Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 01/01/2017 This fresh graphic novel series is off to a promising, mind-bending start as Delia learns that time travel exists and that she’s been chosen to compete to be an intern at the Earth Time Museum. She’s stunned to learn that her uncle is actually curator of this museum, and the surprises don’t end there as she is thrown into lessons, time travel experiences, and a mystery involving an unusual man who gives cryptic, perhaps harmful, perhaps useful clues. Though similar in each, the six competitors hail from drastically different time periods and locations (there’s a futuristic Japanese girl, a quippy boy from Ancient Rome, etc.), so they offer a lot of different access points for readers. Vivid, almost garish illustrations are effectively zippy, matching the lightning-fast text. Structured panels force slowing during key explanation points, which is helpful given the complexities of time travel, but for the most part, the science of it all is kept to a minimum, allowing for a primary tone of sheer adventure. Fans of Loux’s Salt Water Taffy books (The Legend of Old Salty, BCCB 3/09, etc.) will rejoice that this is a new series with all the same spirited, dynamic energy of his earlier graphic novels. AS - Copyright 2017 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 01/01/2017 Delia knows the kiwi bird she’s following doesn’t belong in New England, but when it leads her to a mysterious gate in the wilderness, suddenly the bird isn’t the most unusual thing in her afternoon. Behind the gate is a miraculous museum that connects researchers to every place and every time. Not only is Delia’s beloved uncle its director, but she’s been picked to try out for their intern program. Loux’s loopy, swooping full-color artwork adds a bold, cartoonish flair to the time-travel tale, and as the group of six kids, all aspiring interns, learn how to work together on various missions to several time periods, he throws in plenty of comical visual references to bygone eras, such as the gym teacher who’s always dressed in a suit of armor. Charming Delia is a relatable protagonist with believable triumphs and falters, and her ultimate transformation into an able leader is cheer worthy. Comical antics, cinematic pacing, heartwarming friendship, and a fast-moving, wacky plot should make this a real hit among middle-grade fans of adventure comics. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 02/01/2017 Gr 4–6—Delia Bean loves science and history and excels at school, but when summer vacation begins, she's bored. When Uncle Lyndon invites Delia's family to visit him, she discovers that he's a curator at the Earth Time Museum, where the planet's greatest wonders are displayed. The museum is growing, and more and more employees are needed to time travel in search of exhibits. Uncle Lyndon offers Delia a chance to compete for an internship. Going up against young people from all of human history, Delia attempts to prove she's got what it takes to be an intern, all the while realizing that she's a natural born leader. The Bean Team, as she and her fellow travelers come to be known, must work together, but they learn the hard way that not all time travelers can be trusted. The narrative shares some elements with superhero comics: the members of the Bean Team all have interesting origin stories, and there's quite a bit of training and competing, but there's a good balance among action, character development, and theme. The pencil and ink illustrations with digital coloring call to mind television programming aimed at this audience, as does the pacing. The cliff-hanger ending is sure to leave middle graders anxious for the next volume in this new series. VERDICT A fun, fresh offering for the middle grade crowd. Hand it to fans of Jorge Aguirre's "The Chronicles of Claudette" or Ben Hatke's "Zita the Spacegirl."—Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OHAre your patrons itching to revisit days of yore and bygone eras? These recent novels take on historical fiction from varied perspectives, from a narrative set during the 1950s that tackles bias and prejudice to a tale of medieval London that incorporates fantasy and magic.Read the full review: Doan, p. 85; Goodman, p. 88; Holbrook, p. 90; Rose, p. 92. - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.