Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2018 Gr 5–7—Soren Skaar, a sixth grader from Minnesota, is devastated when his best friend Alex moves away and his cousin Flynn from Brooklyn, NY, comes to live with him for the year. Soren and Alex had been prolific pranksters at Camelot Elementary School, and now Soren needs a new partner in crime. Flynn is very different from Soren; he drinks green tea, wears skinny jeans, and excels at just about everything. Life for Flynn on Soren's farm is very different than his life in Brooklyn, but he makes friends quickly and has a strong academic work ethic. Flynn is the voice of reason when Soren pulls a prank which ruins a plant-growing experiment in science class. Soren's prank-gone-wrong causes Flynn to lose the spelling bee, and they stop speaking to each other, except for when they're working on their science fair project together. The story has funny moments and a healthy amount of potty humor. Characters are formulaic and predictable, including the overly enthusiastic, stay-at-home dad Jon, and the aptly named toddler brother Ivan who constantly gets away with making messes. Younger sister Ruth tries desperately to be included with Soren and his friends. Characters are faced with opportunities to make good choices and learn about friendship, which is nicely interwoven with the humorous undertones of the book. VERDICT Give this to fans of the "Wimpy Kid" series who are looking for longer novels.—Selene Athas, Glenelg Country School, Ellicott City, MD - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2018 Soren Skaar’s sixth-grade year at Camelot Elementary isn’t going like he’d hoped: his best friend and prankster partner, Alex, has moved away; plus, his cousin, Flynn, has come to live with Soren’s family for the year. The boys are in the same grade but couldn’t be more different. Soren procrastinates and lives for high jinks, while Flynn’s a serious, no-nonsense student. Without Alex, it’s going to be a long year. Can Soren find a new partner in crime? In this humorous tale of friendship, family, and middle school, the conflict and jealousy Soren feels in his daily life become tempered by compromise and appreciation. He contends with loss, makes new friends, and learns to get along with Flynn. His parents support his antics (and cherish the memories of their own prankster tricks) but insist he realize that following rules and being a good student and family member are paramount. The plot moves from planning to executing prank after prank, with school and home activities filling the gaps. Abundant dialogue makes this a fast, engaging read. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

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