Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/15/2021 *Starred Review* Libby makes cards with encouraging messages and leaves them in public places. Over a three-week period, her art connects an unlikely group of people, and the narrative develops each individual’s story, gradually providing clues about their homes, families, and schools. Libby feels bullied by her own family, who wants her to play softball and be tougher. Jack is mourning the death of his younger brother, feeling guilty about the the accident that killed him and for not defending him more from their dad. Vincent’s well-intentioned single mother is puzzled by his unusual clothing choices and devotion to math, triangles, Katherine Johnson, and puffins. In addition to those three seventh-graders, 16-year-old T has chosen to leave their family and live on the street rather than deny their nonbinary identity. Braden (The Benefits of Being an Octopus, 2018) sensitively demonstrates how isolating it can be to live with people who, despite good intentions, force their children to fulfill expectations that run counter to their own senses of self. Jack’s school becomes involved in a funding debate related to gender-neutral bathrooms, resulting in a 12-year-old explaining to a kindergartener what it means to be trans. Vincent really wants to know if T “is a ‘he’ or a ‘she,’” but T suggests using they. Inspired by Libby’s cards, all the characters find ways to encourage each other, be less alone, and connect. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.