Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2016 Gr 4–6—Twelve-year-old George (short for Georgina) feels right at home with her zany aunt and uncle, despite missing her lost brother. However, she's soon swept up in an adventure to stop an apocalyptic meteor shower by re-forming the mythical Council of Seven from Uncle Constantine's bedtime stories. Along the way she meets two orphaned boys who pledge to help her. Through muddy puddles and the zooming highway of flying doors ("the Door Way") that connect ingeniously crafted little worlds, the friends are perfectly set up for a specific challenge at each stop. A bit too linear and simplistic in structure for more sophisticated readers, this is an ideal entry point for those new to speculative fiction. The protagonists build courage and learn hearty lessons such as the value of leaving a place better than you found it. A cantankerous magical tablet who serves as a map and doomsday clock shines out from among other amusing characters, lending a refreshingly modern feel to the tale. There is an unfortunate comment about children playing cowboys and Indians in a heavenlike world encountered along the way. The book also presents yet another all-white fantasy world. VERDICT An additional purchase for younger middle grade readers who can handle moderately high page counts.—Erin Reilly-Sanders, University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.