Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/15/2020 The summer Bruno Ben-Eli’s brother is in Europe fighting in WWII, the Sweet family comes to Belle Beach, Long Island, and rents the cottage next door to the Ben-Elis. The story begins early on the morning of August 31, as the Sweet sisters—Julie, 12, and Martha, 6—take a cake to the dedication of the new children’s library. Their mission is interrupted when they find a baby in a basket on the library steps—and Julie takes the baby! Meanwhile, Bruno’s secret trip into New York City (at the behest of his brother) is also interrupted by this event. Hest’s unique narrative approach divides the book into sections that describe the incidents of August 31 and then go back to June 21, sequentially unfolding the summer’s events. Her protagonists, Julie, Martha, and Bruno, alternately narrate, relaying their individual perspectives. Hest adeptly brings everything back to August 31, solving the mystery of the baby in the process. This historical tale engagingly presents ordinary life, while acknowledging the toll war can take on a community. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2020 Gr 3–6—Told in three voices, this is a quick-paced story about a Long Island beach town, a mysterious baby, the sorrows of war, and the strength of unwavering hope. Eleven-year-old Julie and six-year-old Martha Sweet are on their way to attend the dedication of the new Belle Beach library when they discover a baby on the steps. In their haste to save the day, they don't notice an envelope drop to the ground; but their neighbor, Bruno Ben-Eli, does. Bruno has bigger concerns, however. Having received a secret letter from his brother overseas, Bruno is on his way to run an important errand in New York City. But now that he's a witness, he can't let Julie kidnap a baby! What unfolds is a jumbled time line of events told by all three children. Each chapter brings new insight, and more intrigue. Will the library's opening be a success? Will they hear news from Bruno's brother? Will Julie and Bruno become friends? And most importantly: Who is the baby in the basket? With expert character development and clever narration from three distinct perspectives, Hest seamlessly immerses her readers into the hopes and fears of war-time America. It's a simple premise: A baby found alone in a basket. Yet the complicated layering of events makes for a truly engaging and heartwarming story of steadfastness and solidarity. VERDICT Young readers will be drawn in by the mystery, stay for the characters, and sigh contentedly when the story draws to a close.—Rebecca Redinger, Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago P.L. - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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