Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/01/2019 Gr 9 Up—In 1972, four teenage girls find themselves pregnant. Upon the discovery of their condition, Missippi and Sue, one African American and the other Caucasian, are sent to Chicago to live in an apartment until the birth of their babies with other pregnant teens, under the care of Miss Pearlanne. Meanwhile, Ola is hiding her pregnancy from her mother, who doesn't think highly of neighbor Missippi's condition, and relies on her younger sister Izella to cover for her. While their pregnancies were all unplanned, one was a result of love, one of rape, and another of "that one time." Ranging in ages from 14 (Missippi) to 17 (Sue), the teens forge a bond that refuses to be broken, even after their time at Pearlanne's. Pink's exquisite novel explores the period of time when women were on the cusp of being able to choose. A time when women were sent away out of shame and family disgrace or kept in the backwoods and left to their own devices. With gut-wrenching, realistic scenes that illustrate their youth and innocence to scenes that show their forced growth into motherhood, readers' hearts will break for these teens who don't know what to expect when their life throws them the unexpected. VERDICT An excellent fictionalized look at the reality of teen pregnancy with a historical lens. A must for all teen collections.—Erin Holt, Williamson County Public Library, Franklin, TN - Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2019 Ola is 16 in 1972 when she realizes she’s pregnant. To her more responsible 15-year-old sister, Izella, this is just one more burden placed on her that she must hide from their prophetess mother, Evangelist. Down the road from them is Missippi, 14 and pregnant, subjected to the judgmental gaze of her neighbors. For Missippi in particular, the circumstances behind her situation tell an all-too-familiar story. When her father takes her to Chicago to stay with other pregnant teens, she quickly befriends Sue, the daughter of an anti-choice senator. Pink (Into White, 2016) wanted to explore what life was like before Roe v. Wade became law in 1973, particularly in light of contemporary conversations about abortion rights in our country. Each of the four narrators—Ola, Izella, and Missippi are Black, and Sue is white—provide a glimpse into what few options are left when legal abortion is not a choice, including backwoods abortion and its often-grave consequences. As women’s right to choose is placed under scrutiny once again, these stories are a reminder of what horrors lie ahead if history repeats itself. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.