Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2023 Korean American Maya is surprised to learn that her grandmother, who’s in the early stages of dementia, has the remarkable ability to travel back in time to her own memories by eating or making foods that formed part of that memory. Once Maya gets used to the idea, she begins to wonder if she can use this special ability to relive memories with her deceased father while also learning more about her Korean culture and heritage through foods and her grandmother’s memories. Ahn’s accounts of the memories themselves create a nostalgic atmosphere as they unfold before Maya’s eyes. In exploring her grandmother’s past, Maya is able to learn about herself, reflect on her relationship with her mother, and gain a more solid sense of where she comes from. This beautifully written book includes some recipes for the foods that Maya and her grandmother prepare in the story, and the descriptions of the dishes are tantalizing enough that readers might appreciate the ability to recreate them at home. A warm and satisfying intergenerational story. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 01/19/2024 Gr 3–6—Maya juggles school, friends, and helping her busy mother to care for her aging grandmother who suffers from memory issues. But one summer day, Maya's grandmother, whom she calls Halmunee, teaches her how to make a traditional Korean dessert, and Maya discovers a hidden family talent: women in her family can time travel to the past through memories associated with food. As Maya and her grandmother experiment with recipes and memories, the two become close and Maya learns there may be other family secrets that her mother never told her. This is a sweet story about food and family that is enriched by the addition of several recipes sprinkled in between the chapters. Through Maya's trips to the past with her grandmother, she learns about her Korean heritage and connects to her larger family outside of her mom and grandmother, which helps assuage her occasional loneliness. Readers will root for Maya as she slowly navigates her tense relationship with her mother and learns her powers, and while these plot threads are thoroughly explored, there are several that remain frustratingly unresolved. VERDICT Give this to readers who enjoy Anna Meriano's Love, Sugar, Magic or those who like a little magical realism with family and food.—Mimi Powell - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.