Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 07/01/2009 *Starred Review* From the unexpectedly miraculous feats of a two-bit illusionist to the transformative powers of love, forgiveness, and a good mutton stew, there is much magic afoot in this fablelike tale from the author of the Newbery-winning Tale of Despereaux (2003). In DiCamillo’s fifth novel, a young orphan named Peter Augustus Duchene suspects that the sibling he long thought dead is actually alive. Peter seeks out the services of a fortune-teller, who informs him that his younger sister, Adele, lives and—even more astoundingly—that an elephant will lead him to her. The winter-worn city of Baltese seems the last place Peter could expect to find such an exotic creature, but that very night a magician performing at the local opera house conjures one out of thin air, a wondrous but cataclysmic event that proves to have dire consequences. When the displaced elephant is put on public display, Peter is so stirred by her obvious suffering that he is compelled to risk the one chance he has of finding Adele to set things right. Although the novel explores many of the same weighty issues as DiCamillo’s previous works, characters here face even more difficult hurdles, including the loss of loved ones, physical disabilities, and the cost of choices made out of desperation and fear. The profound and deeply affecting emotions at work in the story are buoyed up by the tale’s succinct, lyrical text; gentle touches of humor; and uplifting message of redemption, hope, and the interminable power of asking, What if? Tanaka’s charming black-and-white acrylic illustrations have a soft, period feel that perfectly matches the tone of this spellbinding story. - Copyright 2009 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 08/01/2009 Gr 4–6— On a perfectly ordinary day, Peter Augustus Duchene goes to the market square of the city of Baltese. Instead of buying the fish and bread that his guardian, Vilna Lutz, has asked him to procure, he uses the coin to pay a fortune-teller to get information about his sister, whom he believes to be dead. He is told that she is alive, and that an elephant will lead him to her. That very night at a performance in the town's opera house, a magician conjures up an elephant (by mistake) that crashes through the roof and cripples the society dame she happens to land on. The lives of the boy, his guardian, and the local policeman, along with the magician and his unfortunate victim, as well as a beggar, his dog, a sculptor, and a nun all intertwine in a series of events triggered by the appearance of the elephant. Miraculous events resolve not only the mystery of the whereabouts of Peter's sister, but also the deeper needs of all of the individuals involved. DiCamillo's carefully crafted prose creates an evocative aura of timelessness for a story that is, in fact, timeless. Tanaka's acrylic artwork is meticulous in detail and aptly matches the tone of the narrative. This is a book that demands to be read aloud.—Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, MO - Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 11/01/2009 Ten-year-old orphan Peter Duchene has always believed that his younger sister, Adele, died at birth. When a fortuneteller informs him that not only is Adele still alive but that an elephant will lead Peter to her, he is naturally incredulous. Sure enough, though, a magician’s trick gone awry produces an elephant who crashes through the roof of the Opera House, crippling the noblewoman upon whom she lands, and in trying to help the elephant return to her native home, Peter does indeed find his long-lost sister, and the two siblings then find a happy new home together. Children who like their fairy tales with a generous serving of whimsy on the side will probably enjoy this fanciful, dreamlike tale about believing in the impossible. The story’s pacing is quite leisurely, however, with description slowing the action down, and the language sometimes tips from lyrical into affected. Still, Peter’s persistence in his search for Adele and the handy way in which their happy fate is achieved will keep kids reading to the end. Tanaka’s shadowy, evocative acrylic paintings echo the dreamy nature of the storytelling and add a surprising amount of solidity (and a particularly nice elephant) to the somewhat wandering story. Give this to fans of DiCamillo’s previous works, other kids who have both patience and a taste for fancy, or adults looking for a quiet readaloud selection. JH - Copyright 2009 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.