Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/15/2011 It’s two years into the Civil War, and things are starting to look grim in Tommy’s Confederate hometown in Georgia. When a one-armed soldier named Red arrives at the local hospital, Tommy’s faith in his community’s cause get tested. He befriends the thoughtful man, who seems unusually interested in the slave Henry, and grows suspicious over a few of Red’s remarks about making the nation whole as well as his misfitting Confederate uniform. When Tommy learns the real reason Red is there, he ponders what to do: turn Red in as an enemy soldier or heed a Bible passage Henry quotes him “to do justly, and to love mercy.” Not only does Tommy do the right thing but he boldly takes it upon himself to face danger and help Red and Henry escape. Sporadic full-page, black-and-white illustrations by Bates bring the characters, and especially Tommy’s pooch, Samson, to life. This quick and exciting chapter book isn’t shy about advancing a moral message but does so with a light touch, allowing Tommy to arrive naturally at his convictions. - Copyright 2011 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 06/01/2011 Gr 3–5—A boy and his dog find a wounded soldier's journal as the man is taken to a makeshift Confederate hospital at the First Presbyterian Church in Augusta, GA. When 10-year-old Tommy returns it to its owner, Redmon Porter, the two develop an unlikely relationship. Tommy finds Red likable yet mysterious, especially when he begins to read portions of his journal aloud, which include his poetry with lines like, "I only tell the stars above the longing of my soul/To fight till death in early morn/to make a nation whole." Red's clothes seem oversized, and his silence with everyone except a slave and Tommy is also confusing. Could he be a Yankee soldier or a spy? This adventure combines intrigue with soul-searching moments as Tommy weighs his options against the values of his Christian teachings by his father, the Reverend McKnight. The succinct and simply written narrative will appeal to reluctant and younger-grade readers while the full-page black-and-white pen-and-ink sketches provide the visual time and epoch setting of the story.—Rita Soltan, Youth Services Consultant, West Bloomfield, MI - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2011 Set in Augusta, Georgia, in 1863, this slim novel follows the friendship between nine-year-old Tommy and an injured soldier receiving treatment at the makeshift hospital across from Tommy’s home. In their first meeting, the soldier, Red, shares a poem with Tommy that suggests that Red’s loyalties may not be with the Confederacy; when Tommy confronts him, Red admits that he is a Union soldier and longs for nothing more than to get home to his wife and son in Ohio. Red asks Tommy to help him flee from the hospital before his secret is discovered, and Tommy assists Red in a covert nighttime escape. While the unlikely friendship between the two is explored with care, the story is full of contrivances, most notably the speed with which Tommy’s loyalties shift from staunchly supporting the South to willingly assisting an enemy soldier. The inclusion of a slave named Henry in the runaway scene adds some drama (he and Red are to travel north together) but also seems more programmatic than plausible. Still, the nighttime escape scene is wrought with adventure and danger, and the quick pace of the story may be just the ticket for adding some juice to a Civil War unit. The concept of mercy is also thoughtfully explored, as Tommy reflects on his decision to assist Red despite the many risks involved. An author’s note indicates that elements of the story are based on the life of President Woodrow Wilson, who spent his childhood in Augusta. Final illustrations not seen. HM - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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