As you all might remember, I was really impressed with John David Anderson’s STOWAWAY. Today, I’m very pleased to be part of the blog tour for the sequel of this duology, HOMEBOUND! If you love thrilling space adventures and galactic war combined with found and real family and reflections on the meaning of life, read on! But before I get started, I’ll point out that HOMEBOUND is eligible to be nominated for this year’s Cybils Awards, so if you read it and love it, you could be the one to do so!

About HOMEBOUND by John David Anderson

Leo Fender is no stranger to catastrophe, whether it’s the intergalactic war that took his mother’s life or the ongoing fight for his own. He’s seen his planet plundered, his ship attacked, his father kidnapped, and his brother go missing—and found himself stranded on a ship with a bunch of mercenary space pirates. Still, nothing could have prepared him for the moment he and the crew tried to save his father—and discovered a dark plot that could destroy hundreds of worlds in the blink of an eye.
Now, Leo is adrift. His father has sent him on a mission with nothing but a data chip and a name
of someone who could help, and Captain Bastian Black and the crew of the Icarus are determined to see this through to the end with Leo, to fulfill his father’s wish and prevent further conflict. But as Leo searches for answers, he can’t help but wonder what it would take to end the war, to track down his father and brother and return to whatever home they have left—and if the cost of doing so is one he would be able to pay.

John David Anderson returns with the conclusion to the epic coming-of-age adventure that began in Stowaway—a riveting and heartfelt search for hope and home, family and future, in a galaxy ravaged by war.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John David Anderson is the author of some of the most beloved and highly acclaimed books for kids in recent memory, including the New York Times Notable Book Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, Posted, Stowaway, Granted, Sidekicked, and The Dungeoneers. A dedicated root beer
connoisseur and chocolate fiend, he lives with his wonderful wife and two frawsome kids in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can visit him online at www.johndavidanderson.org.

My Take

Homebound by John David Anderson. Walden Pond Press, 2022. ISBN 978-0062986009. E-ARC provided by the publisher.
In STOWAWAY, our Leo was separated from his family for the first time, thrown in with a crew of pirates, and had to convince them to help him track down his father and hope for a way to find his brother.

Now, in HOMEBOUND, his family is still separated, and he has the additional mission of trying to stop a galactic-level war. For just a smidge more extra pressure, you know. There’s a new planet to visit and a non-human person who needs to be convinced to help them. Leo, who’s always been plagued with anxiety and relied on his parents or older brother, needs to identify his own power and, with less than ideal choices all around, figure out what his values are and what choices best align with them. The action in the present tense is interwoven with memories of his time on Earth, of picnics with his mother, games with his brother, and overheard adult conversations, all of which contribute to his actions in the present.

In addition to introspection, there is still the wild and wonderful found family of his pirate crew, as well as strange alien food, robot romance, loud rock music, and quite a few chase and battle scenes, together with a strong environmental message – because who can appreciate Earth more than people who’ve been living in a space ship? This books perfectly rounds out the story that began in STOWAWAY. If you enjoyed that, you’ll definitely want to pick up that. If you haven’t read it yet, now is the perfect time to binge read them.

HOMEWARD BLOG TOUR AUGUST 23-SEPTEMBER 3, 2022

August 23 Nerdy Book Club @nerdybookclub
August 26 A Library Mama @alibrarymama
August 30 Teachers Who Read @teachers_read
September 1 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers @grgenius
September 3 Maria’s Mélange @mariaselke