Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 11/01/2016 Holes meets Lord of the Flies in this fast-paced novel set in a reform school on a creepy island. Jonathan Grisby has been sentenced to 10 weeks at Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys. Jonathan, haunted by the tragic circumstances that condemned him to the school, is prepared to serve his time. When a freak accident eliminates (deservedly) the entire staff of adults, the boys turn their prison into a playhouse, though it soon becomes evident that one sort of authoritarian rule has been exchanged for another. The book incorporates the atmospheric hallmarks of an island-bound suspense tale: a crumbling fortress, dank passages, giant rats, and a dark and stormy night. Jonathan is a brave young man capable of leading the boys through this extraordinary situation—if only he was not so incapacitated by his grief and guilt. Told with pathos and compassion, this rises above the label of survival story and examines the way truth and redemption are interconnected in one troubled boy’s life. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2016 Gr 5–8—Gemeinhart gives readers a poignant, action-packed story with references to classics Robinson Crusoe and Lord of the Flies. Jonathan Grisby is the newest kid to be sent to the remote island fortress Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys. Run by the Admiral and a small group of surly men, Slabhenge reforms boys through hard work, squalid living conditions, and the constant threat of bodily punishment via a torture device known as the Sinner's Sorrow. When a freak lightning strike kills all adults on the island just a day after Jonathan arrives, he convinces the other boys to stay, free from adult interference. They call themselves the Scars, unable to be picked off and thrown away like the scabs of society. When tough guy Sebastian declares himself the leader and becomes a punitive dictator, Jonathan and the other boys who oppose Sebastian find themselves in danger. A storm threatens to sink the island, and Jonathan must confront his troubled past and become the leader the Scars need to survive. Gemeinhart creates a compulsively readable story with enough teasers to keep the mystery alive until the very end. The plot is not too dark and is suitable for middle graders as well as for young teens. The bond between Jonathan and Colin, another boy on the island, is the shining star of the novel, showcasing empathy and demonstrating Gemeinhart's emotional range. This is an unflinching salute to friendship and redemption. VERDICT A heartfelt tale, recommended for most middle grade collections.—Jessica Holland, University of Kentucky, Lexington - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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