Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 12/01/2021 Young Estrella’s Tía Fortuna is no stranger to moving, thanks to Cuban roots and her Sephardic family’s voyage from Spain to Turkey to Cuba to Miami. Through the curious and poignant perspective of a child, Behar’s story follows Tía Fortuna’s latest move from her beautiful pink casita in the Seaway, her longtime apartment building, to an assisted-living facility. Eloquent multilingual storytelling couples with peaceful artwork as Estrella learns that change can be OK and that keeping your traditions and culture alive is even more important. Tía Fortuna embarks on her new chapter with optimism and grace, reminding Estrella through her delicious Jewish Cuban cooking and her stories and mantras in Ladino that you can take the feeling of home with you no matter where you go. Holzwarth’s seaside illustrations will no doubt bring pleasant nostalgic memories to readers of all ages, and the book’s positive message is supplemented by a glossary of multilingual terms and an author’s note on the inspiration behind this Sephardic Jewish tale. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 01/28/2022 K-Gr 3—Estrella's favorite aunt, Tia Fortuna, left Cuba years ago and now lives in Miami. Estrella loves visiting Tia Fortuna and hearing stories about her life and their shared heritage as Sephardic Jews. Their peripatetic ancestors originated in Spain, went on to Turkey, and then settled in Cuba. When she left Cuba, after Castro came to power, Tia Fortuna took the key to her Cuban casita, as Sephardic legends encourage, and wore it around her neck as a sign of hope going forward. Now Tia Fortuna is leaving Seaway, her Miami home, to go to a house for the aged. She makes friends immediately as she shares the borekas she made for old and new friends and settles right in. Before Estrella leaves, Tia Fortuna gives her the key to Seaway, continuing the tradition of hope, and Estrella knows Tia Fortuna will be just fine. Spanish words are embedded throughout, and the fullness of the text supports their meaning. A fabulous glossary in the back matter will answer any questions that arise. This powerful intergenerational story is enhanced by stunning art created with gouache, watercolor, and colored pencil. The palette establishes a sense of place, reminiscent of the Caribbean and Florida and serves as an anchor to the text. VERDICT This is beautiful story about heritage and hope, a must for all libraries, and remarkable in every way. —Joan Kindig - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.