Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2025 Gr 4–6—Twelve-year-old Ben Bellini, a competitive speller, spends the summer of 1985 staying with his grandmother in San Francisco so he can be tutored by a former national spelling bee champion. As the summer progresses, Ben grows disillusioned with his irascible tutor, befriends fellow speller Asha Krishnakumar, and savors the freedom of exploring the city alone, away from his protective parents. His delight in his newfound independence is shadowed by a growing awareness that his grandmother, once a famous architect, is exhibiting symptoms of dementia. Readers who enjoy the lighthearted humor of the early chapters may be disappointed when it is eclipsed, first by Ben's contemplation of what it means to be a "real man," and ultimately by his worry and sorrow over Nan's cognitive decline. With an intersectional cast of characters, the book probes questions of feminism, race, masculinity, and community, but its scant 200 pages don't allow for any of these to be explored in satisfying depth. Narrated by an adult Ben in the present day, the past-tense framing dampens the emotional impact. VERDICT Not particularly exhilarating, but may inspire readers to ponder important questions.—Amy Reimann - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Other - 05/05/2025 In this quiet, retrospective novel set in 1985, Sicilian American sixth grader Ben Bellini decamps from the suburbs to his grandmother’s home in San Francisco to train for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. According to Nan, Roger Nott, a former spelling bee champion who owns a used bookstore, coaches spellers in his spare time. But when Roger turns out to be a jerk, Ben looks for ways to escape the malicious adult’s bullying. He soon finds himself spending time at the public library, where he befriends Indian American Asha Krishnakumar, an avid basketball player and similarly preeminent speller. As the summer progresses, Ben continues his path toward spelling bee stardom, even as he worries about others’ perceptions of him. Though Ben often feels discouraged by those around him-his siblings are disinterested in his hobbies, and his classmates view spelling as being for nerds-Asha’s motto, "Persist, persist, persist," introduces a calming internal mantra that helps Ben weather his challenges. Finnegan (Sunny Parker Is Here to Stay) touches on period-typical conversations regarding gender roles, prejudice, and masculinity across an introspective tale about finding and staying true to oneself. Ages 8-12. (May) - Copyright 2025

Booklist - 03/01/2025 Winning his sixth-grade classroom spelling bee didn’t matter to Ben, but during the two contests that followed, the school bee and the district bee, he won easily again, and surprised himself by realizing how much he enjoyed the experience. After his grandmother hears about his wins, she invites him to spend the summer with her in San Francisco and improve his skills by training with a past winner of the National Spelling Bee. While the tutor is unstable and quick to take offense, Ben persists, but he becomes increasingly troubled by signs that his grandmother is experiencing some form of dementia. Should he inform his overprotective parents or continue trying to help her on his own? A sympathetic character, Ben struggles to prove himself to those around him, while becoming increasingly aware that they have troubles too. The writer of We Could Be Heroes (2020) and Sunny Parker Is Here to Stay (2024), Finnegan now offers Ben’s first-person narrative. Set in 1985, it’s timeless in its portrayal of a middle-school boy trying to find his way. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.