Bound To Stay Bound

View MARC Record
 How to disappear completely
 Author: Standish, Ali

 Publisher:  Harper (2020)

 Classification: Fiction
 Physical Description: 373 p.,  21 cm

 BTSB No: 843612 ISBN: 9780062893284
 Ages: 8-12 Grades: 3-7

 Subjects:
 Grief -- Fiction
 Family life -- Fiction
 Vitiligo -- Fiction
 African Americans -- Fiction
 Bullies -- Fiction
 Friendship -- Fiction

Price: $21.88

Summary:
When her beloved Gram dies, Emma feels completely lost. And then strange white spots are appearing on Emma's skin and she is diagnosed with vitiligo. Then someone mysteriously begins writing back to her in a secret journal that only she and her Gram used to share.

Accelerated Reader Information:
   Interest Level: MG
   Reading Level: 4.80
   Points: 11.0   Quiz: 508341

Reviews:
   Kirkus Reviews (01/01/20)
   School Library Journal (04/01/20)
   Booklist (+) (11/15/19)

Full Text Reviews:

Booklist - 11/15/2019 *Starred Review* When Emma discovers the first spot, “like a tiny bright moon” on her left foot, she’s sitting in church at the funeral of her grandmother, who had been her best friend as well. Soon other pale areas appear on Emma's face and hands. The diagnosis is vitiligo, a skin condition triggered by stress. When a classmate spreads a rumor that Emma has a highly contagious skin disease, she becomes a pariah, but Fina, a new friend, helps her through that painful period. Mysteriously, someone is continuing Gram’s tradition of leaving original enchanted-woodland fantasy narratives for Emma to continue writing. While trying to discover the person’s identity, she and Fina uncover surprising secrets from Gram’s past. In addition to creating a large, multigenerational cast of three-dimensional characters, Standish knits reality and imagination together seamlessly into an absorbing story of loss, identity, and human connections. Though Emma withdraws during her worst days, she reemerges as a stronger person who is capable of reaching out to others who are in pain. The fantasy narratives, written partly by Emma and partly by her mysterious “pen pal,” become a distinguishing feature of the book, separate from the main story, yet integral to it. A rewarding realistic novel, illuminated by magical elements. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 Gr 4–6—A successful blend of mystery and friendship drama whose heroine is learning to embrace her diagnosis of vitiligo. Emma begins seventh grade with a lot on her mind: Her family has moved to a small town, her beloved grandmother has died, and she just found a white spot on the light brown skin of her foot. Within a few weeks, more color disappears from her skin, and the alpha mean girl in class adds Emma's changed appearance to the list of things she taunts her about. Fortunately, the protagonist has allies in a new friend from Los Angeles, an understanding teacher, and her own originally unsympathetic mother. Woven throughout Emma's first-person narrative are excerpts from her favorite (fictional) book, The World at the End of the Tunnel, as well as notebook entries where she co-writes a magical tale with an unknown correspondent. These interjections, plus a complicated plot involving old friendships and hidden family history, slow the pace a bit; but the thoughtful protagonist and her journey to self-acceptance make for an appealing read. An estimated one percent of people worldwide have vitiligo, and accurate information within the text will leave readers better informed about this common condition. VERDICT This gentle, contemporary title is sure to strike a chord with older tweens.—Beth Wright Redford, Park Elementary School Library, Cross Plains, WI - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

View MARC Record
Loading...