Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/15/2020 Clarence Brazier grew up in the Canadian woods. Humiliated on his first day of school because he couldn’t spell his name, he ran home and never returned. He helped his father run the family farm, then became a logger. After his boss offered him a promotion, he quit, fearful that others would learn that he couldn’t read. Before marrying, he told his fiancée his secret, which she kept throughout their 65 years of farming and raising a family. But after his wife's death, one of Brazier's daughters discovered his illiteracy, and she taught him to read when he was nearly 100 years old. While the book portrays him as smart, hardworking, and successful, an appended note tells how learning to read opened up new possibilities for Brazier, who came to love reading as well as sharing his story with others. The engaging text tells an unusual story with just enough detail to give it a period feel, bolstered by the well-composed drawings with washes of gentle color and plenty of understated charm. A memorable picture book, fine for reading aloud. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.