Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2026 Gr 6 Up—Grief and loss are explored in this painfully beautiful novel in verse. Eighth grader Tolly lost her sister in a car crash six months ago, but she has no details, no information, and no closure. Her parents go about their lives like strangers; for her, it's been a long and isolating summer. Starting school looks promising; she can see her bestie and queen bee Willa again, but reality is about to show her that being disconnected without a phone for two months has frayed their relationship. When the school counselor encourages her to create a club, she ends up coleader of the Luddites, a group focused on screen-free activities that also go outdoors. As her social world shifts, Tolly must ask herself who she really wants to be despite others' expectations, and must face the grief she feels for Sunny, the sister she adores and blames herself for losing. This novel starts slowly but develops complex subplots where Tolly comes to terms with distancing herself from toxic friends, making new ones, and facing the reality of being an only daughter when her parents simply cannot face their pain. The story explores forgiveness, of oneself and for others who may have inflicted hurt. Readers will empathize with a main character who doubts herself, sometimes because of her own doing and at other times because of the people around her. VERDICT A fantastic option for book clubs, sure to generate lively discussions; strongly recommended for middle school libraries.—Carolina Youssif - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Publishers Weekly - 04/13/2026 This nuanced, emotionally layered verse novel by Dubois (Ode to a Nobody) explores grief alongside the complicated role technology plays in middle schoolers’ lives. After white-cued 13-year-old Tolly’s older sister, Sunny, dies in a car crash that some believe was caused by Sunny’s distracted driving, Tolly and her parents struggle to connect with one another. Feeling isolated and burdened by the fear that her own texts to Sunny may have contributed to the accident, Tolly resolves to navigate eighth grade sans cellphone as she searches for concrete clues about the crash and contends with a strained relationship with her former best friend, Willa. Encouraged by a school counselor, Tolly starts the Luddite Club, whose mission of mindfulness finds kinship with those in the Outdoors Club. Among the Outdoors Club’s endearingly offbeat members is Khalil, a nature-loving classmate whose grief over his own loss helps Tolly realize that others too may be dealing with challenges like hers. As Tolly detaches herself from electronic devices and shifts her focus toward others, she discovers that grief doesn’t have to be shouldered alone. Spare verse lines balance a clear-eyed look at technology’s pitfalls with a nondidactic and nonjudgmental approach. The result is a thoughtful and quietly powerful story of loss and healing. Ages 9-12. Agent: Louise Fury, Bent Agency. (July) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2026 As Tolly heads into eighth grade, she still has questions about her sister’s death in a catastrophic car crash six months earlier. She’s secretly terrified that she distracted Sunny with excessive texting about an after-school pickup, though her phone went missing before she could confirm the potentially terrible truth. Her grieving parents refuse to replace her phone, and she miserably wonders if they blame her, too. Her phoneless existence puts a gulf between Tolly and her former friends, but the formation of a Luddite club leads to some truly unexpected revelations, human connections, and a budding hope that she can heal. The sophisticated story, written in lovely lyrical prose, refuses to shy away from sadness and grief, particularly within the loving but struggling family unit. Understanding school staff, burgeoning friendships, and a newfound sense of mindfulness help buoy Tolly as she mends both inner and outer relationships, and everything ends on an optimistic, if imperfect, note for everyone involved. A heartrending and hopeful mediation on building a new world after an old one has ended. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.