Bound To Stay Bound

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 Wildseed witch (Wildseed Witch)
 Author: Dumas, Marti

 Publisher:  Abrams (2022)

 Classification: Fiction
 Physical Description: 345 p,  21 cm

 BTSB No: 294511 ISBN: 9781419755613
 Ages: 10-14 Grades: 5-9

 Subjects:
 Witches -- Fiction
 Magic -- Fiction
 Ability -- Fiction
 Private schools -- Fiction
 African Americans -- Fiction

Price: $23.28

Summary:
Hasani's post-seventh-grade summer to-do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. But when an emotional outburst sparks a latent magical ability in her, she is recruited to attend an ultra-private witch school where young ladies from old-money witch families learn to harness their magic. But Hasani is a Wildseed, a stray witch from a family of non-witches, and has a lot to catch up on.

Accelerated Reader Information:
   Interest Level: MG
   Reading Level: 4.70
   Points: 12.0   Quiz: 522035

Reviews:
   Kirkus Reviews (03/15/22)
   School Library Journal (05/01/22)
   Booklist (02/15/22)

Full Text Reviews:

Booklist - 02/15/2022 Aspiring YouTuber Hasani is thrown for a series of loops when she learns that her dad has a girlfriend. She’d convinced herself that her parents would get back together, and this discovery causes her hitherto unknown magic to flare to life, garnering her an invitation to attend Les Belles Demoiselles Finir l’École des Sorcières, aka magic camp. Concealed within a New Orleans sugarcane field, it’s an old institution that favors girls from long lines of magical blood, putting Hasani at a distinct disadvantage. Nevertheless, she perseveres in the face of bullying, thanks to new friends and a better understanding of herself. While Dumas throws in too many secondary plots, readers will love the world she creates, which brims with Black Girl Magic. Most of the characters are Black, and Dumas weaves Louisiana’s history of slavery into the girls’ lessons and legacy of magic. She also intertwines magic with technology, giving this series starter a decidedly modern feel. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

Booklist - 02/15/2022 - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2022 Gr 5 Up—Soon-to-be eighth grader Hasani is a daughter, friend, aspiring YouTuber, and a wildseed witch. While heading to her dad's house for the weekend, the drawbridge they have to cross suddenly raises covered in vines. Hasani unknowingly caused the event, only discovering it was her fault when she is offered a full scholarship to the charm school Les Belles Demoiselles to learn to control her magic. Being a wildseed (meaning she is a stray witch from a family of non-witches) doesn't make things easy for Hasani at school. If only sticking out was the sole trouble she had to deal with; she also has to navigate her classmates, manage her YouTube account, and try to get her father away from his girlfriend and back with her mother. Dumas has crafted a delightful light fantasy novel filled with a diverse cast, fun, drama, and some lessons. The story is a marvelous blend of magical elements with modern times, with Hasani even unknowingly using her magic to control YouTube. Even with their magical abilities, Hasani and her classmates are a relatable and nuanced portrayal of girls their age. While elements of this book may not stand the test of time, today's readers will gobble up Hasani's story. Hasani is Black, as are most of the characters. VERDICT Hand to those who already love realistic fantasy or are looking to dip their toes into the genre.—Amanda Borgia - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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