Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2016 Gr 8 Up—In the final installment in the trilogy, Congressman Lewis concludes his firsthand account of the civil rights era. Simultaneously epic and intimate, this dynamic work spotlights pivotal moments (the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL; the Freedom Summer murders; the 1964 Democratic National Convention; and the Selma to Montgomery marches) through the lens of one who was there from the beginning. Lewis's willingness to speak from the heart about moments of doubt and anguish imbues the book with emotional depth. Complex material is tackled but never oversimplified—many pages are positively crammed with text—and, as in previous volumes, discussion of tensions among the various factions of the movement adds nuance and should spark conversation among readers. Through images of steely-eyed police, motion lines, and the use of stark black backgrounds for particularly painful moments, Powell underscores Lewis's statement that he and his cohorts "were in the middle of a war." These vivid black-and-white visuals soar, conveying expressions of hope, scorn, and devastation and making storied figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Fannie Lou Hamer feel three-dimensional and familiar. VERDICT This essential addition to graphic novel shelves, history curricula, and memoir collections will resonate with teens and adults alike.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 08/01/2016 *Starred Review* Opening with the bombing of the Birmingham Baptist Church, this concluding volume in Lewis, Aydin, and Powell’s critically acclaimed series highlights the growing violence and tensions among activists in the civil rights movement leading up to Freedom Summer and Johnson’s eventual signing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. As protests and marches—and sometimes merely being black—in Alabama became increasingly dangerous, opinions among activists in the movement were divided. Continue to march and risk serious harm? Or put their trust in white leaders who were only willing to meet them partway? Though Lewis and Aydin throw a lot at readers in this volume, their message, helped along seamlessly and splendidly by Powell’s fantastic, cinematic artwork, is abundantly clear: the victories of the civil rights movement, symbolized in particular by Barack Obama’s inauguration, are hard-won and only succeeded through the dogged dedication of a wide variety of people. Perhaps the greatest strength of this last volume is that, despite closing pages during which Lewis suggests the movement is over, the chilling similarities between the violent political atmosphere more than 50 years ago and today remind readers that the drive for justice and equality is ongoing. It’s a stirring call to action that’s particularly timely in this election year, and one that will resonate and empower young readers in particular. Essential reading. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 12/01/2016 Gr 8 Up—The final installment in the celebrated graphic novel trilogy that documents Congressman Lewis's role in the civil rights movement, this visually arresting volume covers crucial events such as the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church, with Lewis's resounding voice adding a nuanced, deeply emotional perspective. The personal and the political combine for a historical tour de force. - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.