Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 05/01/2016 Gr 3–6—As Sam and his dad are watching the night sky, Sam sees a shooting star and decides to wish for a million wishes. The next day, he realizes that once he says a wish out loud it comes true—he wants a day off from school, then school is cancelled. Using his wishes, Sam attacks the school bully, becomes a superhero, fixes his sister's boyfriend troubles, gets his dad a promotion, and even cures his best friend's terminally ill dad. Some of the violence is over-the-top; Sam literally smashes the bully, drops his sister from 60 feet above the ground, and sends his best friend off with a bird of prey. He has to repair the damage to their bodies with more wishes. Near the end, Sam realizes that the only wishes that bring him satisfaction are the ones that help other people, but even that falls short when he asks to end human death. The theme of the story is thought provoking, but Sam's moral dilemma about how to use up so many wishes is addressed only in a few short pages at the end. Readers are not given enough time to watch Sam learn from his mistakes. - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 08/01/2016 Sam is an 11-year old with a problem. When he wishes on a falling star, he never expects his wish for 1 million more wishes to come true. The talking meteor that grants said wishes may strike readers as odd, but Robshaw posits it as a being beyond comprehension that only appears to be a walking, talking rock. Unsurprisingly, lucky Sam’s wishes quickly begin to backfire, and the unintended consequences keep him and his pal Evan (whose chubbiness is problematically mocked until Sam realizes Evan’s been comfort-eating because of his sick dad) busy with the resulting problems. There are some unrealistically easy answers to serious problems (Evan’s dad is cured by a wish), but Robshaw also explores how some of the difficult things in life, including death, are necessary. Sam is an ordinary kid, not especially thoughtful, and it’s this average-Joe quality that makes him a relatable protagonist. The subject matter, as well as the large print, make this ideal for light summer reading. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

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