Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2017 Gr 4–6—With his mother in the hospital, his father unemployed, the mortgage overdue, and utilities shut off, 13-year-old Max Tilt needs help, but he never expects that his salvation might come from his great-great-great-grandfather Jules Verne. Searching for garage sale items, he and his cousin Alex Verne find a strange chest in the attic; the clues inside it lead them to the unpublished chapters of Verne's memoir, The Lost Treasures, and to the path that Verne followed in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But Alex and Max are not alone in their quest for the lost treasure—evil tycoon Spencer Niemand has made it his life's goal to claim it and build an underwater civilization, his own refuge for a dying planet. Together this unlikely team venture to a lost underwater city, cross treacherous frozen mountains, battle giant squid, navigate vicious whirlpools, and brave deadly cold on a quest that may follow the passage of the real, not fictional, Nautilus. Lerangis brings Jules Verne to life for a new generation, and instantly pulls readers in with enticing clues, fast-paced action, and intriguing characters. Max is a likeable hero; he is clever, brave, and ready to risk it all for his family. He has been labeled as "on the spectrum;" his emotions trigger associative smells, he loves facts, and sometimes has trouble relating to people. VERDICT Readers will be hooked by the high-octane adventure and charmed by the well-developed characters. Fans of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter will eagerly await Max Tilt's next adventure.—MaryAnn Karre, Vestal, NY - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2017 When Max’s mom gets sick, his parents leave him in the charge of his older cousin, Alex. The two quickly realize that their situation is pretty dire and they need to get some money fast. The pair stumbles across an old chest hiding an unfinished, unpublished manuscript from Max’s great-great-great-grandfather Jules Verne. Verne describes the same path he took in his famous novel Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea and promises a great treasure awaits. Max and Alex decide to undertake this incredible journey and come across giant squid, an underwater city, and a descendant of Captain Nemo, trying to take the treasure for himself. Max is an engaging hero who is on the spectrum, and he has the unique ability to sense different emotions based on the smells they trigger. With an action-filled plot that moves at a breakneck pace and each chapter ending on a cliff-hanger, this series starter may have young readers reaching for the Verne classic that inspired this adventure, while waiting for more from Max and Alex. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.