Bound To Stay Bound

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Bulletin for the Center... - 02/01/2012 Ten-year-old Jake lives on his family’s farm with his parents, his brother, his sister, and his eighty-eight-year-old grandfather, Billy. When a dog shows up one day, Billy names her Lucy and announces that she will be staying; man and dog are inseparable until Billy gets bronchitis and has to be hospitalized. Prior to his illness, he and Jake had planned to build a sod house, like the one in which Billy was raised, so Jake gets his family members together to build it as a surprise for Billy while he is away. The surprise turns out to be Jake’s in the end; while he built the house so Billy could get well and be happy, what he ended up doing was giving Billy “the place he wanted so he could leave,” as Billy dies peacefully in his sod house a few days later. This slim novel is both quiet and profound; there is nothing overstated, nothing shocking, just the simply told tale of an affectionate, loving relationship between a boy and his grandfather with the added bonus of a solid dog storyline. The possibility of Billy’s death is suggested early on, particularly as Jake frequently tells himself that “Billy is going to live forever,” and the progress of the illness storyline is organic, as is Jake’s growing acceptance of the inevitability of Billy’s eventual passing. The quiet rhythms of the story and the gentle banter of the dialogue make this an ideal group readaloud, but plenty of young readers will simply find it the perfect book to curl up with on their own. HM - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 01/01/2012 Jake enjoys his daily walk around the family farm with Billy, his grandfather and “kindred soul.” As they stop by the mud-and-prairie-grass remnants of the soddy where Billy was born, he often remarks, “I loved that sod house.” One day he says, “I miss that sod house,” and finally, after Jake asks an idle question about cutting sod for bricks, Billy declares, “You can build me a sod house.” When Billy falls ill and is hospitalized, Jake overcomes his strong reluctance to build a soddy. His family pitches in and readies the little building for Billy’s return. The more Jake remarks that 88-year-old Billy “will live forever,” the more astute readers can be that the end is near. Printed in large type with wide-spaced lines, the first-person story, with its short sentences and nuanced observations, focuses primarily on Billy’s preparations for death, as told from Jake’s point of view. Though its subject may limit its appeal, MacLachlan writes with clarity of purpose. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2012 Gr 3–5—Ten-year-old Jake lives on a farm with his parents, siblings, and grandfather, Billy. The special bond between Jake and Billy causes the boy to believe that his grandfather will live forever. When Billy expresses an interest in seeing his old sod childhood home rebuilt, Jake is confused and reticent to learn how to help with the one thing his grandfather seems to want most. Yet when Billy becomes ill and must be hospitalized, the family members decide to fulfill his request and surprise him when he comes home. MacLachlan gracefully eases readers into the inevitability of life's natural cycles. She includes a mysterious "angel dog" (a stray) arriving on the scene and immediately latching on to Billy, seemingly sensing his coming death. In typical MacLachlan fashion, the strength of family is the springboard from which the plot takes form. Whether this book is used as bibliotherapy, as a read-aloud in the classroom, or for pure reader enjoyment, it will be a welcome addition to any collection.—D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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