Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/08/2023 Gr 2–5—A rich, inspiring picture book biography about a Latin American icon. Mercedes Sosa grew up in rural Argentina. She performed folk music that resounded with messages of justice and human rights. Sosa became a symbol of resistance and believed that she could be the voice of the voiceless. Her popularity and strong stance grabbed the attention of the Argentinian dictatorship in the 1970s, and she was banned and arrested. This led to a self-exile to Spain. Years later, she returned to her beloved home where she was greeted with children, farmers, and workers who were singing her songs, while gauchos escorted her home on horseback. The author-illustrator's admiration of the subject shines through the text and the illustrations. From the flowers and musical notes scattered throughout and the braided pattern found on the endpapers, the vivid palette of mostly reds, purples, oranges, and pinks fills the pages, lending a feeling of awe and celebration to the work. Even the red-hued vibrations that resound from the bombo drum that Sosa used to accompany her music give off a sense of power and reach. Some awkward transitions between events and phrasings sometimes disrupt the flow of the narrative but won't deter readers. Resources in the back matter for further research include a playlist, selected bibliography, author's note, time line, and a glossary of Spanish phrases and vocabulary. VERDICT Artists continue to be voices of resistance. Readers are introduced to a wonderful example in this impressive debut.—Shelley M. Diaz - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/15/2023 Nitsche does beautiful job of introducing Argentinian folk singer Mercedes Sosa to a young audience in this picture-book biography. It begins during Sosa’s childhood, showing her as a shy girl in a poor but loving home, who found the courage to sing for others after friends persuaded her to enter a radio contest. She gained popularity in Argentina for her beautiful voice and heartfelt songs, which were taken up by many protesting the country’s political turmoil and economic disparities. Eventually, Sosa underwent arrest and exile, but an exuberant homecoming returned her to the stage and the people and country she loved. Nitsche’s beautiful illustrations, painted in Procreate, are similar to Devin Holzwarth’s artwork in Shannon Stocker’s Listen (2022), as Sosa’s voice streams forth in ribbons of color and drum beats reverberate in red, concentric circles. The poetic text concludes with robust back matter, including a Spanish glossary, a detailed time line, and a playlist of Sosa’s songs. Also available in Spanish, Cantora: Mercedes Sosa, la voz de Latinoamérica. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.