Bound To Stay Bound

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Booklist - 02/01/2017 Ian’s looking forward to field day, the last day of elementary school, but things take a turn when Devon tricks him out of his PB&J sandwich and gives it to a boy with a severe peanut allergy. Now Ian, Devon, Ash, and Mark are spending their summer in reform school. Strange things happen here, including bullying, survival hikes, and even dance lessons. Ian and Ash make friends with Alva, a girl from another school, and discover what true friendship is, and Ian finally learns how to stand up to Devon. Early in the story, Ian reads about Thomas Edison’s childhood, which gives some insight into how Ian deals with conflict; he “talks” through problems with Tom, while trying to squelch “the Freak,” the monster that lurks inside his head—though these interactions are often more confusing than illuminating. Nevertheless, debut author Weinberger’s understanding of preteen boys and their antics comes out in their immature, sometimes goofy behavior, and their characters develop as the summer progresses. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2017 Gr 4–7—Where do adolescent bullies go to turn their lives around? And what would it be like if they all went to school together? Those questions form the basis of Weinberger's debut, which follows wrongfully accused sixth grader Ian Hart as he and his friends Ash, Mark, and Devon attend a summer reform school for bullies called JANUS. Ian's inner monologue is frequently troubled by an entity he refers to as The Freak, a stand-in for his adolescent social awkwardness and, more important, his budding individuality. Weinberger gives Ian a self-deprecating voice that will appeal to "Wimpy Kid" fans who are interested in exploring the ethical questions facing middle schoolers. Vivid supporting characters, including a pair of feuding dancers and a renegade computer hacker, provide color and comic relief. But Ian's closer friends, especially Devon, the book's main antagonist and the party responsible for the group's summerlong detention, would have benefited from further development. Weinberger tries to work too many of Ian's fantasies into the story (in addition to The Freak, there's an imaginary ghost of Thomas Edison and a sort-of time-traveling toilet), which can be confusing. VERDICT An entertaining and quirky read, suitable for fans of Tom Angleberger, Jeff Kinney, and James Roy.—Abigail Garnett, Brooklyn Public Library - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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