Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2022 Gr 3–5—The underlying theme of this true story about teenage trans student Gavin Grimm is that there are choices a kid can and can't make. Gavin had no choice about the fact that the world saw him as a girl when inside he knew he was a boy. He did have a choice to talk honestly about it. And when he got tired of using the nurse's bathroom as though he were a sick person, he had no choice but to try and get access to the boys' bathroom at school. Teachers gossiped and students bullied him, but he spoke out even louder about his rights—before the community, on the news, and in a successful court case brought by the ACLU. The kid-friendly and straightforward narration works with digitally created art that employs firm outlines and a muted palette to communicate Gavin's embarrassment, loneliness, and evolving courage. Framed throughout with the conditional "if" of the title, the text stumbles only once when it switches to, "Since you're a kid like Gavin Grimm," which unnecessarily narrows the audience. VERDICT All kids should be challenged to think about the message of standing up and fighting for what is right. Here is a worthy discussion-starter on an important topic for all collections.—Jan Aldrich Solow - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2022 Based on Grimm’s experiences as an out transgender boy, this picture book relates his battle to use the boys’ bathroom at his high school. Initially, it isn’t even an issue, but then a teacher begins to gossip and declares that Gavin should be forced to use the girls’ room. This triggers a wave of bullying from students until a meeting is called over the situation. Gavin chooses to attend the meeting and speak out. Though his bravery isn’t rewarded in this instance, Gavin continues to speak out on behalf of trans people, attending protests and working with the ACLU. While the book doesn’t clearly resolve the high-school story line, it is nevertheless important for its fostering of empathy, representation, and spotlighting Gavin as a role model for any kid wanting to effect change. Yang’s color-saturated illustrations feel like they’ve been plucked from a graphic novel, visually moving the narrative and capturing Gavin’s emotional journey. Rainbow hues wash over a final spread of a rally, which makes for a hopeful, empowering conclusion. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.