Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 12/01/2022 *Starred Review* Only the faculty knows that newly arrived Mr. Aidact is an experimental android, programmed to teach seventh grade and inserted into Brightling Middle School to learn the nuances of human behavior. What could go wrong? Quite a lot, as it develops—because, by the time the news gets out, Aidact’s way of paying close attention to every student’s needs and deeds has not only changed lives and turned him into the most popular teacher in school but also is beginning to remake him . . . into an overgrown 12-year-old. Neither the teachers, who readily take advantage of Aidact’s pliability to saddle him with all their unwanted duties (from detention monitor to coaching the field hockey team), nor the instantly outraged PTA come off too well in this funny and provocative outing. Korman, as usual, takes the side of the kids, who, in contrast, refuse to see Aidact as just a machine and, learning that he is slated to be scrapped as a failure, concoct an elaborate scheme to help him escape. Relayed by multiple narrators, the tale offers both different perspectives on effective teaching methods and food for thought about the notion of “personhood.” - Copyright 2022 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 01/01/2023 Gr 4–6—Oliver, self-proclaimed "number one rule-wrecker," spitballs new teacher Mr. Aidact on the first day of seventh grade. But when Aidact catches the projectile between his thumb and forefinger, it's clear this rookie is no ordinary teacher. Aidact's popularity quickly grows to hero status: teachers dump unwanted assignments on him, and students are enthralled by his vast knowledge and enthusiasm. What is the secret of Aidact's success? Why does he never eat or drink, and why is his student teacher much older than he is? Korman plants clues readers will notice quickly, so only Oliver and the students are shocked when Aidact is revealed to be a robot and his student teacher is a Department of Education engineer assigned to monitor this experimental project. The reveal creates an uproar, compelling the entire school to consider what makes a teacher great—and what it means to be truly human. The controversy also gives Korman opportunity to comment on government, artificial intelligence, and the limitless potential of students. This novel has Korman's trademark humor, fast pace, alternating points of view, and raucous climax. All convey his message with masterful ease: the best teachers don't allow themselves to become robotic. They know that students respond to teachers who are willing to show they're a little bit like them—or to teachers who simply like them. VERDICT Through his understanding of what makes middle schoolers tick, Korman writes the books kids love to read and teachers ought to read.—Marybeth Kozikowski - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.