Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 07/12/2024 Gr 3–5—Staples, with Weatherford, recounts biographical events from when she was a girl attending services at the Progressive Baptist Church and delighting in the church's choir to when she and her family reached stardom through gospel music and soul. Icon Staples grew up in a deeply religious family, listening to the gospel and singing with a powerful "husky" alto voice that characterized her performances next to the Staple Singers. This picture book highlights segregated America, racial discrimination, and the importance of music for the Civil Rights Movement, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would note. The narrative is presented in rhyming lines, emphasizing the family's humble beginnings faith convictions, Pops Staples as a patriarchal figure, and what it meant to be a part of a musical family touring the United States. The text is filled with vocabulary words in a descriptive, poetic rendition suited for mature readers who can understand the power of music in Black communities; there is a reference to a switch used for a whipping. The digital illustrations accentuate oversized human characters and infuse the background with musical figures and decorative white and rainbow waves to denote the presence of music throughout the book. The color palette comprises white and shades of blue, brown, and purple, transporting readers back in history as they accompany award-winning Staples on this biographical journey. The back matter contains a list of recommended listening, documentaries, and a time line of Staples's musical achievements. VERDICT An inspiring picture book for older children who love biographies, for use in units covering the importance of music in the Civil Rights Movement.—Kathia Ibacache - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2024 *Starred Review* This engaging picture-book biography offers especially rich insights into Mavis Staples of the legendary Staple Singers gospel group. The story concentrates on Mavis' younger years, telling how her parents left Mississippi for Chicago during the Great Migration and started singing at Black churches across the Midwest. Readers will learn how her family faced racism as they drove across the country, prompting their decision to tour with Martin Luther King Jr. and join his cause, and emphasis is placed on how Staples' deep faith affected her career choices. Despite constant opportunities to record independently and encouragement from celebrities like Lena Horne and Elvis Presley, Staples resisted turning into a blues or pop singer, instead devoting herself to her family and the civil rights movement. Of course, eventually Staples did expand beyond gospel, winning Grammy Awards, Kennedy Honors, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The book's final message is how Staples, now 85 years old, builds bridges with current artists like Ice Cube and Jon Batiste as they cover her signature songs. The lyrical text includes lines from gospel classics and flows freely; the vivid illustrations aptly capture the closeness and passion of the Staples family. A fitting tribute to an inspiring legend. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.