Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2017 Gr 4–7—Mitchell's latest novel transports readers to a future where people are divided over the preservation of wildlife and their natural environment. Eleven-year-old Kiri lives outside the city's walls with her father in the jungle. Her father, a scientist, works diligently to protect wildlife in the jungle. Although Kiri loves her father, his job often puts them at odds with the nearby villagers. When Kiri encounters a panther that everyone thinks is extinct, she tries to shield the creature from the people in the village, who need the animal to survive, and her father, who wants to cage the panther in a zoo. Kiri's desire to safeguard the panther and bring understanding between the villagers and her father takes her on a dangerous and exciting adventure. Mitchell has crafted a story that will not only engage readers but also prompt them to ask important questions about conservation and what it means to protect wildlife. The future world Mitchell has created is not completely fleshed out, but the action and mystical encounters make the book difficult to put down. Teachers can connect this absorbing tale to lessons on ecology, endangered species, social structures, and more. VERDICT An important addition on a timely subject. Hand to fans of Carl Hiaasen's Hoot.—Aileen Barton, Choctaw Public Library, OK - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2017 In a not-too-distant future, Kiri lives in a very different world. She and her father, a “waller,” dwell in a swamp near the coastal village where the “fugees” live. Animals such as giraffes, narwhals, polar bears, and other “once-were” creatures now exist only in the books Kiri’s dad keeps safely tucked away. When Kiri comes across a panther and her cubs, she promises she will do all she can to protect them, and in the process, Kiri learns what happened to many once-were creatures and the true nature of her father’s work, as well as the root of some of the tension between her father and the villagers. Told in vivid, heartbreaking detail and filled with strong, developed characters, this novel, an eerie cautionary tale about the dangers of not protecting the environment, tackles an important theme in a compelling way. In Kiri, young readers will find a protagonist who, although at times afraid, finds the courage to do what she believes to be right. A fantastical tale with roots in real-world issues. - Copyright 2017 Booklist.