Type of Text
Rewind is a science fiction thriller YA novel.
Age Group
Rewind would be best for teens, roughly 14-18 years old. The plot and subject matter would probably be too mature for younger readers, and too simplistic for older ones. The central characters of the story, “spinners”, are all under 18, which would make this story most relatable to readers in a similar age group. Additionally, while this book is not graphic, there are descriptions of romance and violence, which might not be appropriate for younger readers.
Description of the Text
Rewind tells the story of Alexandra Manning, a 16-year-old who has the power to rewind time. Alexandra and other children like her (called spinners) are both admired and feared by the wider world. In the United States, spinners are identified at birth and institutionalized, trained, and assigned to work in partnership with law enforcement until they die of “time sickness”, typically around 18 years old.
Alex is working to uncover a major crime when she begins to get time sick. However, when Alex reveals her time sickness to the partner, Agent Ross, he offers her a cure and a chance at a different life. This sets Alex on a path to unravel the truth behind spinners’ abilities and time sickness.
Justification for the Text
This book is an engaging, fast read, and would be a great gateway drug for reluctant adolescent readers. The story also brings up some larger questions around transparency, power, and the greater good, which could help readers practice making connections and reflecting on their reading.
How the Text Could be Read
I think this text would be best used in a reading workshop/SSR setting. The writing style, themes, and complexity are all similar to those of The Hunger Games, so I think Rewind could be a good “next read” suggestion for students who read and loved The Hunger Games. I would present Rewind in a book talk, probably earlier in the school year, when more students may need help moving away from being nonreaders.
Classroom Activities that would Enhance the Understanding of the Text
Writing Craft Elements that Could be Taught
Rewind is a science fiction thriller YA novel.
Age Group
Rewind would be best for teens, roughly 14-18 years old. The plot and subject matter would probably be too mature for younger readers, and too simplistic for older ones. The central characters of the story, “spinners”, are all under 18, which would make this story most relatable to readers in a similar age group. Additionally, while this book is not graphic, there are descriptions of romance and violence, which might not be appropriate for younger readers.
Description of the Text
Rewind tells the story of Alexandra Manning, a 16-year-old who has the power to rewind time. Alexandra and other children like her (called spinners) are both admired and feared by the wider world. In the United States, spinners are identified at birth and institutionalized, trained, and assigned to work in partnership with law enforcement until they die of “time sickness”, typically around 18 years old.
Alex is working to uncover a major crime when she begins to get time sick. However, when Alex reveals her time sickness to the partner, Agent Ross, he offers her a cure and a chance at a different life. This sets Alex on a path to unravel the truth behind spinners’ abilities and time sickness.
Justification for the Text
This book is an engaging, fast read, and would be a great gateway drug for reluctant adolescent readers. The story also brings up some larger questions around transparency, power, and the greater good, which could help readers practice making connections and reflecting on their reading.
How the Text Could be Read
I think this text would be best used in a reading workshop/SSR setting. The writing style, themes, and complexity are all similar to those of The Hunger Games, so I think Rewind could be a good “next read” suggestion for students who read and loved The Hunger Games. I would present Rewind in a book talk, probably earlier in the school year, when more students may need help moving away from being nonreaders.
Classroom Activities that would Enhance the Understanding of the Text
- Rewind would work well in Kittle’s theme activity, in which students identify major themes in their books and write about them in notebooks dedicated to specific themes.
- Students could map the major locations described in the story, and mark the routes that the characters take as they travel from one location to another. This would help build comprehension and mental imagery, and would be fun because the story is set in Portland.
Writing Craft Elements that Could be Taught
- Point of view: Rewind is narrated in first person by the protagonist, Alex. Although Alex is not an unreliable narrator, her understanding and beliefs change over the course of the story. For example, over the course of the story, Alex’s view of the CIC’s doctor changes from a neutral caretaker to an embodiment of the government’s secretive, abusive treatment of spinners. Alex’s changing narrative could be used to demonstrate the characteristics of a first person limited narration style and of character development.
- Alex’s friends at the CIC appear fairly simplistic at the beginning of the story, but gradually become more complex and dynamic. For example, Alex’s roommate, Shannon initially seems like an airhead - she’s boy crazy and is good with kids, but doesn’t seem to have much depth to her personality beyond this. However, as Alex begins to come to terms with the reality of time sickness and death, she reveals that Shannon has watched her former boyfriend slowly die of time sickness, and learns that this experience has shaped much of Shannon’s worldview. Students could use a graphic organizer to track their evolving understandings of the characters in Rewind. (This graphic organizer is a slight modification of one that Debbie Miller presents in Reading with Meaning).
Questions for Students to Explore
I would present these questions as either discussion starters (if multiple students had read the text) or as writing prompts.
Connection with this Text
I would recommend Rewind to students who read and enjoyed The Hunger Games. Both books feature strong female protagonists grappling with newfound knowledge and power. They also explore questions of otherness, power and responsibility, and corruption. Additionally, both books have romances as side plots, and feature young men who are more interested in romance than young women. Although this is not a central component of either book, I think the fact that romance is depicted in this way is notable. Especially for teenage girls, romance is often overemphasized in literature, to the point that it obscures other interests and accomplishments of young women.
Guide written by Claire Vlahakis, teacher at Duncan Elementary School, Happy Valley, OR
I would present these questions as either discussion starters (if multiple students had read the text) or as writing prompts.
- The government claims that allowing spinners to both freeze and change time would give them too much power. Do you agree? Why or why not?
- Do you think Agent Ross is a trustworthy character? Why or why not?
- If you were Alex, would you accept Ross’ offer to go into hiding? Why or why not?
Connection with this Text
I would recommend Rewind to students who read and enjoyed The Hunger Games. Both books feature strong female protagonists grappling with newfound knowledge and power. They also explore questions of otherness, power and responsibility, and corruption. Additionally, both books have romances as side plots, and feature young men who are more interested in romance than young women. Although this is not a central component of either book, I think the fact that romance is depicted in this way is notable. Especially for teenage girls, romance is often overemphasized in literature, to the point that it obscures other interests and accomplishments of young women.
Guide written by Claire Vlahakis, teacher at Duncan Elementary School, Happy Valley, OR