Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 01/01/2018 With the recognition of Bob Dylan’s award of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016, there is renewed interest in the music of the sixties. Two boys from Queens become best friends, connected by their love of music and interest in rock ’n’ roll. Artie Garfunkel, called “The Voice” for his hypnotic sound, inspired Paul Simon to learn to play the guitar and write songs. Eventually, the duo became a cultural icon, captivating a generation with their infectious harmonies. Influenced by Elvis, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and other folk singers, they produced their number-one hit “The Sound of Silence” after the assassination of JFK; the song broke all records, outselling even the Beatles. Neri conveys the spirit of those times through a text compiled from interviews with the two singers and other sources. Back matter offers additional information, while the oversize format allows room for the extensive free-verse text. Appealing, digitally created full-bleed illustrations capture in detail city streets, the two young boys, their later stardom, and their famous 1981 concert in Central Park. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2018 Gr 4–8—This nostalgia-tinged biography of folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel opens with the pair's legendary 1981 concert in New York's Central Park, then quickly shifts settings to Queens, three decades earlier. In Kew Gardens Hills, young Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel perfect their signature enchanting harmonies. As with Hello, I'm Johnny Cash, the author ends the book before the artists become superstars. However, there's still plenty of drama; Paul and Artie briefly achieve fame under the name Tom & Jerry, break up, and reunite—all prior to their release of the iconic "The Sound of Silence." Exuberant free verse poems, each headed by one of the group's song titles, capture the boys' youthful ambition, their complex friendship, and their excitement as rock and roll weaves its spell over them and the nation. Enhanced by affectionately caricaturelike illustrations, the text's compelling imagery brings Paul, a scrappy class clown, and Artie, the boy with the golden voice, to life—though readers will come away with a firmer sense of Paul Simon. Steeped in references to doo-wop, Elvis Presley, and Carole King, the work will likely resonate most strongly with adult followers of the artists, but it will intrigue more than a few kids (and Neri's detailed back matter will reward those budding fans). VERDICT A charming addition to poetry or biography collections.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.