Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/15/2026 Gr 4–6—Swaminathan makes her middle grade debut with this story of medical mysteries and friendship and clique struggles. Indian American Deepa missed her sixth-grade year due to leukemia, and now that she is in remission, she is wading through the waters of tween friend groups and her very protective parents. Her uncle is a doctor and is renowned for being able to solve medical mysteries for his house-call patients; when Deepa is struggling to fit in with peers, he offers her an opportunity to shine as his assistant. The portrayal of a tween desperately wanting to fit in and shrug off all markers of illness is the strength of this story, while much of the middle school social scene is written unrealistically and with reliance on stereotypes and tropes: completely interest-segregated social groups with labels, major importance and significance is placed on sports and homecoming, and universally used nicknames for all teachers. The medical mysteries are intriguing and offer a unique insight into illness, although one is overly convoluted. VERDICT This title may be nice to have on hand to offer to younger tweens struggling with illness or who are interested in the medical field.—Kate Olson - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 05/01/2026 Deepa is like any other 12-year-old girl eager to see her favorite pop star in concert, go to the homecoming dance, or partake in her favorite sport (volleyball), except Deepa is in remission from leukemia. After taking a year off of school for treatment, Deepa is excited to hang out with her best friend, Renée—only Renée has become one of the most popular girls in school, which has entirely changed their dynamic. With this plus Deepa’s concerned and restrictive parents, her outlet becomes helping her uncle Jai, a doctor with poor bedside manner, solve medical mysteries. When the mysteries start to involve Lola, Deepa’s nemesis at school, Deepa finds herself in a tangle of lies that only the harsh truth can unwind. Swaminathan’s voicey debut bursts with relatable characters, especially spunky Deepa, whom readers won’t forget. Additionally, Swaminathan does justice to a setting like Los Angeles, as her cast of characters is sweepingly diverse, and the particular touches of Hinduism for Deepa ground her story. An easy addition to any realistic-fiction collection. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.