Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 11/11/2022 Gr 6 Up—This engrossing biography of baseball legend Jack Robinson opens with a quote from him in which he states he would choose "first-class citizenship to all of [my] people" over the Baseball Hall of Fame, which aptly frames the focus of this work. Written in a traditional biography format, the narrative covers his life story, following him through childhood, college, military service, family life, his baseball career, and post-retirement civil rights activism and business ventures until his untimely death at age 53. Williams and Long focus most of the narrative on the racism Robinson faced throughout his life, and his many actions to fight discrimination. In his teen years, he and a friend held a successful sit-in at a diner. He also successfully lobbied the Army to become one of the first Black soldiers accepted into the Officer Candidate School. As the man to break the color barrier in MLB, he faced racism on and off the field, often getting more call-outs from umpires than other players, being called Jackie while he preferred Jack, and being told not to fight back against racial insults hurled at him. Upon his retirement, he dove full force into civil rights activism, working with the NAACP, and leading fundraisers while developing a business career. The short chapters move quickly with one captivating story after another. Back matter includes notable "extra innings facts" about Robinson's life, questions for further discussions, a time line, and extensive notes with sources. VERDICT Much more than a sports biography, this powerful and stellar work documents Robinson's place in history as a civil rights hero. Highly recommended for all middle and high school libraries.—Karen T. Bilton - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/15/2023 *Starred Review* Jackie Robinson, best known for breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, has been the subject of many young people’s biographies. Most highlight his famous 1945 conversation with the Dodger’s manager Branch Rickey, who was looking for an outstanding Black player with “the guts not to fight back” when provoked by racists. Other books concentrate on Robinson’s prowess as an athlete and his outstanding record as a baseball player. This biography does all that and more. Robinson grew up within a large, tight-knit family led by his mother, who taught him that his dark skin was a blessing. Proud to be Black, he had a lifelong record of responding to racial injustice, beginning when eight-year-old Robinson exchanged racial slurs with a white child and culminating with his increasingly public role within the civil rights movement during the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. The coauthors, who have separately written or edited books for adults about Robinson as well as the twentieth-century civil rights era, bring together a good deal of pertinent information, organize it well, and write in a straightforward, accessible style. Black-and-white photos illustrate the book and well-chosen quotes, sourced in the back matter, bring the voices of Robinson and his contemporaries into the narrative. An enlightening portrayal of an iconic American. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.