Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2023 Gr 3–5—In beloved author Graff's latest effort, McKinley O'Dair has created the perfect 1990s outfit for the annual Time Hop, and she cannot wait to walk in the fashion show with her best friend, Meg. When her rigid father humiliates her at the event, and she has a terrible fight with Meg, McKinley suddenly finds herself transported back in time to 1993. With help from Meg's mom—then, a middle schooler herself—McKinley searches for a way back, all while learning what supportive friendship can look like. This is well-worn ground for Graff, who favors protagonists on the path to bettering themselves. The story is at its most effective when exploring the nuances of relationship dynamics, particularly between McKinley and the kid version of her dad, an endlessly frustrating prankster who has little interest in her efforts to be kind, forcing her to confront truths about herself and the father she knows now. Graff makes sure to nod to time travel predecessors such as Madeleine L'Engle and H.G. Wells, and immerses readers in everything 1990s, from the cultural references to the chapter titles, each of which is a hit song from the era. VERDICT Fans of Graff will surely gravitate towards this approachable middle grade story with a splash of sci-fi to spice things up.—Alexandra Quay - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 07/23/2023 Playing on the theme that the hardest person to see is the one in the mirror, Graff sends bossy 12-year-old McKinley O’Dair 25 years back in time to meet younger versions of the grownups in her life and, she logically concludes, to do something to steer future events. But what? Though her science teacher is as hostile in 1993 as 2018 and, heartbreakingly, her warm and loving grandmother hasn’t had her massive stroke yet, several shocks await—notably, discoveries that her future single dad is an angry punk with an undiagnosed learning disability and that her best friend’s wise and bighearted future mom is a nasty bully. While folding in funny touches, quaint detail, and wrenching family drama, the author expertly opens up her characters, allowing readers to understand how we are all works in progress. Even McKinley, by the time she finally snaps back to her era, has a clearer vision of her own manipulative tendencies and a sincere resolution to accept others for who they are. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.