Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/07/2024 Gr 1–4—"His gift made Mevan feel a hundred feet tall," conveys the tone of this story about a young girl as her family flee Kurdistan and the behest of the Iraqi government. They are not welcome in Turkey or Russia, and eventually end up in the Netherlands. There, the gift of a bicycle helps Mevan adjust. The events of this story are true, related in an omniscient third person and based on co-author Babakar's childhood. With McCormick, she shows the complexities of life as an immigrant. Some events, such as not being allowed to stay in a country, make Mevan and her family feel teeny tiny while other experiences—being among all her loving relatives back home—make her feel ten feet tall. The authors use repetitive phrasing of sentences that appear on the same page, which makes a difficult topic more approachable and appropriate for teaching early literacy skills and helping children better comprehend the story. The authors emphasize the poetry of the text over strict literacy rules, but the meaning is clear. VERDICT This picture book explores the complex topic of immigration through the lens of a small child in a meaningful way. Children will appreciate the authentic experience of Mevan while relating to her struggles and joy in receiving a simple gift like a bicycle.—Tracey S. Hodges - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/01/2024 *Starred Review* The big impact that a small gift of kindness makes on a child refugee is highlighted in this affecting picture-book memoir. Growing up in Kurdistan, “a land where figs fell from the trees and the air smelled like honeysuckle,” Mevan is surrounded by extended family and a close-knit community. Secure and well loved, the little girl thrives and feels “ten feet tall.” Her world changes when Iraqi soldiers force Kurds to flee their home. Seeking safety, the scared child and her family travel through many countries. Mevan copes with every difficult displacement by making herself “very small.” When children in Russia exclude and make fun of her because of the color of her skin, she wishes she were invisible. Moving to a welcoming refugee camp in the Netherlands, Mevan is given a shiny red bicycle by a humanitarian handyman, making her feel “a hundred feet tall.” The redolent text cuts to the heart and quietly speaks volumes about the need to be seen: “She’d gotten so good at making herself small she thought no one would notice her.” Imamura’s detailed watercolor illustrations contrast the child’s confinement and isolation when hiding inside tiny apartments with her joyful freedom of movement and feeling of belonging when riding her bike. An epilogue details coauthor Babakar’s reunion with her benefactor years later and provides an inspirational push to pedal kindness forward. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.