Rewind [Hardcover]

William Sleator (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Not long after learning that he was adopted, eleven-year-old Peter is hit by a car and then given several chances to alter events that could lead to his death.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fans of Sleator's creature features (The Boxes; The Beasties) will find this tale of redemption less grotesque, but satisfying nonetheless. Eleven-year-old Peter finds out he is adopted, strives to gain glimmers of affection from his stoic, insensitive parents and gets killed by a car when he runs out of their home in a tearful rage. "Peter always acted without thinking," says his mother at his funeral. But life is not over yet; Peter is granted three chances to get it right before he is permanently dead. And in the process he learns to make friends, communicate clearly with his parents about his anxieties and follow his dream of being an artist even though his mother finds it a "waste of time" and his father thinks he should do something more manly. Peter is likable, creative and admirable in his ability to change his behavior. Sleator playfully examines the idea of time travel and of consciously tampering with the future. When a silly conflict arises because Peter thoughtlessly predicts the future (having lived through the same days several times), its resolution is simple and emotionally truthful. Adoptees and time- travel fans alike will find fun and fulfillment in this fantasy of second, third and fourth chances. Ages 10-14. (July)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-After Peter is killed in a car accident, he is told that he can go back to try and avoid his death, but he has to do more than simply not run out in front of the car that struck him. The events leading up to and causing him to run are what need to be changed. The first two times, he fails and again dies. He ultimately finds out that how he deals with his family and schoolmates has more to do with his life than just staying out of the way of a speeding vehicle. He becomes more aware of his parents and their feelings and in return they begin to accept him for who he is and not reject him for what he isn't. Peter's character is well-rounded; he thinks in many different directions before figuring out what to change in his life. The secondary characters are more one-dimensional, particularly Peter's parents, who are viewed only from his perspective and often come across as uncaring. A story that shows readers how their behavior affects the people and events around them.
Kendra Nan Skellen, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525461302
• ISBN-13: 978-0525461302
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,445,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Suspensful but flawed, December 2, 2000

By 

"ladyothelake" (Long Island) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rewind (Hardcover)

There's no denying the suspense of this story. It caught me on the first page. The whole idea of a "second chance" puts you on the edge of your seat right away. It invokes a lot of questions about the inescapability of a person's fate and how the choices you make affect your life. However, one of the most irking things about this book is the boys relationship with his parents. He feels the need to "fix" something within himself even though the parent's belittling treatment of him is bordering on verbal abuse. Sleator uses the excuse of his mother being a "practical farmgirl" to account for her calling his artistic efforts a "waste of time". And then there is his father who thinks less of his son for not doing "manly" things and criticizes everything. I ask you, what kind of a parent constantly makes their child feel that they are on charity? In the end the main character is made to feel that because he tried harder on his storybook and his puppet show, and pleases his parents better, he has changed his life and deserves to live. I find this kind of thinking flawed. It almost condones the parent's right to disparage their son and says that his death is his own fault. The whole future predicting thing is a funny twist for which I applaud the author. His relationship with the bully is quite interesting and adds some texture to the story but I agree that more character could have been given to Eloise, the best friend. Advice to the reader: An interesting read, but will leave you unsatisfied. Save your money. Advice to author: Keep writing, but rethink the message you're sending to your audience.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rewind's Book Review, March 21, 2000

By 

Rhyan (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rewind (Hardcover)

Rewind was a pretty good book, in most ways. The author is William Sleator. Rewind is mostly about a boy named Peter who is given a chance to relive his life. I liked the way Peter had to do certain things with his parents to keep himself from dying. This story makes you wonder do you only get one life to live? Rewind is a type of scientific story. So if you like scientific stories this one is a pretty good one to read. There were only a few things that I didn't really like about the book. I didn't like how Peter's parents talked to him. To me the story isn't as long as most books I have read. I read the hardcopy and it only had 120 pages. The book's ending also had me hanging. I learned to respect and treat your parents the way you would want to be treated, from this book. This book also shows you not the be so lazy at times. I recommend it if you really like scientific stories or if you just like stories that are about a kid, his life, and his family. The book is good if you read it all!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read aloud!, October 31, 1999

By 

Lisa Saarie (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rewind (Hardcover)

I used this book as a read aloud with several groups of fifth grade students. From the opening line to the last word, they were excited and interested in the plot. Each chapter leads to discussion and debate amongst students. Sleator did a fantastic job keeping the reader involved with the story line. It was a pleasure to read and discuss with children and colleagues.