Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 K-Gr 3—Maslo's picture book biography spotlights how Clive Staples Lewis became acclaimed author C.S. Lewis. Growing up, he faced numerous challenges: bullies at school, the death of his mother, the brutality of war. Using the characters that had saturated his childhood imagination, Lewis created his own world. The young characters who travel to Narnia not only experience magic and adventure; they learn how to handle adversity. This biography clearly links Lewis's lived experiences and written stories. For fans of the "Chronicles of Narnia," these connections will be meaningful. The bold, richly detailed illustrations, crafted with vibrant inks and acrylics, feature numerous gems Narnia fans will enjoy discovering. Images such as a young Lewis drawing a sword-fighting mouse, his cousins sitting in a wardrobe listening to his stories, and a glowing lamppost providing reading light on his school grounds act as subtle reminders that the author's childhood experiences made a profound influence on his most famous writings. His adult experiences, particularly war and the development of his personal faith and philosophy, are also recognized as important to his works. A particularly effective section of the book offers a broad overview of the "Narnia" series: intricately carved wardrobe doors open and scenes of Narnia are visible, including a panel devoted to each of the seven novels. Extended biographical information and a bibliography are included; end pages show letters from children to Lewis and his responses. VERDICT A finely illustrated biography equally suited to research or pleasure reading.—Elizabeth Lovsin, Deerfield Public Library, IL - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2020 Maslo pulls strands from the early life of C. S. “Jack” Lewis that the author later rewove into his most renowned creation. She covers his early fascination with imagined lands, the traumas of his childhood, and alludes to his loss and recapture of religious faith, a topic which she expands upon in an afterword. A child evacuated during WWII inspired him to write stories set in Narnia and to discover that “the worst moments of your life were only leading you to become the person you were meant to be.” Like Caroline McAlister’s Finding Narnia (2019), this is aimed at readers who are already passingly familiar with the series. The author makes Lewis out to be a staid, solitary figure who found love only at the end—the watercolor illustrations close with a poignant view of the author and Joy, a fan who briefly became his wife, walking through a doorway into a green land. The back matter includes a page of intriguing background facts and a source list for older readers. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.