Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/01/2018 Kiana, a bright kid whose mother ships her off to spend a couple of months with “Dad and Stepmonster,” never exactly registers as a student at her new middle school. But she allows the hand of fate to nudge her into the special, self-contained eighth-grade class (aka the Unteachables), along with six misfits that the school has given up on. Make that seven—why exclude Mr. Kermit? Framed during a cheating scandal two decades ago and publicly humiliated, this once-gifted, now-jaded teacher is slouching toward retirement. After he unknowingly wins his students’ loyalty, their efforts and far-reaching results on his behalf surprise everyone. The first-person narration shifts among a number of quickly sketched but vivid characters, from Kiana and her classmates to their teacher, principal, and nefarious superintendent. When the Unteachables go into action, outlandish situations tend to work out for the best, while offering the occasional disaster and plenty of laughs along the way. Korman’s latest delivers what his fans have come to expect: a well-paced story laced with humor and just as much heart. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2018 Gr 4–6—When Mr. Zachary Kermit, a burnt-out teacher nearing early retirement, is assigned to teach Greenwich Middle School's most challenging students, he's unfazed. However, once Mr. Kermit and his class of so-called "Unteachables" discover their mutual frustration with the education system, they start striving to do better on each other's behalf. Korman keeps this twist on the "inspiring teacher" trope moving at a breezy clip by dividing the first-person narration between five students, Mr. Kermit, and assorted other adults. Though many of the characterizations are slight, and the adult points-of-view serve mainly to advance the plot, the student perspectives ring true. And while their circumstances sometimes strain credulity (it's tough to believe that an unregistered student could escape notice for months), the students' antics—which include a daring vuvuzela heist and a disastrous science fair stunt—are both endearing and entertaining. VERDICT Despite some missteps, this crowd-pleasing school story delivers the straightforward humor and warmth that Korman's many fans expect.—Rebecca Honeycutt, NoveList, Durham, NC - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.