Bound To Stay Bound

View MARC Record
 

Full Text Reviews:

School Library Journal - 06/01/2014 Gr 3–6—In the last week before his family leaves Oman for a three-year stint in Michigan, Aref has a hard time saying good-bye to his beloved home, particularly his grandfather, Sidi. Readers are never told Aref's exact age; he is clearly articulate, yet excerpts from his notebook show his writing has not transitioned to cursive. Friends come to say goodbye; the suitcase must be packed; and Sidi takes Aref for an overnight camping trip, fishing on the Indian Ocean and memorably, to visit a nesting ground for many kinds of turtles. The language is fresh and lyrical at times, with vivid descriptions of daily life and Aref's obvious anxiety about leaving. Not much happens in the way of plot, but the excellence of the portrayal of the setting and the emotional state of a young boy subject to the loving whims of his parents are vividly captured. "When you drove out in the country, you felt closer to the earth than you felt in the city. You had better thoughts in the country. Your thoughts made falcon moves, dipping and rippling, swooping back into your brain to land." The omniscient narration thus brings a larger context than Aref alone could share. Simply told, yet richly rewarding.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2014 Every day, children around the world leave all they know and love for an uncertain future. Fortunate families relocate by choice for better education or employment opportunities. Aref Al-Amri is a sensitive child whose father has left Muscat, Oman, one week ahead of Aref and his mother. They will reunite in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Aref’s parents will study for three years before returning to Muscat. Nye’s novel is a poignant, gentle chronicle of Aref’s last week in Oman, during which he spends many magical moments with his grandfather Sidi. Aref enjoys writing lists of serious topics, such as stones, turtles, falcons, and other subjects considered on expeditions to the desert and fishing in the waters off Muscat. Aref and Sidi’s adventures are a testament to the family’s motto of discovering something new every day, and Nye’s image of turtles who carried their homes on their backs and swam out so far and returned safely to the beach they remembered will deeply touch young readers who have also moved between countries—and it might enlighten their new friends. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

View MARC Record
Loading...



  • Copyright © Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy