Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2020 Gr 8 Up—Feder's tender memoir of coping with a parent's death deftly and sensitively blends joy, anguish, and even whimsy. The author was just 19 when her mother, Rhonda, was diagnosed with stage-four cancer, with little chance of survival. Feder was often away at college while her family oversaw Rhonda's treatment in Florida. During a visit home, Feder was shocked to find Rhonda had taken a turn for the worse, passing away mere days later. Equal parts celebration, reflection, and mourning, this graphic memoir touches on the unpredictable path of grief. Feder shares her experience of navigating death with beauty and raw honesty. At times, the pastel coloring belies the somber moments, but the powder soft pinks also celebrate Feder's memory of Rhonda and emphasize Tyler's youth. The minimal backgrounds center the focus on Feder and her family, and the controlled but loose lines speak to the ever present conflict between Feder's need for stability and the chaos into which she was thrust. The chapters end with illustrated tips, lists, and other quirky yet informative extras. VERDICT Grieving teens will find incredible solace in Feder's story; all readers will be stirred by this wrenching yet uplifting musing. Hand this one to readers who are ready to move past Raina Telgemeier's work and take a step closer to Lucy Knisley's memoirs.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst Public Library, IL - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 *Starred Review* Feder celebrates and mourns her beloved mother in this pitch-perfect memoir of love, grief, and healing. Told with deep honesty and not a whiff of self-pity, Feder recalls the diagnosis, swift decline, and death of her mother, Rhonda, from an aggressive cancer, and the devastation she—as a sophomore in college—and her family experienced following that loss. Much of the story focuses on the “new normal” of living with grief and how that affects every part of your day, how “dead mom” feels like an invisible, heavy load that is carried everywhere. What is evident on the pages is how deeply Feder loved and now misses her mother. Rhonda was beautiful, goofy, and loving, but she isn’t depicted as a faultless saint, and her annoying quirks are all the more poignant for it. The deeply honest mix of emotions is equally evident in Feder’s illustrations. The simple cartoon figures, despite minimal detail, are highly expressive, and a soft color palette, abundant with pale pinks, keeps the tone light even when things get dark. Grief can be crushing, but this heartfelt memoir will comfort those who have known it and gently show those who haven’t how to help and what to expect. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 *Starred Review* Feder celebrates and mourns her beloved mother in this pitch-perfect memoir of love, grief, and healing. Told with deep honesty and not a whiff of self-pity, Feder recalls the diagnosis, swift decline, and death of her mother, Rhonda, from an aggressive cancer, and the devastation she—as a sophomore in college—and her family experienced following that loss. Much of the story focuses on the “new normal” of living with grief and how that affects every part of your day, how “dead mom” feels like an invisible, heavy load that is carried everywhere. What is evident on the pages is how deeply Feder loved and now misses her mother. Rhonda was beautiful, goofy, and loving, but she isn’t depicted as a faultless saint, and her annoying quirks are all the more poignant for it. The deeply honest mix of emotions is equally evident in Feder’s illustrations. The simple cartoon figures, despite minimal detail, are highly expressive, and a soft color palette, abundant with pale pinks, keeps the tone light even when things get dark. Grief can be crushing, but this heartfelt memoir will comfort those who have known it and gently show those who haven’t how to help and what to expect. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.