Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/15/2017 American astronaut Kelly shares this picture-book overview of his life simultaneously with the adult memoir Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery. Here he tells about growing up a poor student with his quarreling parents and his twin brother (now also an astronaut), and how, after being inspired by a book, he chose to spend time in the navy, on space shuttles, and his recent year aboard the International Space Station—“the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” The first-person voice is accessible, enthusiastic, and encouraging, if sometimes pat, and the short sentences are set upon colorful full-bleed illustrations by Brazilian artist Ceolin, often accompanied by color photographs from the real-life experiences. While there are some unnecessary gaps of helpful information, and the opportunity for captions, back matter, and further exploration has been lost in space, Kelly’s story is an inspiration for adventure, fodder for space fascination, and a call to work hard and follow one’s dreams. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 10/01/2017 K-Gr 2—Astronaut Kelly recalls the early experiences that led up to his joyful return to Earth in March 2016,after spending nearly a year in space. This picture book biography introduces the wiggly, unfocused student who, with his twin brother Mark, enjoyed risk-taking adventure and learned to stay calm in the face of parental storms. It was Tom Wolfe's biography of the Mercury Seven, The Right Stuff that inspired Kelly to become an astronaut. Both brothers joined NASA in 1996 and flew into space four times—separately, "in case something went wrong." Kelly's long sojourn in the International Space Station (ISS) offered a unique scientific opportunity because Mark remained on Earth as a comparison. The first-person narrative is immediate and relatively simple. It opens with the astronaut entering the tiny space ship that will take him back to Earth, flashes back through childhood and training, and ends with a happy splash in his home swimming pool. Photographs from the Kellys' childhood as well as Scott's time in the ISS are reproduced on appropriate backgrounds. Their realism makes an interesting contrast with Ceolin's smooth digital illustrations and almost featureless figures. Timed to appear alongside his adult memoir, Endurance: A Year in Space this story of his preparation and his experience has well-chosen details and just the right amount of information for his intended audience. VERDICT Pair with Carmella van Vleet's To the Stars!: The First American Woman To Walk in Space to inspire a new generation of space travelers.—Kathleen Isaacs, Children's Literature Specialist, Pasadena, MD - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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