Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 02/01/2024 *Starred Review* Lynch, master of the “show, don’t tell” school of writing, goes to the dogs in a story lit up by examples of kindness, empathy, and people (and pooches!) helping people over rough spots in their lives. Louis is just weeks from starting high school after years of homeschooling, and his mom has been worrisomely slow to come home from rehab for an addiction to painkillers. Still, his expanding dog-walking business brings a little cash plus contact with two prospective schoolmates, Agatha and Cyrus, who prove happily willing to batter away at both of his anxieties. Along with the generally buoyant tone, the cast is really a strength here, being well stocked with memorable characters of the two-, four-, and yes, three-legged sorts. Most notably, once Agatha and Faye (Louis’ strong-minded little sister) get together, Louis is surrounded by girls who repeatedly prove capable of winding him up with the greatest of ease—and as for the dogs, well, “all dogs are magical,” as Cy rightly puts it, and even readers with no particular affinity for them will be spellbound. Following no few highs and lows, summer’s end brings both a joyful homecoming and a heady pre-term orientation event that makes high school look like a glittering promised land of personal and educational opportunities. That’s not a bad way to end this funny, fetching tale. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.