Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/18/2024 Gr 2–5—Cline-Ransome highlights the struggle many in the U.S. faced to access education and literacy, emphasizing the resistance and resilience of the enslaved, even amid their dehumanization; she brings to light a critical history and makes it accessible for younger audiences. This powerful picture book, enhanced by dynamic watercolor and line illustrations, tells a compelling story through narrative poetry. Teach learns to read alongside his enslaver then spreads that knowledge to empower those in his community. The images are vibrant and nuanced, pulling readers in and enhancing the emotional weight of the text. The poetic format makes this book a strong choice for integrating poetry into classroom units, whether as part of a dedicated study or in connection to social studies and history. Teachers will find this book particularly useful for preparing students to analyze paired passages or compare perspectives across texts. The back matter includes an author's note and recommended further reading, which allows for deeper exploration of the themes. This picture book combines narrative poetry and beautiful illustrations to highlight the struggles for literacy and education among enslaved people. VERDICT A highly recommended resource for fostering meaningful discussions in classrooms and libraries around history, perseverance, and the power of learning.—Christina Salazar - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 09/01/2024 *Starred Review* Growing up on a Southern plantation in the early 1860s is a young, enslaved man secretly known as Teach. He learned reading, writing, and math alongside his childhood playmate, his enslaver’s son. Now that they are grown, Teach uses his skills clerking in his enslaver’s store. But he has promised his enslaver to keep his illegal literacy a secret from the customers. He keeps secrets from his enslaver, too, such as who is planning to escape and how he’s been helping them. Despite threats of punishment, he teaches other enslaved folks, young and old, to read, and he helps them when he can, guided by his sense of what is right. Inspired by true stories of enslaved people risking everything for freedom and written from Teach’s viewpoint, the plainspoken, lyrical free-verse text suggests the man’s dialect through the narrative’s rhythms as well as by omitting certain syllables. Teach gradually emerges as one of many leaders in his community. The artist’s beautiful watercolor paintings capture the inherent drama and the even tone of the text. His skillful use of color, lighting, and silhouettes, as well as the sensitive character depictions, make this a memorable book. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.