Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/01/2025 *Starred Review* Inspired by her “Spooky Lakes” TikTok series, Rutherford presents 25 of the world’s strangest lakes in this marvelously illustrated compilation. An introduction defines lake and offers quick facts before readers dive into two- to six-page profiles of the peculiar lakes themselves, including Lake Nicaragua, the largest freshwater lake in Central America and the only lake on the planet with sharks; Indonesia’s Kawah Ijen, located inside the crater of an active volcano, making it the most acidic lake in the world; and Tanzania’s Lake Natron, a red lake that mummifies most creatures unfortunate enough to fall into it. Each profile features basic facts about the lake (continent, location, max depth, and surface area), a small visual identifier of its location on a globe, a scientific account of the lake’s formation and development of its unusual qualities, enriching sidebars, and striking, eerie illustrations that showcase the lake’s mystery. In some cases, the author includes cross sections to help readers understand the geography of the lake, such as a cross section of Trinidad’s Pitch Lake, which shows the source deep beneath the earth’s surface that feeds this lake. Although the lakes’ spookiness derives from natural, rather than supernatural, phenomena, Rutherford hides tiny ghosts for readers to find among the illustrations. Amazingly quirky and educational. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.