Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/01/2015 Gr 3–6—An apocalyptic monster attack has destroyed the town of Wakefield, leaving gigantic, slime-filled creatures in its wake. It appears that the entire population has been turned into zombies, except for 13-year-old Jack Sullivan. Jack is an abandoned foster kid trying to survive the catastrophe while living in a tricked-out tree house. In his daily fight for survival, which includes hand-to-hand combat using makeshift weapons, he locates two of his fellow students. One's a science geek, and the other's an oversize school bully. They unite to form a small army and set off to rescue a classmate they believe is trapped in their decimated school. The chapter book/graphic novel hybrid is fast moving and action packed. Loaded with outrageous devices such as a rolling ball of zombies, a revenge-filled creature with bad eyesight called BLARGH, and a monster-dog name Rover, this book provides loads of laughs. The characters are fully developed and honest in their adolescent interactions. Yet what sets this story apart from the typical gross-out fare is how these modern-day action heroes work through their emotions, which include love, loss, and extreme fear. Dynamic pencil sketches add to the hilarity. For readers looking to make the transition from chapter books to graphic novels, this is a foolproof initiation. VERDICT A gross-out good time with surprisingly nuanced character development.—Sada Mozer, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 10/01/2015 It’s been 42 days since the onset of Monster Apocalypse, and because his foster family abandoned him once the vicious zombies, sentient vines, and grotesque beasts arrived, Jack has been relying on his wits and gumption to survive. To keep himself going, he outfits his tree house into an “impenetrable fortress of power” and assigns himself video-game-style “Feats of Apocalyptic Success,” such as “steal the hats off five different zombies,” and the greatest feat of all, “Find and rescue love interest, June Del Toro.” Eventually, he reunites with his genius best friend, Quint, and former bully Dirk, and along with their “pet” monster, Rover, they set off to the middle school to rescue June—who so doesn’t need it. Jack’s snappy, upbeat first-person narration is well matched by Holgate’s comic-book-style artwork, which takes over the narrative in little bursts. The video-game-like plotting, gross-out humor, frequent pop-culture references, and quippy dialogue make this a great fit for reluctant readers. Recommend to Wimpy Kid fans looking for a horror-lite adventure. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.