Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 01/01/2023 *Starred Review* Momo has long known that she’s different. After all, nobody else sees the things she and her mother can—something her teachers attribute to an “overactive imagination” and a childhood listening to her mother’s stories of the kami and other fantastical beings from Japan. This has led to Momo being labeled least popular in seventh grade, which makes her yearn to be “normal” and thus reject her mother's stories about the gods. It’s hard enough dealing with her father’s death and mother’s grief without having to be reminded that she doesn’t fit in. This is all upended when a visit from a magical fox, her ex–best friend, and a death hag proves not only that everything her mother taught her is true, but that her mother’s life—and the fate of the world—are in Momo’s hands. Sugiura’s wonderful series starter is a page-turning, emotion-packed adventure that draws on Japanese-inspired folklore to explore themes of family, friendship, and identity. Though fairly light and humorous in tone, this book deals with loneliness, the emotional strain of a child acting as caregiver to a parent, and the bravery needed to be who you really are. Highly recommended for fans of the Aru Shah books and Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend (2022). - Copyright 2023 Booklist.