Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2024 In 1879, discouraged by the lack of opportunities for Black people in Natchez, Mississippi, 11-year-old Lettie Grier's father decides that their family will travel by covered wagon to Nebraska, where homesteading lands are free and they can make a fresh start. The trip is beset by pitfalls (crossing torrential rivers, suffering illness and death, and facing wild weather including hailstorms) but also filled with surprising new friendships and camaraderie with the other passengers traveling with them. This novel in verse is narrated by Lettie; her mother, Sylvia; and 18-year-old Philomena, an orphan hired to be the new teacher in the Nebraskan town of North Platte, giving the narrative a feminist perspective that conveys the frustrations of women who often had little choice in whether they made these journeys. The verses read smoothly and, although completely lacking in punctuation, will be accessible to young readers. Additional historical context can be found in the lengthy author’s note, which offers more information on Black homesteading and acknowledges the theft of this “free” land from Indigenous peoples. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.