Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 01/01/2018 Readers are swept along on a nearly wordless adventure in Browne’s imaginative account of Marlo the pit bull. Something very peculiar catches the brown pup’s eye when he wakes up from his afternoon nap—a small pink-and-green pterodactyl walking by with a bundle of sticks. Marlo creeps forward for a better look and finds that his living room now opens into a lush jungle where the pterodactyl is rapidly disappearing. Donning a red explorer’s backpack, Marlo makes his way through the foliage and emerges onto a grassy ledge overlooking a vast prehistoric landscape dotted with dinosaurs. Over a series of double-page spreads, Marlo pursues the pterodactyl, which children will enjoy finding in each new scene. These wordless expanses are filled with activity and a variety of dinosaurs, and illustrated in inviting shades of purple, yellow, blue, and green. Youngsters can make up their own story as they go, but an ending twist will send them back to the beginning to search for clues carefully planted by Browne. A charming testament to the imagination. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2018 PreS-Gr 2—In this (almost) wordless picture book, Marlo the dog goes off on another amazing adventure. Waking from a nap, he sees a tiny pterosaur walking around with some sticks. Marlo decides to follow it, leaving behind the comfort of his home for prehistoric landscapes. Each spread features Marlo trying to catch the dinosaur against a different background, though keen eyes will find two other dinosaurs following along on Marlo's quest. Much like Aaron Becker's Journey, kids will love poring over each page of Browne's latest; the breathtaking vastness of each scene is matched only by the vivid details that make them come to life. In one such scene, Marlo chases his friend on the neck of a brontosaurus, a swamp teeming with life and predators placed beautifully behind them. Browne's artistic style is cartoonish and makes the piece lighthearted and fun, but is detailed enough to make the scope of the piece appear massive. Even without a guide to the dinos depicted, the variety and quantity of pictures will definitely satisfy. VERDICT Highly recommend for most collections.—Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.