. He and his best friend, Ty, are joined at the hip until Miss Perfect (aka Ava) comes into the picture and they both get crushes on her. As they say, two's company and three's a crowd, and it's poor Ty who ends up getting third wheeled and thus the friendship just...ends.
A bunch of other unfortunate events happen and, long history short, Mason gets into a car accident when he's seventeen and then goes back in time five years, right before Ava walked into the picture and when everything was still okay in his life.
He gets the chance at a "Do-Over", so to speak, and so tries to preemptively fix all the problems that would have happened otherwise.
_____________
Now, to an extent, even by the end of the book the whole time travel thing isn't explained, neither in how it works nor how Mason's entire pathway can change just as a result of a few decisions in the seventh grade; but, considering that this is a middle grade novel, sometimes you just gotta take the happy ending at face value and sort of put aside the whole "but, common sense says..." part.
At its essence, I think this book targets us in our teen and preteen years for what we've always wanted to think about: what if I did that ONE THING differently, once I know better? Would our lives have changed--and possibly for the better?
Well, anyway, it's written at a level and in an authentic tone that kids can understand and respond to, and so it's definitely an engaging read and something that I could easily recommend. Granted, I don't love it like I do Restart, but that's because the amnesia angle for me will always work better than time travel; and, also, because amnesia's more realistic and easier to explain, the happy ending just felt more deserved and thorough that way.
Still, two five star reads from this author? He has yet to disappoint!
Time travel plots are kind of hit or miss for me, but after reading Restart, I knew that Gordon Korman could pull it off through good writing alone.
And, thankfully, I was indeed right and this is indeed a treat!
______________
We meet our protagonist, Mason, for whom life takes a total nosedive in the seventh grade. He and his best friend, Ty, are joined at the hip until Miss Perfect (aka Ava) comes into the picture and they both get crushes on her. As they say, two's company and three's a crowd, and it's poor Ty who ends up getting third wheeled and thus the friendship just...ends.
A bunch of other unfortunate events happen and, long history short, Mason gets into a car accident when he's seventeen and then goes back in time five years, right before Ava walked into the picture and when everything was still okay in his life.
He gets the chance at a "Do-Over", so to speak, and so tries to preemptively fix all the problems that would have happened otherwise.
_____________
Now, to an extent, even by the end of the book the whole time travel thing isn't explained, neither in how it works nor how Mason's entire pathway can change just as a result of a few decisions in the seventh grade; but, considering that this is a middle grade novel, sometimes you just gotta take the happy ending at face value and sort of put aside the whole "but, common sense says..." part.
At its essence, I think this book targets us in our teen and preteen years for what we've always wanted to think about: what if I did that ONE THING differently, once I know better? Would our lives have changed--and possibly for the better?
Well, anyway, it's written at a level and in an authentic tone that kids can understand and respond to, and so it's definitely an engaging read and something that I could easily recommend. Granted, I don't love it like I do Restart, but that's because the amnesia angle for me will always work better than time travel; and, also, because amnesia's more realistic and easier to explain, the happy ending just felt more deserved and thorough that way.
Still, two five star reads from this author? He has yet to disappoint!
April 15, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for time travel. I wasn't such a fan of Ty - he doesn't come off well in either timeline - but I liked Mason, Ava, and Clarisse a lot. And how could you not love a great, dumb dog like Rufus? It's nice to have a short, quick read. So many of the books I've read lately have been on the long side, so I very much appreciated that.
February 13, 2022
I’m a huge fan of Gordon Korman and Operation Do Over did not disappoint. Many equate this title to previous novel Restart but I didn't read that so this subject was brand new for me.
The thoughtful premise of this novel is the time travel narrative that examines the long-term impact of one’s actions.
Mason Rolle has shared a “two-brain hive mind” with Tyrus Ehrlich since elementary school. They share the same sports phobia and a deep love of science and time travel.
Big changes occur when new girl Ava Petrakis arrives from New York City and both boys develop crushes. The guys make a pact to a “non-Ava treaty” to maintain their friendship. But a terrible falling-out happens between them when Mason and Ava are caught in a photograph that ends up on the 7th grade chat.
Narration alternates between Mason at ages 12 and 17, until an incident sends 17-year-old Mason back to his 12-year-old body and life. Given this opportunity for a do-over, he seeks to right wrongs as well as try new things that maybe could alter the bad things that happened during his middle school years.
I found the story engaging from start to finish. It is filled with warmth and middle grade humor. All my questions didn’t get answered but hey that’s ok since the book was so good. I kind of feel that Korman left it open for a part two book in the lives of these friends. Ages 8–12
The thoughtful premise of this novel is the time travel narrative that examines the long-term impact of one’s actions.
Mason Rolle has shared a “two-brain hive mind” with Tyrus Ehrlich since elementary school. They share the same sports phobia and a deep love of science and time travel.
Big changes occur when new girl Ava Petrakis arrives from New York City and both boys develop crushes. The guys make a pact to a “non-Ava treaty” to maintain their friendship. But a terrible falling-out happens between them when Mason and Ava are caught in a photograph that ends up on the 7th grade chat.
Narration alternates between Mason at ages 12 and 17, until an incident sends 17-year-old Mason back to his 12-year-old body and life. Given this opportunity for a do-over, he seeks to right wrongs as well as try new things that maybe could alter the bad things that happened during his middle school years.
I found the story engaging from start to finish. It is filled with warmth and middle grade humor. All my questions didn’t get answered but hey that’s ok since the book was so good. I kind of feel that Korman left it open for a part two book in the lives of these friends. Ages 8–12
January 18, 2022
This title is a mix of the movies Back To The Future and Big!
⏰
Mason and Ty were best friends and science partners their whole life until a fight about the new girl drove a wedge between them in 7th grade that never healed. Now high school seniors, Mason and Ty are enemies. When Mason gets expelled for a fight with Ty he also gets in a car accident and winds up back in 7th grade, best friends with Ty again. Will he be able to change the course of history and fix their friendship?
🧪
I can always count on Gordon Korman for a great middle grade book and this one did not disappoint! I love books that deal with What Ifs and time travel. Such interesting concepts that kids and adults alike can ponder.
CW: car accident, bullying, mild violence
⏰
Mason and Ty were best friends and science partners their whole life until a fight about the new girl drove a wedge between them in 7th grade that never healed. Now high school seniors, Mason and Ty are enemies. When Mason gets expelled for a fight with Ty he also gets in a car accident and winds up back in 7th grade, best friends with Ty again. Will he be able to change the course of history and fix their friendship?
🧪
I can always count on Gordon Korman for a great middle grade book and this one did not disappoint! I love books that deal with What Ifs and time travel. Such interesting concepts that kids and adults alike can ponder.
CW: car accident, bullying, mild violence
April 16, 2022
Sometimes, I wish we could all go back in time for operation do-over. My favorite quote from this one: "Good things happen when you get out of your comfort zone and try stuff."
July 4, 2022
Wow! Such a fun and amazing story!! A little odd with the time travel but definitely kept you guessing the whole time. 😂 I was never sure how it was going to end! A great story overall!!
February 19, 2024
Middle grade, time-travel novel
Nathan and his BFF, Ty, have done everything together for the past 7 years, since they first met in kindergarten. They are so close, mentally and emotionally, they finish each other's sentences. But all that changes when lovely, charming Ava arrives from New York City and joins their seventh-grade class. Nathan and Ty are shocked when Ava chooses to befriend the two of them, who are outcast, highly intelligent geeks, instead of the popular jocks and cheerleaders, who have reached out strongly to pull her into their smugly superior clique. But when, as always, the thoughts and emotions of Nathan and Ty run in the same direction, and they both fall for Ava, their rivalry for her affections destroys their friendship. Five years pass without the two boys speaking to each other, when suddenly, during their senior year, Nathan is knocked out in a car accident, and he is thrown back in time to age 12, right before Ava's arrival. He is shocked and disoriented to find himself once again in his scrawny, prepubescent body, but he soon decides that, since he has no idea how to get back to the future, to use his imprisonment in the past as a do-over opportunity to win back his friendship with Ty. He is convinced that the only way to do that is to not let Ava come between him and Ty this time around.
Unfortunately, though the premise of this story sounded like it was going to be a real winner, I did not personally find this novel as humorous as the other three novels by this author I have read and enjoyed. As is always the case in virtually every book by this author, the MMC is an underdog. Nathan is ignored by his parents, bullied at school, and socially anxious. He is also frequently overwhelmed by the demands of caring for, and cleaning up after, his family's poorly trained, constantly destructive sheepdog. Over and over again, we are presented with the dog's disgusting habit of drinking out of the toilet, and the fact that neither Nathan nor his parents ever does anything to stop him from doing it. This situation came across as boringly redundant scatological humor, which I was not expecting, because the author did not include gross-out comedy in his other books.
Sadly, when Nathan goes back in time and is living in his 12-year-old body as a 17-year-old, he demonstrates no more confidence or assertiveness than he did when he was actually 12. Almost until the very end of the book, he is just as downtrodden at school and at home as he was five years before. In addition, most of the things that happen to Nathan while he is time traveling to the past I did not personally find very interesting. And the means by which he is finally thrown back into his 17-year-old body I found unexpected, but not in a particularly intriguing way.
This story has a happy ending, but it is achieved by a means that I find frustrating in any novel, whether for children, teens or adults: all of the MC's dysfunctional relationships, which the story has focused on extensively, are simply declared over and done, due to a poorly motivated, 180-degree change in attitude, from foe to friend, of the people who have been treating the MC badly all through the book.
Finally, it is frustrating to read a book written in 2023 that utilizes central tropes of John Hughes movies from the 1980s: bullies run rampant in a school with no adult intervention, and Nathan endures multiple instances of physical assault at the hands of those bullies. Worse, his injuries would have landed a similar victim in the ER in real life, but each attack is treated as cartoonish slapstick, with Nathan hopping up unscathed, like Wile E. Coyote from underneath the anvil.
Nathan and his BFF, Ty, have done everything together for the past 7 years, since they first met in kindergarten. They are so close, mentally and emotionally, they finish each other's sentences. But all that changes when lovely, charming Ava arrives from New York City and joins their seventh-grade class. Nathan and Ty are shocked when Ava chooses to befriend the two of them, who are outcast, highly intelligent geeks, instead of the popular jocks and cheerleaders, who have reached out strongly to pull her into their smugly superior clique. But when, as always, the thoughts and emotions of Nathan and Ty run in the same direction, and they both fall for Ava, their rivalry for her affections destroys their friendship. Five years pass without the two boys speaking to each other, when suddenly, during their senior year, Nathan is knocked out in a car accident, and he is thrown back in time to age 12, right before Ava's arrival. He is shocked and disoriented to find himself once again in his scrawny, prepubescent body, but he soon decides that, since he has no idea how to get back to the future, to use his imprisonment in the past as a do-over opportunity to win back his friendship with Ty. He is convinced that the only way to do that is to not let Ava come between him and Ty this time around.
Unfortunately, though the premise of this story sounded like it was going to be a real winner, I did not personally find this novel as humorous as the other three novels by this author I have read and enjoyed. As is always the case in virtually every book by this author, the MMC is an underdog. Nathan is ignored by his parents, bullied at school, and socially anxious. He is also frequently overwhelmed by the demands of caring for, and cleaning up after, his family's poorly trained, constantly destructive sheepdog. Over and over again, we are presented with the dog's disgusting habit of drinking out of the toilet, and the fact that neither Nathan nor his parents ever does anything to stop him from doing it. This situation came across as boringly redundant scatological humor, which I was not expecting, because the author did not include gross-out comedy in his other books.
Sadly, when Nathan goes back in time and is living in his 12-year-old body as a 17-year-old, he demonstrates no more confidence or assertiveness than he did when he was actually 12. Almost until the very end of the book, he is just as downtrodden at school and at home as he was five years before. In addition, most of the things that happen to Nathan while he is time traveling to the past I did not personally find very interesting. And the means by which he is finally thrown back into his 17-year-old body I found unexpected, but not in a particularly intriguing way.
This story has a happy ending, but it is achieved by a means that I find frustrating in any novel, whether for children, teens or adults: all of the MC's dysfunctional relationships, which the story has focused on extensively, are simply declared over and done, due to a poorly motivated, 180-degree change in attitude, from foe to friend, of the people who have been treating the MC badly all through the book.
Finally, it is frustrating to read a book written in 2023 that utilizes central tropes of John Hughes movies from the 1980s: bullies run rampant in a school with no adult intervention, and Nathan endures multiple instances of physical assault at the hands of those bullies. Worse, his injuries would have landed a similar victim in the ER in real life, but each attack is treated as cartoonish slapstick, with Nathan hopping up unscathed, like Wile E. Coyote from underneath the anvil.
November 21, 2025
This is a really good book and I thought it was a great start to reading a bunch of Gordon korman books. I recommend!
February 27, 2025
W book yo should read
October 5, 2023
Classic Korman! The story just continues to wind up till a grand finale. This story is actually mildly romantic, but not enough to make the middle school parents uncomfortable.
To top it all, this light-hearted story has a pinch of depth-the choices we make and how they can alter our lives.
Just read it; you won't regret!
To top it all, this light-hearted story has a pinch of depth-the choices we make and how they can alter our lives.
Just read it; you won't regret!
December 30, 2022
This book was SO MUCH FUN. After my child tested positive for COVID, I was having a hard time focusing on reading and was picking up and putting down books like crazy, unable to find something to capture my attention. I decided to give this one a shot and devoured it in a single day. I loved the time travel aspect, the friendship between the two boys, and the idea of what would you do to regain a lost friendship. And the dog, I LOVED the dog (and I'm a cat person, so that says a lot!) The characters in this book are so real and just come alive as the story progresses. I've been a big fan of Gordon Korman's since I read his Macdonald Hall series as a kid and it amazes me that his books just keep getting better and better, even though I'm getting older and older!
Note: An advanced copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Note: An advanced copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
Another fun book by Gordon Korman! I will never tire of his books. Korman writes the perfect length middle grade book... not too long, not too short. Students in my library are contantly checking his books out. This latest book is a fun, quick read.
Another fun book by Gordon Korman! I will never tire of his books. Korman writes the perfect length middle grade book... not too long, not too short. Students in my library are contantly checking his books out. This latest book is a fun, quick read.
March 31, 2022
My 2 daughters (ages 9&11) sat in our living room emphatically reviewing this book together with tears and excitement. They think everyone needs this book in their life! This book has emotion, cliff hangers, romance, humour, sports, and friendship!
January 12, 2022
As always, Korman in one of the most accessible writers for middle grade, even when he leans into social stereotypes and contrivance. This one wrapped up a little to neatly for me.
Popsugar # 47: A book featuring a parallel reality
Popsugar # 47: A book featuring a parallel reality
did-not-finish
January 15, 2023Listened to 22% and realized I just didn't care.
This will be the last Korman I read for awhile. We're using Masterminds for one of our book groups, but I've already read it and know I like it.
This will be the last Korman I read for awhile. We're using Masterminds for one of our book groups, but I've already read it and know I like it.
June 22, 2023
This was a fantastic read - hilarious and adorable and so very human! ❤️
February 8, 2022
First sentence: I'm standing next to the bumper cars when the first bolt of lightning splits the sky and strikes the main transformer. The explosion is like a bomb blast. I almost jump out of my skin.
Premise/plot: Mason Rolle can't remember a time when he wasn't best, best, best friends with Ty Ehrlich. The two have been inseparable since they were toddlers. But when the two are twelve, well, let's just say that new girl, Ava Petrakis, disrupts their friendship. The three become close friends--sharing the same interests and hobbies. But both boys like like Ava. When Ava starts to show preference for *liking* one but not the other (in that way), well, it could just be the end of the friendship. You see these two agreed that neither should go out with Ava.
The title includes the word Do-Over for a good reason. Mason and Ty haven't been friends for FIVE YEARS when the novel truly gets going. And Mason is wishing that he could have a do-over. If ONLY time travel was possible, if only he could go back and change the past, do everything differently... he knows that Ty's friendship is worth saving...
My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, LOVED, loved this one so much. I am so glad readers get to go along for the ride in this one. Mason's redo of seventh grade is interesting. We don't know each and every choice he made the first time around, but the choices he is making the second time are definitely interesting. He has a unique perspective on his own life--of course--but also when it comes to his classmates and teachers. Physically he may be "young" again, but he is wiser and more experienced.
I found it an engaging read. I was cheering for him from the start. I wanted his second chance to be a success! Of course, it could have gone either way. It could have given us a tied-up-with-a-ribbon-happy ending. Or it could have gone all message-y with the moral that friendships don't always last forever, that people change, that people grow apart, that sometimes the friends you want aren't always the friends you need. But I am personally SATISFIED with the ending.
I really liked the ending. But I also wonder about those missing memories. I can only imagine that some things would be awkward since he is missing five years of memories.
I am seeing some people compare it to Back to the Future, but, I don't see it as such. It is a LOT closer to 13 Going On 30.
Premise/plot: Mason Rolle can't remember a time when he wasn't best, best, best friends with Ty Ehrlich. The two have been inseparable since they were toddlers. But when the two are twelve, well, let's just say that new girl, Ava Petrakis, disrupts their friendship. The three become close friends--sharing the same interests and hobbies. But both boys like like Ava. When Ava starts to show preference for *liking* one but not the other (in that way), well, it could just be the end of the friendship. You see these two agreed that neither should go out with Ava.
The title includes the word Do-Over for a good reason. Mason and Ty haven't been friends for FIVE YEARS when the novel truly gets going. And Mason is wishing that he could have a do-over. If ONLY time travel was possible, if only he could go back and change the past, do everything differently... he knows that Ty's friendship is worth saving...
My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, LOVED, loved this one so much. I am so glad readers get to go along for the ride in this one. Mason's redo of seventh grade is interesting. We don't know each and every choice he made the first time around, but the choices he is making the second time are definitely interesting. He has a unique perspective on his own life--of course--but also when it comes to his classmates and teachers. Physically he may be "young" again, but he is wiser and more experienced.
I found it an engaging read. I was cheering for him from the start. I wanted his second chance to be a success! Of course, it could have gone either way. It could have given us a tied-up-with-a-ribbon-happy ending. Or it could have gone all message-y with the moral that friendships don't always last forever, that people change, that people grow apart, that sometimes the friends you want aren't always the friends you need. But I am personally SATISFIED with the ending.
I really liked the ending. But I also wonder about those missing memories. I can only imagine that some things would be awkward since he is missing five years of memories.
I am seeing some people compare it to Back to the Future, but, I don't see it as such. It is a LOT closer to 13 Going On 30.
March 19, 2022
VERY VERY FUN!!! I have to start by saying the cover of this book is AWFUL and a terrible representation of the actual story. For starters, the dog isn’t THAT important of a part and there is NO chemical or beaker type experiments relevant to the plot. Horrible cover choice whoever made that decision needs to be fired because I think it will turn a lot of people away from the book.
Other than that, it was GREAT. The storyline was really interesting and it’s VERY well written to be a fast paced story. I loved the time travel as it wasn’t overdone or too much, but the connections between past and present were very strong.
My favorite part was, obviously, the bromance (is that even an appropriate term anymore??). I really love a story with middle school boys not afraid to show genuine platonic affection towards one another. That was a really heart warming and special part of the story.
Would absolutely recommend to anyone who likes Korman or wants to try a Korman book. It’s an easy light read that’s a good stepping stone into some of his others. I will say even though romance was supposed to be a big factor in the plot, it did not really play into too much. Most of the time I forgot about the “romance” entirely.
Other than that, it was GREAT. The storyline was really interesting and it’s VERY well written to be a fast paced story. I loved the time travel as it wasn’t overdone or too much, but the connections between past and present were very strong.
My favorite part was, obviously, the bromance (is that even an appropriate term anymore??). I really love a story with middle school boys not afraid to show genuine platonic affection towards one another. That was a really heart warming and special part of the story.
Would absolutely recommend to anyone who likes Korman or wants to try a Korman book. It’s an easy light read that’s a good stepping stone into some of his others. I will say even though romance was supposed to be a big factor in the plot, it did not really play into too much. Most of the time I forgot about the “romance” entirely.
October 10, 2021
#99 in the ever-lengthening list of Gordon Korman titles is another middle grade winner! Mason and Ty, best friends forever, have an intense and forever blow up over the new girl. The 12 year olds move on, separately, into year 17 when a horrific car accident hurled Mason back in time to before the girl in question moves to town. The best friends are back on track and Mason is determined to keep it that way. Terrific pacing in this time travel-school drama-do over and the characters will feel authentic to readers in grades 4-8. There are the science nerds, the jocks, a bully, the popular crowd, an annoying sibling and a beloved dog. For those who might read the title and the publisher summary and worry that this book might be a rehash of Korman’s Restart, don’t. There are really no significant similarities, just solid fun and some time travel paradoxes thrown in for good measure. Bring on #100, Mr. Korman! I can’t wait to see what else you can give me and my library kiddos!
Thanks for the dARC, NetGalley.
Thanks for the dARC, NetGalley.
Read
January 8, 2022Operation Do-Over will keep readers turning the pages because they will be so invested in finding out what the results of Mason’s do-over will be! Who hasn’t wanted to find out if things would have gone differently if you had just chosen a over b or did this instead of that? This book allows readers to explore that particular curiosity a bit. The plot is intriguing and makes you wonder. The concepts will encourage conversations about the hypothetical, what’s possible, and the consequences. The ending will warrant discussion. Because it is a book with the potential to spark lots of conversations, it would work well for a book club or lit circle. Like Korman has done time and time again, the characters are written in such a way that they are so interesting and they pull you into their world. I’ll definitely be adding it to our collection. I predict our copies will be just as work out and well-loved from high circulation as some of Korman’s other titles that fly off our shelves like Restart, Masterminds, and Slacker.
April 22, 2022
After a car accident, 17 year old Mason finds he’s time traveled to 12 years old again. Here is his chance to change the future for the better. If you got a do over with your past mistakes, what would you change? Are there some things that were just meant to be no matter what you tried to change? Lots of discussion opportunity here. Great book for intermediate elementary and middle school boys. But girls will like it too. I enjoyed that the 2 main female characters were intelligent and kind girls.
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