Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 11/18/2024 After their father’s death from cancer, 12-year-old Korean American twins Phoebe and Dex Bae notice their "twintuition" has begun to deteriorate. Their alternating first-person narration reveals how, following the tragedy, their individual methods of handling grief results in distance and friction, not only between the siblings but between them and their mother as well: Mom focuses on her acupuncture business, ice skater Phoebe throws her all into training with her partner Pete-who is Black-for an upcoming competition, and ice hockey goalie Dex finds solace in defending his post (and pulling pranks). When Pete sustains a season-ending injury and Dex is cut from his team, the twins’ mother contrives for them to stay on the ice by figure skating together. As Phoebe navigates friendship breakups and a first crush and Dex mentors budding young ice skaters, the twins learn how to move on after loss and find their way back to each other. Varying depictions of coping with grief add tender nuance to this absorbing sports-lite tale by Kim (Make a Move, Sunny Park), who complements the novel’s uplifting tone with a tidy resolution. Ages 9-12. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Agency. (Feb.) - Copyright 2024

School Library Journal - 01/01/2025 Gr 3–7—Told in alternating voices, Kim's tender novel captures life through the eyes of 12-year-old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dex, who are reeling from their father's devastating death from cancer. Now the twins and their mother hide their grief from one another and themselves. Perfectionist Phoebe uses figure skating and competition as an escape; but when her pairs partner is injured, her chances of advancing in the standings are gone. Her brother Dex escapes by playing video games and ice hockey. He's a standout player on his team, but the coach cuts him due to his attitude. Dex is livid and hurt and feels like a failure; he can't be "the man of the family" if he continues like this. With competitive skating out of the picture, the twins are at loose ends until their mother suggests the twins compete as pairs partners. Dex already knows how to skate. It should be easy, but hockey is very different from figure skating, and the twins' opposing personalities clash. Readers will be rooting for these siblings to repair their strained relationship on and off the ice. The tween banter is spot-on and believable, and readers are sure to empathize with the twins. This novel will be a hit for fans of of E.L. Shen's The Comeback and Gail Nall's Breaking the Ice. VERDICT A resonant novel about sports and sibling relationships in the face of grief; recommended for realistic fiction collections.—Pamela Thompson McLeod - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.