Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2019 Gr 3–7—Eleanor's grandfather is a "prepper," a person who takes preparing for disasters to a new level. She doesn't enjoy participating in her grandfather's emergency drills as much as she once did—that is, until she comes across a website run by a former Harvard professor that forecasts a devastating asteroid collision that will cause The End of the World As We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) in just a few months. Her grandfather's influence makes it easy for Elle to become obsessed with preparing for the impact despite her father's objections. Her mother died several years ago, so she can't talk to her about it. It's hard to tell if her best friend Mack believes her, but he goes along with her plans. Elle starts a club at school and writes a newsletter to teach fellow students survival skills. They drink toilet water through a filtration straw, pack Bug-Out Bags, and learn about edible plants, but when even Mack and new friend Londyn don't take her warnings seriously enough, Elle ratchets up her efforts and lands in big trouble. The author does a good job of matching the pace of the writing to Elle's state of mind; the more frantic and anxious Elle gets, the more quickly the action moves. It eventually becomes clear that each member of Elle's covertly named "Nature Club" has a reason for wanting the world to end. Readers will be eager to see if TEOTWAWKI comes true (spoiler: it doesn't) and how Eleanor handles returning to school after her alarming predictions fail to come true. VERDICT A fast-paced story that deals with grief, loss, and mental health through the lens of middle school catastrophe. Recommended.—Julie Overpeck, Holbrook Middle School, Lowell, NC - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 10/15/2019 When Eleanor stumbles upon a website predicting that next year an asteroid will bring about “TEOTWAWKI” (the end of the world as we know it), she buys in. After all, the site’s author is an ex-Harvard astrophysicist, and Eleanor’s grandfather is a survivalist who jumps at the chance to prepare for an apocalypse. With the help of her best friend, Mack—a sensitively depicted blind boy—Eleanor spreads the word, but as the day draws near, she is faced with the growing possibility of Mack transferring to a specialized school. She clings to her belief in the pending disaster, even as others try reasoning with her. Whether or not the asteroid strikes, her world will never be the same, and the suspense will keep readers flipping pages. McAnulty (The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, 2018) returns with another STEM-themed tale, balancing scientific ideas with middle-school drama. It’s a well-paced, engrossing plot with endearing characters, though sympathy for Eleanor may ultimately hinge, for better or worse, on her competence in regard to the coming end. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.