Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 03/15/2023 Four kids, one fast-paced night, and an opportune mystery: this middle-grade novel hits the ground running from the very first page. A storm grounds flights at Zora Neale Hurston Airport, leaving hundreds of Muslims departing an Islamic conference stranded. Among them are four incredible kids: Feek, longing to be a spoken-word artist (like his famous dad) but relegated to babysitting his sister; Hanna (sister of readers’ treasured Adam from Love from A to Z, 2019), searching for Snickerdoodle, a cat that went missing at the airport; Sami, the reserved kid who is never picked first; and Nora, always expected to be poised as the daughter of a congresswoman. In a single night and despite occasional tension, the quad rallies around a common goal: finding Snickerdoodle. In alternating points of view, the four authors—who collaborated on Once upon an Eid (2020)—have crafted a book that, while it brims with unapologetic Muslim rep, is about not religion but friendship and adventure. Sometimes their parents don’t get them, but trust and communication abound. Hand to readers seeking a quick escape. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 07/01/2023 Gr 4–7—In a book written in alternating chapters by four well-known, Muslim authors, four tweens with seemingly little in common are stranded at an airport. Bad weather has grounded all flights following a Muslim convention. Feek, an aspiring poet, wants to gain the approval of his famous father through his writing but is instead babysitting his little sister Ruqi. Hanna, animal protector extraordinaire, is trying to find a cat named Snickerdoodle, who was lost in the airport the week before, while also avoiding her dad's talk about finding her a new mom. Sami, forever anxious, is worried the grounded flights will keep him from his important karate tournament. Nora, daughter of a congresswoman, just wants to make videos for social media and work out her friend issues. When Hanna recruits the others to find Snickerdoodle, all four embark on an adventure through the airport (with Ruqi in tow), and uncover potentially sinister happenings with animals. The story contains just the right number of twists and turns to keep middle grade readers engaged. The authors have seamlessly overlapped each family's trials, keeping the characters likable and believable. Muslim readers will be happy to be represented, and will connect with one or more of the kids, whether they feel like they fit in or not, and non-Muslim readers will see the universality of friendship and families. VERDICT This will appeal to a wide audience, with important topics addressed smartly, including the positives and negatives of social media, and fitting in with peers while staying connected to one's family.—Michele Shaw - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.