Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 12/01/2019 Initially, 12-year-old Jeanne Ann is excited about road-tripping with her mom from Chicago to San Francisco; however, this is no vacation. Her mother has poured everything they have into this trip, including purchasing an orange van, Carrot, all in the hopes of becoming a chef in California. But not having a job lined up means the pair has no money for food or a place to stay, so Carrot becomes their new home (illegally parked with other homeless individuals near the Golden Gate Bridge), and boredom Jeanne Ann’s new companion. Across the street, Cal faces his own issues: he has no friends and is forced to work in his mother’s restaurant for the summer, punishment for painting an unauthorized mural at school. Cal watches Jeanne Ann, eventually striking up a friendship with her. In this first novel, Svetcov explores homelessness without it feeling purposeful. Her characters develop gradually, gaining strength in the process. She presents San Francisco as the dichotomy it is—beautiful and expensive, but with its share of societal issues. Quiet, yet absorbing. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.