Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2018 Gr 2–4—Robert Goddard is a fairly unsung hero of science. Though he is widely acknowledged to be one of the founding fathers of rocketry, and though he filed 214 patented inventions related to rocketry, he found little support for his work during his lifetime, and he is not well known outside scientific circles. This modest picture book begins to correct that. A biography, the book chronicles Goddard's development from infancy through an awakening of interest in rockets, past many failures, and on to success. The narrative's strength is its focus on Goddard's insatiable curiosity, his determination, and the way in which his failures fed his eventual success in developing rockets. Funck's illustrations underscore the importance of Goddard's work, invoking a legendary feel. While the writing is clunky at times, and the author missed some opportunities (Goddard found inspiration while trimming the limbs of a cherry tree; he gained insights from watching birds), this simple account offers a reliable, child-friendly introduction to rocket science. VERDICT An inspiring true story punctuated with explosions that should be popular in most school libraries.—Sheri Reda, Wilmette Public Library, IL - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2018 This picture-book biography addresses Robert Goddard, born in 1882 and a self-taught scientist and early experimenter in rocketry. Telling details from his early life are used to predict his later achievements. His parents considered him too ill to attend school, but, wanting him to receive some kind of an education, gave him a boxful of science equipment and a subscription to Scientific American. He used materials at hand—including the oxygen tank he needed to assist his breathing—to literally fuel his earliest experiments. The text is straightforward and sequential, and is aptly complemented by the gouache-and-acrylic artwork. Without word clues, the illustrations show Goddard progressing from young boy to lanky teenager to mustachioed adult. The final pages list technological achievements directly influenced by Goddard’s research: space shuttles, moon walks, torpedoes, bazookas, and even the Swissmetro (airless tunnels). A works cited page makes this useful for early research projects. This is an engaging and accessible contribution to the STEM-related biography canon. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.