Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/01/2011 Gr 3–6—Margie is proud to be an American, born in the United States. Her parents were born in Mexico and so was her cousin, Lupe, who has come to stay with Margie's family in California. At first Margie is excited, but that enthusiasm dissipates when Lupe is placed in her classroom. She doesn't speak English, and Margie's teacher expects her to translate for her. A couple of classroom bullies seem bent on belittling the cousins' heritage. Margie is relieved when Lupe is transferred to a bilingual class, leaving a desk near her for the newest classmate, Camille. The girls become great friends. When they're given a journal assignment, Camille models what it's like to have a passion as she thinks, researches, and writes about dolphins. Lupe stays after school to learn folkloric dances, and the book concludes with a performance that helps Margie understand how American she is and how her Mexican heritage fits into her identity. This story will assist readers in embracing their own heritage and developing an appreciation for their classmates' backgrounds. It's an enjoyable offering (and a great read-aloud) that will capture readers' attention and have them rooting for the cousins and their friendships and family relationships. A Spanish-language edition, Nacer Bailando, is available simultaneously.—Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 07/01/2011 Ten-year-old Margie has spent her entire life trying to fit in—to pass as an American—despite the fact that her parents were born in Mexico. Then, her Mexican cousin Lupe comes to live with them, and her plan goes awry. At first, she resents Lupe for her foreign ways and for monopolizing her parents’ attention; later, she comes to love Lupe as a sister and appreciate the Mexican part of her heritage. Margie begins to master Spanish, enjoys celebrating Navidad, and participates in a Cinco de Mayo folklorico dance at school. Ada, the author of many multicultural titles, including Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection (2006), and Zubizarreta write knowingly of the difficulties of a life lived in two cultures. A subplot involving Lupe’s father (who came to America illegally and later abandoned his family) is also well handled, as is the inclusion of a Ruben Dario poem, “To Margarita.” Give this to fans of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising (2000) and Becoming Naomi Leon (2004). - Copyright 2011 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2011 Margie’s hard-won all-American image falls apart when her cousin Lupe comes from Mexico and joins Margie’s fifth-grade class. Over time, though, Margie begins to see the challenges that Lupe faces every day at their California school and learns how different Lupe’s childhood was from her own, and her resentment of her cousin slowly shifts to sympathy. While the story of the friendship between the two girls is thoughtfully presented, the plot is contrived and programmatic, hitting heavily on the messages about embracing differences and accepting all people. Margie’s new friend, Camille, comes across as cloyingly wise beyond her years as she explains American culture to Margie (“Haven’t you figured it out yet? The United States is made up of all different kinds of people. And most of their ancestors came here from other places”). More effective is the device of a journal assignment that serves as a useful method to reveal Margie’s thought processes, as she often uses her journal to reflect on her shifting views of her heritage as well as her observations about Lupe’s adjustment to California. The third-person narration includes both Margie’s and Lupe’s points of view, adding depth to the narrative. Rubén Darío’s poem “To Margarita,” which is referenced throughout the story, is included in full in both English and Spanish at the end of the novel. HM - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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