Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 08/01/2023 K-Gr 3—Sometimes friends appear in the most unexpected places. Such is the example of the cattle egret and the rhinoceros. While the egret does all the talking in this book set in Africa, the rhino has plenty of nonverbal communication. The egret explains to the rhino what a symbiotic relationship is and why each is important to the other. The egret, punning along the way, explains their strengths and weaknesses and how symbiosis works. In a fun and educational text, the egret explains to the rhino what friends do for each other, like helping; respecting boundaries; compromising; allowing alone time; and being loyal, honest, and appreciative of the other, in addition to being kind. Teague isn't interested in teaching textbook symbiosis; when the egret is about to be lost to some quicksand, the rhino engages in a rescue that may or may not be cued from nature. But this will grab interest, as will the background scenes that contain images of African animals in their natural setting. Teachers and parents alike will find this book enjoyable to read many times as chatty egret comes off as slightly overbearing, pushing the limits of the friendship to the point that it becomes quite entertaining. VERDICT Pick this book as a wonderful read-aloud for units on wild animals, symbiotic relationships, or just a comic romp between two unlikely friends.—Tracy Cronce - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2023 An African cattle egret tries to talk a reluctant rhinoceros into a friendship in this humorous take on a symbiotic relationship. After landing on the huge, one-horned, tiny-eyed rhino, the egret launches into a sales pitch on friendship. A big flaw in the plan emerges as the egret talks about what the rhino can do for the egret but, oddly, never gets around to saying what it can do for the rhino (consume the ticks that the rhino can’t get at, squawk off predators). The egret is comically chatty and pesky, throwing out bromides about friendship (helping each other, doing things together, communicating) that this bird is just not doing. The climax, in which the egret gets stuck in quicksand at a watering hole and the rhino pulls it out, says more about true friendship than all of the egret’s platitudes. The lively illustrations, done in acrylics, depict realistic animals and landscapes. Somewhat vague about symbiotic relationships, with the egret’s descriptions of friendship seeming tacked on, but entertaining overall. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.

Booklist - 06/15/2023 An African cattle egret tries to talk a reluctant rhinoceros into a friendship in this humorous take on a symbiotic relationship. After landing on the huge, one-horned, tiny-eyed rhino, the egret launches into a sales pitch on friendship. A big flaw in the plan emerges as the egret talks about what the rhino can do for the egret but, oddly, never gets around to saying what it can do for the rhino (consume the ticks that the rhino can’t get at, squawk off predators). The egret is comically chatty and pesky, throwing out bromides about friendship (helping each other, doing things together, communicating) that this bird is just not doing. The climax, in which the egret gets stuck in quicksand at a watering hole and the rhino pulls it out, says more about true friendship than all of the egret’s platitudes. The lively illustrations, done in acrylics, depict realistic animals and landscapes. Somewhat vague about symbiotic relationships, with the egret’s descriptions of friendship seeming tacked on, but entertaining overall. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.