Bound To Stay Bound

Other - 06/02/2025 Thompson (The Age of Exploration) meticulously probes the centuries-long history between the Russian and Ukrainian governments and its impact on the countries’ present-day citizens in this thorough accounting. The latest escalation in the Russo-Ukrainian war "began with a thirty-two-second selfie video that changed history forever," the author explains in a prologue, employing lively, casual text. The video-showing Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelensky addressing rumors that he’d fled following Russia’s invasion-"inspired the citizens of his country to stand up to the invaders and battle for their freedom." Subsequent chapters, divided into four parts, examine Russia and Ukraine’s respective political landscapes from the early 20th century and onward, including the fall of the Russian Empire and Ukraine’s vying for statehood. Each historical benchmark is contextualized via the intertwining backstories of Zelensky, Russian president Vladimir Putin, and the figures’ ancestors. A recurring motif-the Russian proverb "I fled from a wolf, but ran into a bear"-offers cultural insight into the countries’ perspectives on life, politics, and freedom across a dense volume, best suited for history aficionados, that impressively highlights the cascading events leading to today’s conflict. Ages 8-12. (Aug.) - Copyright 2025

School Library Journal - 08/29/2025 Gr 8–12—Thompson frames a book about the current Russo-Ukrainian War by introducing several generations of Putins and Zelenskys before talking about Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, the current leaders of Russia and Ukraine respectively. And Thompson can't do that without also detailing the history of both countries' economic, social, and political shifts over the centuries. While the nuances of partnerships or motivations of individuals can never truly be understood, Thompson's determination to provide foundational information is praiseworthy. Parsing Russian and Ukrainian politics over time by focusing on individuals and strategic alliances helps humanize and organize the breadth of background to solidly grasp the current climate between the countries. Furthermore, Thompson's writing voice is strong, coming across as an eager teacher invested in helping readers learn but also understand and question for themselves. This approach makes this title an asset for civic engagement that also includes copious back matter to explore further. While the chapters are on the lengthy side, there are several images and quotes included. It could have benefited from additional text features to add dimension to the reading; however, the content is the important part and is delivered with care. VERDICT With tenuous alliances and ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine ever-present in the news, this book needs to be in every collection to help teens understand the background of these countries and those who lead them.—Alicia Abdul - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.