Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/15/2023 Growing up in Hungary, Kati Karikó was curious and hardworking. As a child, she decided to become a scientist. She was particularly fascinated by the human body and how it works. At a Hungarian university, she received a doctorate in biochemistry, and in 1985, she, her husband, and their young daughter fled Hungary for the U.S. with their life savings sewn into the body of the child’s teddy bear. Karikó continued conducting research on the use of mRNA to carry “messages” to cells, instructing them about creating antibodies to fight specific diseases. Karikó’s work was a vital part of the creation of vaccines to help people’s bodies deal with COVID-19. Besides including a time line and a message from Dr. Karikó, the back matter credits other scientists for their contributions to the COVID-19 vaccines. Mildenberger’s illustrations portray people in a naive yet perceptive style while filling the pages with soft colors and forms. Concisely telling Karikó’s life story, Hoyt emphasizes that dedication, collaboration, and hard work were crucial to her success. An informative picture-book biography. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2023 Gr 2–4—What can one determined person do? A lot, it turns out! This narrative biography of Nobel Prize–winning Dr. Katalin Karikó tells of her life and study of RNA, as well as the application of the mRNA to the COVID vaccine. Karikó demonstrates her persistence to learn and understand the science of mRNA throughout her entire life, from her early days in Hungary in a one-room house without electricity or indoor plumbing, to her university days where she had to learn English in order to take the classes she wanted, to her exodus from Hungary to the U.S. Using this depth of knowledge, Karikó was able to connect her learning to create a vaccine for COVID-19. The folkloric artwork gives a feeling of humanity to the book, allowing readers to connect on a more personal level to the narrative. Teachers will want to use this story as model of perseverance and dedication for their lessons; elementary readers will like learning that overcoming obstacles still matters. An author's note, time line, and sources are included. VERDICT This narrative biography about one of the creators of the COVID-19 vaccine will be an excellent addition to collections needing modern biographies.—Debbie Tanner - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.