“Mixed Up” is a typical Gordon Korman novel; typical because it’s both very accessible and very brilliant. Korman’s books are legendary (among teachers and students) because they are almost unique in their ability to provide a plot that moves rapidly with plenty of action, yet at the same time offer us thoughtful issues to consider — in every story. His newest release accomplishes all that.

A word of warning, though: This novel isn’t for the faint of heart. In the very first chapter, we learn that one of the two protagonists, Reef Moody, is an orphan because his mom died of Covid. He blames himself for her death because he insisted on going to a birthday party that she was hesitant to let him attend because of the virus. He talked her into it; a few days later the birthday girl was sick, and he and his mom got Covid the next day. Reef recovered, his mother did not.

He’s now living with his mom’s best friend’s family. He shares a bedroom with the youngest of their children, a troubled boy named Declan. Declan is horrid to Reef, calls him “Reek,” and is verbally and borderline physically abusive. In Reef’s first person narrative, we learn that he believes that Declan’s parents must know about the boy’s problems on some level, but they prefer to ignore it as they don’t want to believe their son capable of such ugly behavior. And Reef just wants to be left alone to mourn the loss of his mother—his only family. He doesn’t rock the boat.

When Reef begins to lose some of his memories of his mother, he’s distraught. He doesn’t know what is happening. And to make matters worse, he’s remembering things that he never experienced, like gardening and a rabbit named Jaws. Reef thinks he’s losing his mind.

Meanwhile, there’s another boy named Theo who is also relating his story in first person narrative. He’s a kid who loves gardening, much to the displeasure of his father. Theo’s father wants him to be one of the “cool” kids and “rule the school” as he is wont to say about his own childhood. Theo is frustrated by a rabbit with huge front teeth, whom he has named Jaws, and who is devouring his vegetables and flowers. But Theo, too, is losing memories and gaining some memories that he knows are not his. Memories about a funeral, a different school, and other strange events.

Theo has a new memory of a school with a cupola, and when he sees the news report of a fire on the other side of town, next to a school with the identical cupola, he decides to investigate. Eventually, Theo and Reef meet. And while the story of how they meet, what they figure out, how they investigate this phenomenon, and what they do about it is riveting and exciting, there is much more to this story than those events.

Korman delves into the idea of family and what makes a group of people become close. But he also really dives into the subject of memories, and what we lose when we forget things and people. At first, the memories that one boy loses and the other one gains don’t seem very important. Just memories of people and random events. But when one kid studies hard for a school test and then forgets those memories, he’s going to fail the test. And when another goes to karate class after two weeks of practice on one particular move and then forgets all that, he’s going to get kicked. And worst of all? He’s not going to know why. But for Reef, forgetting the memories of his mother, how she looked, the sound of her voice, the things they did together, is devastating.

This novel would be fabulous for a book club or a book group in school. I don’t know if the kids themselves would think about the deeper significance of what Korman presents about memory and memory loss. If I used this book in the classroom, I’d have students research Alzheimer’s disease and how it works on the brain and memories. I know someone who, because of a brain tumor, had part of his brain removed—the section that in part deals with memories and memory retention. Learning new things becomes more difficult and may take more repetition. Some people believe that our memories make us who we are, so does losing those memories make us less than we were?

I do believe that students will come up with even more themes to discuss in this book, such as what makes people friends, is everyone capable of redemption, and even why some kids are mean and hurtful to others. Yes, this is a fun, action-filled book that will engage middle grade readers, but it’s also pure Korman—much, much, more.

Some discussion questions might include:
*Both Reef and Theo have difficult family lives at the start of the novel. How would you describe their difficulties and how are they different?
*What do we find out about why Declan is such a miserable person? Does it make you reconsider kids who behave poorly because there might be underlying reasons for their behavior?
*Declan’s parents refuse to acknowledge his poor behavior. Do you think that is a good thing or a bad thing? How might that help or hurt Declan? Or any child?
*Should Reef have blamed himself for his mother’s death? Do you think she would want him to feel that way?
*At the end of the novel, Reef understands more about his mother’s death and the reason for it. Is there anything he might have done differently to find that out sooner?
*In this novel, Korman shows the importance of having someone who believes in you. He shows this in more than one way. Can you think of what those ways are and describe them? Can you think about how important this issue is in most people’s lives? Is it important in your life?
*The ability to make and keep memories is very important. What are examples of this phenomenon in the novel? What kind of memories do you think are most important? Memories of our family, our childhood, or what we learn in school? Are some memories more important than others, or are they all equally important?
*If you were losing your memories, what might you try to do to stop it from happening or to help yourself remember? Anything that the two boys didn’t try?
*Do you agree with the statement that who we are comes from our memories? Explain.
*What do you think Korman’s message is in this novel? Is it about friendship? Family? Memories? Forgiveness? Explain with examples from the story.

Please note: This review is based on the final, hardcover book provided by the publisher, Scholastic Press, for review purposes.