Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 02/17/2025 To rebuild their lives following her father’s death, artistic 12-year-old synesthete Lucretia Sanderson and her painter mother move to tiny Candle Island, Maine. Initially hoping for peace and privacy, they instead find themselves at the center of a simmering feud between the year-round islanders and the seasonal vacationers. The first-person narrative, set during an unspecified period without widespread cellphones and computers, twists through escalating small-town conflicts as Lucretia struggles to find her footing as an islander and decide how to define herself to others. This search for a new sense of purpose and self is most evident in her efforts to save, nurture, and raise a baby bird to maturity, a gentle and cozy narrative through line that mirrors the protagonist’s inter- nality: "An all-or-nothing leap was the answer to the question of who ought to be. Nothing less will do." Wolk (My Own Lightning) immerses readers into the grounded storytelling via sensorial descriptions of Lucretia’s synesthesia, while leisurely pacing provides space for quiet contemplation in this cathartic and deeply felt story, a resounding celebration of unconditional love and personal expression. Lucretia reads as white. Ages 10-up. (Apr.) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 04/04/2025 Gr 4–8—It is the late 1960s, and Lucretia "Lucy" Sanderson and her mother have moved to Candle Island for some peace, unaware of the mysteries and drama they would find—and not just from the secret they brought with them. Candle Island has a winter population of 315, which more than doubles in the summer when the wealthy folk come for vacation; and while Lucy and her mother are here to stay, they find themselves not exactly welcomed by everyone on the island. All they wanted was a place to escape the memory of Lucy's father's death and the journalists who are looking for an interview with the famous Sanderson artist. Life on the island isn't so simple; they find an injured bird, a secret room, and a lost cat between them, among other mysteries. What was supposed to be a peaceful move is met with rocky waves and complicated relationships. Wolk's latest novel wonderfully portrays new relationships while tackling grief and self-discovery. The characters are well developed, and readers can see parts of themselves and those they know. The book also has several small mysteries that readers will be itching to solve. While a work of historical fiction, the story has the modern feel of a quiet life without current technology and trends. VERDICT A worthy purchase for library shelves that would also serve well as a selection for group discussions.—Amanda Borgia - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.