Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/01/2024 *Starred Review* Reed, 17, has spent most of the past 10 years helping his family care for his sister, Beatrice, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Her care is demanding, but Reed doesn’t mind. Brilliant, funny, and a computer whiz, Beatrice is his world. Their father died when Beatrice was little, so Reed shares the responsibility with his mother. She’s completely stressed out though, so when offered a weekend away with a new boyfriend, she grabs it, leaving Reed and Beatrice stranded. The weekend stretches to a month, and Reed resorts to desperate measures to earn money for their survival. He makes fake IDs with the support of his former best friend, Helena, now the school overachiever, whom he used to sneak diet soda with as children (the pair thought it made them cooler). Reed gets caught, and his mom returns home, leaving plenty to unpack: students at Reed’s school who can easily drop $100 on a fake ID; Reed’s parentification when his mother checks out; and his quiet despair and sense of isolation. His reflections show a maturity that is unnoticed and underappreciated, spot-on, and difficult to read. The siblings are warm and loving characters with wide appeal, though Beatrice understandably has more of a 10-year-old’s rambunctious outlook. Hayden’s latest provides moving authenticity. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.