Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/15/2023 The author of See You in the Cosmos (2017) offers another realistic, character-driven middle-grade story that explores multiple issues. Sixth-grader Andy Zhou is doing the best he can at home and at school. His grandparents are visiting from Shanghai; his best friend, Cindy, wants him to try out for the school dance group; and his new science partner, Jameel, gives him a really hard time. As Andy struggles to navigate so many roles and changes, he begins to pull his hair, a body-focused repetitive behavior known as trichotillomania. He also faces microaggressions—not being seen as American, being labeled with Asian stereotypes. When reflecting on the question of whether he is gay, Andy recognizes and lives in the truth that he doesn’t know what he is yet but does know that “it’s more than one thing” and that he has “room for it to be that.” Based on the author’s own experiences, this is a compelling addition to middle-school and upper-elementary collections. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2023 Gr 5 Up—Andy Zhou is entering sixth grade with a lot on his plate. His best friend, Cindy, has decided they're both dyeing their hair blond and joining the after-school dance program Movement (without telling their parents). His grandparents are visiting from China for an unknown length of time. And, his irreverent classmate Jameel picks on him at every opportunity. Andy gets to know Jameel, and the two strike up a friendship while he feels Cindy growing more distant and changing physically. He copes with this and the declining health of his grandfather, Ah Dia, by sketching, pulling out his hair, and working on crew for Movement's production of Lord of the Flies. This is a gentle tale of juggling shifting friendships, tough secrets, and the weight of trying to make everyone happy. Andy's first-person narration is eminently readable; Cheng's comedic timing and poignant use of metaphor make it easy to picture Andy's anxiety and self-consciousness as he braves middle school. Rich descriptions abound of Andy's Chinese and Jameel's Chaldean cultures, including food, performance, and family dynamics. The plot has an open conclusion: nothing complex is fully "fixed," but Andy is on the road to making amends with those he loves and establishing his own identity. The novel opens with a content note for bullying, racism, trichotillomania, parental death, and anorexia, and Cheng's author's note includes a number of relevant support resources. VERDICT A beautiful, contemplative novel that will stay with readers. Recommended for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Nicole Melleby.—Ashleigh Williams - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.