Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/01/2011 This solid sequel to My Life as a Book (2010) reintroduces 12-year-old Derek Fallon, who finds reading difficult and getting into trouble easy. In a snappy, first-person narrative, Derek explains how his world changes after a stunt coordinator finds him at a skateboard park and asks him to work on a movie in which preteen idol Tanya Billings stars! But Derek doesn’t anticipate his best friend and fellow skateboarder, Matt, will be jealous of the gig, and Derek is shocked and hurt when Matt teams up with some other boysagainst Derek. This is a great package for kids, especially those like Derek who don’t think they like to read. For instance, it shows that even if reading’s not your thing, you may have talents elsewhere. And it also shows, through the fast-paced story (complete with amusing stick-figure drawings that illustrate difficult words), that reading might be your thing after all. The draw of the story is matched by Tashjian’s keen observations of how kids really feel and how they interact with the world. - Copyright 2011 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 11/01/2011 After a successfully adventurous summer complete with avocado hand grenades and various canine shenanigans in My Life As a Book (BCCB 9/10), twelve-year-old Derek Fallon is not at all thrilled to be heading back to school: not only will he have to contend with the usual drudgery of the classroom grind, but now that he’s been officially dubbed a “reluctant reader,” he just knows that the grownups in his life are going to be on his case about schoolwork 24/7. Fortunately, a bright spot comes along in the form of a small movie role when Derek’s daredevil skateboarding routines near his Los Angeles home snag the attention of famous stuntman. His parents agree to their son’s new Hollywood gig only if he promises to keep up his on homework, and Derek soon finds out that being a stuntboy requires more than one kind of balancing act: between his assigned reading, his jealous ex-best friend, and his pet monkey, Derek struggles to meet all his responsibilities and finds himself missing the simpler days of a movie-free life. As with Book, Tashjian uses a light hand where many would have tempted to get a bit more pedantic, and the result is an amusing, effervescent tale that manages to sneak in a few poignant lessons under the radar. Derek’s voice remains dry, witty, and above all, honest, and his efforts to overcome his learning disability will certainly strike a chord with those readers struggling with similar issues and offer insight to their bookish counterparts. Jake Tashjian, the author’s son, provides another slew of wonderfully comic stick figures to populate the margins, mirroring and often elaborating on the text’s sly humor. Fans of the first will be utterly delighted by this sequel and anxious to see what Jake will turn up as next. KQG - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2011 Gr 4–7—Twelve-year-old Derek Fallon, from My Life as a Book (Holt, 2010), returns to face another school year and the dreaded task of reading. However, there are some bright spots in his days, including Frank, his capuchin monkey; his best friend, Matt; and the sport of parkour, which uses climbing, jumping, and running to get around obstacles. The boys' friendship is tested when Derek's parkour skills attract the interest of a Hollywood stuntman. Derek is ecstatic when he gets hired to be a "stuntboy," but shocked when he discovers that he's the double for a popular teen actress-and a pretty one, too. After his monkey is stolen, he needs all his friends and parkour skills to help with the rescue. Likely intended for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Abrams, 2007) crowd, this book won't disappoint Greg Heffley's fans, even if Tashjian's humor is milder than Kinney's sharp wit. The details about parkour and a behind-the-scenes peek at filmmaking add interesting information. Stick-figure illustrations cleverly show Derek's practice of drawing his vocabulary words, e.g., the sketch for "analyze" has a stick figure boy scratching his head while staring at a blackboard. They add depth when depicting words readers may find unfamiliar, such as "heinous" and "reverie." However, a great number of them ("gymnasium," "nerdy") need no explanation and are simply humorous. A fast-moving plot and relatable protagonist make this stand-alone sequel a good choice for boys who, like Derek, would rather reach for a TV remote or game controller than a book.—M. Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.