Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 02/01/2015 PreS-Gr 1—Bear is tired of being a bear. He doesn't like to sleep all winter, and his fur is too hot in the summer. And he is sick of all the angry bees when he tries to gather honey. As Bear sits grumbling under a tree about how much he doesn't want to be a bear anymore, he hears the sound of nearby ducks: "Quack!" Bear decides to join them and tries his hand at being a duck. Duck reluctantly agrees to help him. Lessons abound with nest building, swimming, and evening flying and although Bear is determined, he just can't succeed at his lofty goal. Humorous illustrations reinforce the plot and provide readers with a pleasing story of friendship and subtle lessons on embracing those qualities that make each individual unique. Standout illustrations rendered in ink and watercolor create an inviting mood. Spreads, cute vignettes, and painterly style drawings in warm hues create excellent focal points, making this a winning composition and fun-filled tale. VERDICT A sweet and engaging picture book debut.—Melissa Smith, Royal Oak Public Library, MI - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 07/01/2015 “I am done being a bear,” states Bear, who’s tired of hibernating and suffering from the heat of a fur coat in the summer. When he happens on a line of waddling ducks, he decides this is his destiny and joins them; the leading duck insists it’s not that simple but agrees to teach Bear the ways of duckdom. Bear struggles a little with nest-building and swimming and fails utterly at flying—until he mistakes a plummet from the tree he climbed for flight. The inevitable hard landing makes him realize that being a duck may not be for him after all, but his new buddy reassures him: “You make a really good bear . . . and a really good friend.” The climactic twist is pretty abrupt, but the text has a cozy, Milne-infused flavor (Bear is alerted to the ducks by “a noise. A happy, I-don’t-sleep-all-winter-or-have-hot-fur-or-bees-stinging-my-nose kind of noise”), with lots of lively dialogue. There are also dollops of humor: the “How to Be a Duck” spreads amusingly outline the rules for various duck behaviors, contrasting with Bear’s game but inept execution of same. The ink and watercolor illustrations place big, softly brown Bear against airy white backgrounds, with verdant and flowering meadow underfoot adding to the sunny feel. Bear has a limited number of poses, but his lack of flexibility is narratively appropriate, and when the illustrations do bust out the broad visual comedy—when Bear’s splashing upends the ducks around him—it’s a raucous ramp-up. There’s no shortage of adorable picture-book bears, but this one is a lovable goofball, and he and his friend Duck will add giggles to a storytime. DS - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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