Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 05/15/2023 Struggling to adjust to yet another new school, 12-year-old Indian American Shakti bonds with quirky Xi over manga and mayo-topped pizza but discovers that her teachers are bound by a spell cast by three spiteful girls. When the bullying trio’s magic threatens to put the entire town under their sway, Shakti risks using her own untested powers, accidentally summoning the destroyer goddess Kali Ma, twin of Shakti’s defender goddess, Durga Ma. Only by acknowledging her own anger can Shakti put a stop the destruction—to save her newborn brother and to restore peace and health to the town. In Lambda Award–winning Sindu’s first graphic novel, myth and magic illuminate a young girl’s path to self-awareness. Swirling, richly saturated illustrations by Ali convey captivating magic in both the world of Hindu legend and Shakti’s everyday world. Angled panels and dramatic perspectives ramp up tension as Shakti scrambles to undo her inadvertent chaos. This feminist fantasy affirms that all emotions are valid—and valuable—in maintaining a life of balance. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 05/01/2023 Gr 3–7—Indian American tween Shakti, 12, and her moms just moved to Amherst, Massachusetts. Used to moving, Shakti hopes her family will finally stay so she can make friends. On her first day of seventh grade, she meets Xi, who shares her love for manga, and both start to notice that strange things are happening at the school. A group of mean girls—Harini, Emily, and Kelly (HEK)—seem to have control over everyone. Shakti and Xi soon learn HEK are a coven of witches putting a curse on the school and the town. The friends enlist the help of Shakti's mom Rita (Amma), who is a witch. Shakti calls on the Hindu goddess of protection and strength, Durga Ma, to stop the coven's spell, but without peace in her heart, Shakti also summons Kali Ma, who represents destruction. Shakti works with Amma to learn how to find peace and tame Kali Ma before she destroys Mom Terri, her unborn baby brother, the town, and everyone in it. VERDICT Vibrantly illustrated by Ali, Sindu's debut graphic novel braids Hindu mythology with the importance of family and friendship, creating an accessible book that will be of interest to many readers.—Rebekah J. Buchanan - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.