Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 04/15/2020 Despite 12 bleak years at an orphanage in Amsterdam, Milou is confident her parents will eventually return for her. In the meantime, her only solace is in four orphan friends, all possessing unusual talents and skills. When a shady stranger arrives to adopt the ragtag bunch, a suspicious Milou convinces her friends to escape before they’re whisked away to certain doom. A puzzling clue in her original belongings may lead them to her family—and, hopefully, freedom—but when their travels point them to an abandoned windmill and a derelict puppet theater, it’s clear their search will be anything but straightforward. Tooke’s absorbing tale evokes the nineteenth-century Netherlands, including a smattering of Dutch vocabulary, and it’s a pleasure to explore the quirky and occasionally foreboding settings alongside the curious crew of orphans. Flashes of suspense and peril are balanced by lighthearted moments, with the bonds between the children creating a coziness even in the grimmest of circumstances. Always breezy, never dreary, this is a lovely testament to the power of family, in whatever form that may take. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 04/15/2020 - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 07/01/2020 Gr 4–7—Five orphans dropped off at the Little Tulip Orphanage within months of each other in 1880 remain there 12 years later. Growing up under the thumb of the duplicitous matron Gassbeek, who makes Miss Hannigan look like Mother Teresa, the orphans have banded together to create a tight-knit family. The leader of their group, the smart, creative and daring Milou, encourages them to mount an escape when an advantageous situation presents itself. Each orphan possesses a special skill which comes in handy when needs arise. Lotta, born with six fingers on each hand, is mechanically inclined and technically savvy. Egg is an artist and cartographer, Sem is a genius with a sewing needle, and Fenna, although mute, speaks the language of animals fluently. Each orphan has a clue or two about their birth parents, but no one is as eager to find their mother and father as Milou; that becomes the group's first order of business. The plot thickens with the arrival of a dastardly villain, a nosy yet helpful neighbor, and complications of the children's own doing. The Amsterdam setting lends a theatrical feel and perilous situations keep the pages turning. Milou finds some unexpected answers, but the book leaves many questions about the others should there be a sequel. VERDICT These resourceful orphans will quickly captivate readers who enjoy mysterious adventure stories. The concept of what makes a family is examined with surprising results. Recommended.—Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Lib., Endicott, NY - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 07/01/2020 Gr 4–7—Five orphans dropped off at the Little Tulip Orphanage within months of each other in 1880 remain there 12 years later. Growing up under the thumb of the duplicitous matron Gassbeek, who makes Miss Hannigan look like Mother Teresa, the orphans have banded together to create a tight-knit family. The leader of their group, the smart, creative and daring Milou, encourages them to mount an escape when an advantageous situation presents itself. Each orphan possesses a special skill which comes in handy when needs arise. Lotta, born with six fingers on each hand, is mechanically inclined and technically savvy. Egg is an artist and cartographer, Sem is a genius with a sewing needle, and Fenna, although mute, speaks the language of animals fluently. Each orphan has a clue or two about their birth parents, but no one is as eager to find their mother and father as Milou; that becomes the group's first order of business. The plot thickens with the arrival of a dastardly villain, a nosy yet helpful neighbor, and complications of the children's own doing. The Amsterdam setting lends a theatrical feel and perilous situations keep the pages turning. Milou finds some unexpected answers, but the book leaves many questions about the others should there be a sequel. VERDICT These resourceful orphans will quickly captivate readers who enjoy mysterious adventure stories. The concept of what makes a family is examined with surprising results. Recommended.—Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Lib., Endicott, NY - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.