Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 Gr 8 Up—In the sleepy New England town of Port Howl, rumors and secrets thrive. Luckily for twins Al and Pete, that means opportunities to investigate and earn some reward money. When lightning strikes a nearby lighthouse, the teen sleuths discover an altar and see someone practicing witchcraft—who then chases them. Al and Pete realize they've uncovered a mystery that threatens to uncover some of Port Howl's darkest secrets. Along with their stepsister Charlie, their professor father David, and David's assistant Rowan, the boys try to crack this spooky case. Reminiscent of the illustrations in the "Lumberjanes" series, the art is charming with sketchy lines and bold watercolors. Despite minimalist designs, characters are expressive. The sequences featuring witches are especially striking, with dramatic angles, varying panel sizes, and some hauntingly pale colors. Though the art might suggest a middle grade audience, scenes of teens drinking and smoking, along with the occasional swear word, make this book more appropriate for a YA audience. Set against the backdrop of the late 1960s burgeoning gay rights movement, the tale also explores the complications of grappling with an LGBTQ+ identity in more close-minded times. VERDICT A secondary purchase for mature fans of classic children's mysteries.—Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

School Library Journal - 04/01/2020 Gr 8 Up—In the sleepy New England town of Port Howl, rumors and secrets thrive. Luckily for twins Al and Pete, that means opportunities to investigate and earn some reward money. When lightning strikes a nearby lighthouse, the teen sleuths discover an altar and see someone practicing witchcraft—who then chases them. Al and Pete realize they've uncovered a mystery that threatens to uncover some of Port Howl's darkest secrets. Along with their stepsister Charlie, their professor father David, and David's assistant Rowan, the boys try to crack this spooky case. Reminiscent of the illustrations in the "Lumberjanes" series, the art is charming with sketchy lines and bold watercolors. Despite minimalist designs, characters are expressive. The sequences featuring witches are especially striking, with dramatic angles, varying panel sizes, and some hauntingly pale colors. Though the art might suggest a middle grade audience, scenes of teens drinking and smoking, along with the occasional swear word, make this book more appropriate for a YA audience. Set against the backdrop of the late 1960s burgeoning gay rights movement, the tale also explores the complications of grappling with an LGBTQ+ identity in more close-minded times. VERDICT A secondary purchase for mature fans of classic children's mysteries.—Anna Murphy, Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 07/01/2020 *Starred Review* Readers might be excused from thinking they accidentally picked up the middle installment in a series, thanks to Page and Shannon’s immersive storytelling in this series starter. We meet the titular twins, orphaned teen detectives Al and Pete, as they’re wrapping up the mystery of a missing dog and enjoying the fruits of their labor (i.e., the reward money). As they traipse around Port Howl on a sunny day in the summer of 1969 with their friend Charlie, daughter of David, the professor who took the twins in, they encounter a mysterious box that imparts ghostly visions and investigate the disappearance of Rachel Bradford, daughter of the most powerful man in town. Meanwhile, the twins and Charlie undertake magic lessons from Rowan, David’s grad student, and Pete wrestles with how to share a secret. Shannon’s amiable artwork, in loose expressive lines and a warm palette of rich color, sets a charming, occasionally spooky scene, and that charm is in compelling contrast to some of the darker elements to the story, such as a legacy of violence in Port Howl, lingering prejudice, and the dangers inherent in a myopic view of history. Hints at a complicated institution of magic and questions about the twins' parents point toward adventures to come in this fantasy-mystery series with impressive depth. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 07/01/2020 *Starred Review* Readers might be excused from thinking they accidentally picked up the middle installment in a series, thanks to Page and Shannon’s immersive storytelling in this series starter. We meet the titular twins, orphaned teen detectives Al and Pete, as they’re wrapping up the mystery of a missing dog and enjoying the fruits of their labor (i.e., the reward money). As they traipse around Port Howl on a sunny day in the summer of 1969 with their friend Charlie, daughter of David, the professor who took the twins in, they encounter a mysterious box that imparts ghostly visions and investigate the disappearance of Rachel Bradford, daughter of the most powerful man in town. Meanwhile, the twins and Charlie undertake magic lessons from Rowan, David’s grad student, and Pete wrestles with how to share a secret. Shannon’s amiable artwork, in loose expressive lines and a warm palette of rich color, sets a charming, occasionally spooky scene, and that charm is in compelling contrast to some of the darker elements to the story, such as a legacy of violence in Port Howl, lingering prejudice, and the dangers inherent in a myopic view of history. Hints at a complicated institution of magic and questions about the twins' parents point toward adventures to come in this fantasy-mystery series with impressive depth. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 07/01/2020 *Starred Review* Readers might be excused from thinking they accidentally picked up the middle installment in a series, thanks to Page and Shannon’s immersive storytelling in this series starter. We meet the titular twins, orphaned teen detectives Al and Pete, as they’re wrapping up the mystery of a missing dog and enjoying the fruits of their labor (i.e., the reward money). As they traipse around Port Howl on a sunny day in the summer of 1969 with their friend Charlie, daughter of David, the professor who took the twins in, they encounter a mysterious box that imparts ghostly visions and investigate the disappearance of Rachel Bradford, daughter of the most powerful man in town. Meanwhile, the twins and Charlie undertake magic lessons from Rowan, David’s grad student, and Pete wrestles with how to share a secret. Shannon’s amiable artwork, in loose expressive lines and a warm palette of rich color, sets a charming, occasionally spooky scene, and that charm is in compelling contrast to some of the darker elements to the story, such as a legacy of violence in Port Howl, lingering prejudice, and the dangers inherent in a myopic view of history. Hints at a complicated institution of magic and questions about the twins' parents point toward adventures to come in this fantasy-mystery series with impressive depth. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.

Booklist - 07/01/2020 *Starred Review* Readers might be excused from thinking they accidentally picked up the middle installment in a series, thanks to Page and Shannon’s immersive storytelling in this series starter. We meet the titular twins, orphaned teen detectives Al and Pete, as they’re wrapping up the mystery of a missing dog and enjoying the fruits of their labor (i.e., the reward money). As they traipse around Port Howl on a sunny day in the summer of 1969 with their friend Charlie, daughter of David, the professor who took the twins in, they encounter a mysterious box that imparts ghostly visions and investigate the disappearance of Rachel Bradford, daughter of the most powerful man in town. Meanwhile, the twins and Charlie undertake magic lessons from Rowan, David’s grad student, and Pete wrestles with how to share a secret. Shannon’s amiable artwork, in loose expressive lines and a warm palette of rich color, sets a charming, occasionally spooky scene, and that charm is in compelling contrast to some of the darker elements to the story, such as a legacy of violence in Port Howl, lingering prejudice, and the dangers inherent in a myopic view of history. Hints at a complicated institution of magic and questions about the twins' parents point toward adventures to come in this fantasy-mystery series with impressive depth. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.