Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/01/2016 Gr 5–8—Kerr's latest delivers on the promise of its title. Young Billy Shivers hasn't been the same since being involved in a devastating car accident, and during his recuperation, he frequents the Hitchcock Public Library, discovering a love of books, particularly ghost stories. When he stumbles upon the Haunted House of Books, he quickly becomes a fixture at the spooky spot, which is part bookshop and part booby trap. Crotchety Mr. Rapscallion, the owner, has turned an old mansion into a series of rooms, each more terrifying than the prior, with subterranean libraries, shaky spiral staircases, and things that go bump in the night. Within its walls, Billy finds courage; befriends Mr. Rapscallion's estranged daughter, Redford; and meets a multitude of quirky shopgoers. Child psychologist Elizabeth Wollstonecraft-Godwin professes to possess the scariest book ever written, and when she approaches Rapscallion with the experiment to see if any children can survive hearing the tale without being terrified, an unusual contest is born. Hoping to revive his financially failing bookshop, Rapscallion offers five youths, including Billy, the chance to win $1,000. A wannabe teenage ghost hunter and a band of mischievous troublemakers round out the cast of characters in this immensely hair-raising, ghostly tale with surprising twists and turns. VERDICT Not for the faint of heart, oscillating between spooky and mysterious, this will appeal to readers looking for a fright.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 09/01/2016 Billy needs a place to hang out, and he chooses the Haunted House of Books, a mysterious bookstore run by a magician. Rexford, the owner, is a bit of a handful with his bitter diatribes against teens and nonreaders, but he welcomes Billy, offering him a place to read, socialize with other customers, and eventually enter a contest with a substantial cash prize if he can outlast other kids who are hearing the scariest story ever. There’s a touch of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as five kids are chosen randomly after they purchase a book, there is an event headed by the roguish Rexford (subbing in for Wonka), and there are even long, rhyming poems/songs about the woeful state of the world with nonreaders and bad kids increasing in number. Interwoven into the core novel are a few horror stories that offer additional chills; there are also references to historical horror authors that readers may not recognize but that could lead them to terrific further reading. It’s not much of a surprise by the time readers get to the reveal that Billy isn’t a normal kid, but it doesn’t really matter anyway: this novel about Rexford and Billy each finding a renewed sense of home and connection is memorable, regardless of their corporeal states. The teasing side humor about books and the effective creepiness of the ghostly setting and added-in stories all come together to make a rich, layered novel. AS - Copyright 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 08/01/2016 The Haunted House of Books not only contains a comprehensive collection of books about scary things; it’s also a wonderland of “atmosfear,” thanks to proprietor Mr. Rapscallion’s penchant for incorporating sneaky pranks, like candles that wink out on their own or a mummy that slowly lurches from its casket. For 12-year-old Billy Shivers, it’s a dream come true, and even though Mr. Rapscallion is reluctant to have the boy around, eventually Billy is at the shop every day, listening to the crotchety owner’s ghost stories and screeds about how modern kids don’t appreciate good scares anymore, as well as helping to plan a Willy Wonka–style challenge involving a particularly terrifying tale. Kerr riddles his novel with references to classic horror stories and tropes, and he periodically interrupts the action to include the creepy stories Billy reads. Occasionally, the novel is more about Mr. Rapscallion than Billy, who’s fairly one dimensional (though—no spoilers—there’s a good reason). With an eerie atmosphere and enough jokes to lighten the mood, this will satisfy burgeoning horror aficionados. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

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