Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2012 Gr 4–7—Katerina's father's dreams of a better life brought the family of five from Bohemia to America, but now, in the spring of 1901, instead of the prosperous farm he envisioned, they are in a coal-mining camp in southern Colorado, and his wages are barely enough to eke out a living. Katerina, 13, is a pragmatist like her mother, but when she sees a carp in the creek, she is reminded of the folktale her grandmother told her in which a fish granted an old couple three wishes. Their neighbor, Old Jan, retells the story that evening, and when her younger sisters make silly wishes, Katerina is amazed to see them come true. Not fully believing in the carp's magic, Katerina is still determined not to waste the final wish on something frivolous. She finds herself working harder and coming up with creative ways to add a few extra coins to the family's tobacco can. As the savings slowly grow, the idea of a farm does not seem so far-fetched. Complicating matters is Old Jan's son, who has begun courting Katerina, and she is drawn to him, but she cannot reconcile herself to a future in the mining camp. Even after a terrible accident leaves him injured and many of the miners dead, he is hesitant to venture away from the work he has known. Katerina comes to realize that although life is not a fairy tale with magic fish, believing and persevering can make dreams come true. Similar in subject matter to Susan Campbell Bartoletti's A Coal Miner's Bride (Scholastic, 2000), this is solid historical fiction with a touch of whimsy and romance.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2012 *Starred Review* In 1900, Katerina’s family left Bohemia for America in hopes of owning a farm. Instead, Papa works in a Colorado coal mine, while 13-year-old Katerina and her sisters help Mama mind the house and do laundry for other miners. Initially prone to daydreaming and wishing, Katerina decides to work hard and earn a path out of the mining camp for her family. When her plans backfire, all seems lost, but she and her family are as resilient as their friends are supportive. One of those friends is Mark, and throughout the story her attachment to him slowly grows, though his insistence on mining, despite a life-threatening accident, causes a rift. This vividly imagined first-person narrative features a number of distinct characters within an unusual historical setting. Neighbors within the camp are divided into national groups by suspicion and prejudice as well as cultural and language differences, an issue handled with sensitivity. From the search for chicken coop materials to the gathering of women waiting for news after a mining disaster, realistic details bring the story to life. The inclusion of European folktales within the narrative frames individual dilemmas within a broader context, and a note on the Colorado coal camps and the author’s research adds dimension to this multi-dimensional first novel. - Copyright 2012 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 10/01/2012 Thirteen-year-old Katerina and her family came to America full of dreams, hoping to own their own farm. Instead, however, Katerina’s father labors in a Colorado mine, the corrupt practices of early twentieth century minework putting him increasingly in debt to the company store. When Katerina discovers giant carp inhabiting a quiet pool in the nearby river, she remembers a folktale from her youth in which a magic fish grants three wishes. After two wishes that her sisters jokingly make come true, Trina secretly returns to the pond and makes a third wish for a farm. A burgeoning romance with Marek, the neighbor boy, and Katrina’s resourceful business purchasing and delivering goods for residents of the mining town add further interest to this carefully researched and crafted historical novel about a young woman caught between a dream and reality. Folktales from her Bohemian home country are woven seamlessly into the narrative, mostly shared by Old Jan, Marek’s father, who visits the family every evening and, along with his sons, shares many of the family’s trials. The setting is thoughtfully presented, and the book presents the challenges faced by the mining town with authentic emotion. Trina is an appealing character and narrator, who wants desperately to believe that all will end happily for her family but who has lost some of her hope in light of their circumstances. As for the carp, in the end Trina realizes that “the magic was in the believing and not the other way around,” and she faces the future with a new sense of empowerment that is certain to serve her well. The open-ended conclusion to the romance thread may disappoint some readers, but they’ll be glad that overall things look promising for the Prochazkovas in the end. An author’s note about the relevant history is included. HM - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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