Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 01/01/2023 Gr 5–9—In 1989, 13-year-old Santat headed off to Europe for three weeks at the insistence of his parents. They couldn't travel much anymore on account of his mother's lupus and wanted him to have that experience. Santat was less than thrilled, having just wrapped up junior high with more negative experiences than positive ones. Like the title indicates, this memoir explores young Santat's first coming-of-age experiences. We see his first time away from home without parents, first discotheque, and first taste of beer in a German beer hall, among many others. One particular highlight is his first chance at young love with a golden-haired girl named Amy. This was also a trip for Santat to take his art seriously and share it with others without fear of being bullied. Santat's artwork in the story is as great as you'd expect, with the European cityscapes often bathed in golden hour light. All the loveliness is juxtaposed with the strong and often hilarious reactions of teenagers. Flashbacks done in a moody blue show the reality of Santat's former life. An author's note indicates how the story diverges from real life details and acknowledges that travel as a teenager in 1989 was much different than it would be today. Santat's emotional journey is easy to track and culminates in a surprising experience at Wimbledon. While Santat's story is his own, readers will have a worthwhile time relating to him. VERDICT A thoughtful memoir with lots of humor and heart. Hand this to fans of Real Friends and the "Berrybrook Middle School" series. Recommended for all.—Gretchen Hardin - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 02/01/2023 *Starred Review* Within five pages, Dan is plunged into the ultimate middle-school nightmare, forced to recite a poem in front of the entire student body without any warning. It doesn’t go well for him and proves only the first of many humiliations—everything from being publicly shot down asking a girl out to suffering the aromatic, ostracizing consequences of getting barfed on. It’s inconceivably terrible . . . and completely familiar, sure to engender instant empathy in any middle-school reader, even those who’ve only experienced such agonies in their imaginations. As it turns out, long before he was an award-winning artist, Santat was a little afraid of the world outside his door. But in the summer before high school, a sponsored trip headed by a thoughtful teacher will take him from the tiny town of Camarillo, California, through six European cities and, as the title promises, expose him to many firsts. A first airplane ride, beer, cigarette, coffee, date, love, and broken heart will all point him in a more hopeful, open direction. The warmth and specificity of his art, both in the way emotions flow from faces and in the evocation of places, highlight his memoir’s lesson and make it a great read among a crowded field, especially for sensitive middle-grade boys. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

Booklist - 02/15/2023 *Starred Review* Within five pages, Dan is plunged into the ultimate middle-school nightmare, forced to recite a poem in front of the entire student body without any warning. It doesn’t go well for him and proves only the first of many humiliations—everything from being publicly shot down asking a girl out to suffering the aromatic, ostracizing consequences of getting barfed on. It’s inconceivably terrible . . . and completely familiar, sure to engender instant empathy in any middle-school reader, even those who’ve only experienced such agonies in their imaginations. As it turns out, long before he was an award-winning artist, Santat was a little afraid of the world outside his door. But in the summer before high school, a sponsored trip headed by a thoughtful teacher will take him from the tiny town of Camarillo, California, through six European cities and, as the title promises, expose him to many firsts. A first airplane ride, beer, cigarette, coffee, date, love, and broken heart will all point him in a more hopeful, open direction. The warmth and specificity of his art, both in the way emotions flow from faces and in the evocation of places, highlight his memoir’s lesson and make it a great read among a crowded field, especially for sensitive middle-grade boys. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.