Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 01/10/2025 Gr 3–7—With bite-size chapters and engaging prose, this book makes a complex historical event readable and inspiring. It starts with background information about the history of flight itself, the gradual development of space exploration, and the 1960s space race pioneered by the U.S. and the Soviet Union, providing a solid foundation for understanding the stakes of the ill-fated Apollo 13 moon mission that was launched on April 11, 1970. The narrative takes off when an onboard explosion turns what was meant to be a triumphant moon landing into a desperate fight for survival. Jack Swigert's understated "Houston, we've had a problem" becomes the rallying cry for a story about overcoming impossible odds. The book emphasizes themes of teamwork and determination by highlighting how the astronauts and NASA engineers worked together to solve complex challenges. It accentuates the collective effort of astronauts, engineers, and ground control staff in overcoming odds. The story's heart lies in its themes of teamwork and ingenuity, showing how creativity and preparation can triumph over adversity. Black-and-white illustrations support the text. Some of the images are diagrams explaining the spacecraft's systems, while others depict key moments of the astronauts' ordeal. VERDICT A fascinating and informative read that celebrates the courage and collaboration behind one of NASA's most remarkable achievements, this will captivate readers of all interests and abilities.—Lynne Stover - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2025 This high/low entry in the Everyone Can Be a Reader series recounts the triumphant true story of the Apollo 13 space mission. Long provides a brief history of flight, including the 1969 moon landing. Apollo 13, NASA’s third space mission, should have been uneventful but wasn’t, after an explosion ripped apart one oxygen tank and badly damaged another. The crew could not complete their moon landing, and Long explains how NASA engineers and technicians had to quickly figure out how to fly the astronauts around the moon and back to Earth instead. The solution they devised to reduce the buildup of carbon dioxide in the astronauts’ module using ordinary materials astronauts had on board, such as tape and socks, was ingenious. Between the NASA engineers’ ability to solve the problem and the astronauts’ bravery, the mission was a success because they survived, even if they didn’t make it to the moon. This engagingly written story, accompanied by Tambellini’s illustrations and fascinating facts about flight, has dyslexia-friendly fonts on tan-tinted pages, helpful for struggling readers. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.