Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 11/01/2014 Gr 4–6—Not everyone is lucky enough to be best friends with their mother, but then not everyone has Tori's mother for a mom. They share a special bond in fact, heightened by her father's death when Tori was a toddler. Making ends meet as a seamstress is not easy for the single mom, however, and the two have fallen on some challenging times. So when her not quite beloved great-aunt dies leaving her estate to whomever is clever enough to spend two weeks there without modern conveniences, it comes as a welcomed challenge. Tori and her mom join numerous other family members in an attempt to outdo one another at playing Colonial America. Elements of adventure, competition, and first romance will appeal to middle grade readers in this unique genre mash-up. The strongly bonded mother/daughter relationship, while by no means perfect, is refreshing and despite being repeatedly put to the test, strengthened by book's end, making this novel as much about personal growth as it is an entertaining escapade. Some elements of the story are weak and unrealistic, but the premise and plot are fun, the characters are identifiable, and the historical bits are well woven into the plot. Adventure-seeking readers wanting to dip their feet in historical fiction certainly won't be disappointed.—Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2015 Hyper-responsible Tori and her artistic, flighty mom have a great relationship, but money is tight. A possible solution lands on their doorstep in the form of a contest. Tori’s cantankerous great-aunt owns a colonial manor and has created a contest to decide which family member will inherit it. To win, family teams must live life as in colonial times while earning points through daily challenges. Can Tori abandon all modern conveniences, avoid the distraction of the caretakers’ cute son, and overcome her cousins’ cheating ways to win the contest? Sure, the story line is a bit contrived, but it is also flat-out fun. Characters are well-rounded with believable emotions, and the plot moves quickly. Elements of colonial life add humor to the story, such as building a chair and worrying about body odor. Through it all, Tori learns to trust her mother, and naturally everything works out in the end. This light, fun read is a playful way to explore history. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.

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