Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 08/01/2019 Vrabel returns to the middle-school setting of The Reckless Club (2018) (for which she shamelessly slips in a plug) for a tale of a bullied eighth-grader determined to exact revenge on her chief tormenters while reinventing herself after years of mortifying moments. In the course of a comedy that wavers between dark and light, Penelope—universally known as Pipi due to an incident in the fourth grade—discovers that success is achievable . . . so long as she’s willing to throw her friends, family, and self-respect under the bus. Pipi’s growing remorse does culminate in a climactic switch from obsessing over past mishaps to owning them and moving on, but her prior string of manipulative lies, pranks, and betrayals may lead readers to feel that the author lets her (as well as the mean girl and even meaner teacher at the top of her hit list) off too easily. Still, some set pieces are hilarious, the titular humiliations truly wince-worthy, and the supporting cast is chock-full of appealing characters. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 09/01/2019 Gr 5–7—Eighth grader Penelope (Pipi) McGee seems to be cursed. In kindergarten, she drew a portrait of herself as a piece of bacon with breasts, and in fourth grade she peed her pants on a field trip (earning the nickname Pee-Pee). Each year holds embarrassing memories for Pipi (don't even mention seventh grade; Pipi doesn't talk about that year ever). Now as an eighth grader, Penelope hatches a plan to redeem herself from her grade school humiliations. She starts by volunteering in a kindergarten classroom. Pipi immediately gravitates to kindergartner Piper, who calls to mind a young Pipi. When Pipi keeps Piper from drawing a potentially embarrassing object, Pipi checks kindergarten off her Redemption List. Things seem to be smooth sailing for Penelope; she's able to check off one grade at a time from her list. She even seems to get more popular this year, with cool kids Sarah and Jackson inviting her to join their poetry club and be their friend. Then there's Kara Samson—Penelope's archenemy. She is the one who locked Pipi out of the bathroom, causing her to pee herself in fourth grade. Pip's revenge scheme ends up turning against her, and she realizes that her redemption plan has gone a bit astray. Pipi's character development is realistic, though the story drags at times and readers may struggle to stay engaged. VERDICT Recommended where there is demand for realistic, humorous fiction centered on girls coming of age.—Jill Baetiong, Bloomingdale Public Library, IL - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.