Creech, Sharon. 2005. Replay. New York: HarperCollins Children’s Books. 

Leo is an average boy, if you discount the fact that his entire family doesn’t call him Leo, but Sardine, reminding him daily of an incident that happened when he was much younger. Leo portrays his family as being a bit dysfunctional, but overall loving and supportive of each other. When Leo is exploring the attic one day, he comes across a box containing a journal that his father wrote when he was 13 along with a pair of tap shoes that also belonged to his father. After Leo is cast as the Old Crone in his school’s play, the journal and shoes, along with an assignment by the drama teacher give Leo an insight into the man his father was as a child and a glimpse into the future that he wants for himself. Throughout the book, the scene shifts from Leo’s reality to Leo’s imagination in short, choppy chapters that may make focusing on the story difficult for readers. The issues that are faced by middle-school aged children are addressed in a humorous tone that allows readers to see themselves in the menagerie of characters created by Creech. As the story progresses along with Leo’s reading of his father’s journal, Leo embraces the character that he will play in the school performance and learns more about his family and friends. Although a bit off-putting initially, Creech has created a cast of characters and a plot that readers who identify with Leo will want to “Replay” many times.