Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 02/01/2015 PreS-Gr 1—In a darkened bedroom, a young girl requests that her older sister tell her what to dream about "or I won't be able to fall asleep." The older girl comes up with several fanciful scenarios for her little sister to ponder, such as eating teeny-tiny waffles with teeny-tiny animals, and living in a furry world, a fluffy world, and a tree house. But for every suggestion, the little girl finds something to worry about, until the older sister gets too tired to think of anything else, and both girls finally fall asleep. Potter's classic watercolor-and-ink illustrations have a quirkiness that perfectly mirrors the fantasy element of the dreams, and the contrast between the calm blueness of night and the warm brightness of the dream worlds works beautifully. There is a great deal of imagination and whimsy in these dream ideas and more than a bit of menace as well, yet this is a book that also feels quite personal. Indeed, it is no surprise that the author wrote it for her own daughters, who ask her what they should dream about. The result is a realistic and intimate bedtime conversation between sisters. VERDICT A book that might well spark some fanciful dreams.—Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/15/2015 Two sisters lie in twin beds, trying to sleep. The younger begs the older, “tell me what to dream about.” Her big sister cooperates, starting with the image of waffles for breakfast, then seguing to enjoying the waffles with little animals, but the little girl protests that waffles are not a good dream. And tiny animals trampling her waffles is worse. She objects to furry friends (too scary) as well as living in a fluffy world way up high (also too scary). The siblings appear in muted blues, but the elaborate, sometimes surreal dreamscapes take over, filling the pages with vibrant color—until, that is, the umpteenth interruption. The two girls appear to be opposites in every way, the older whimsical, the younger quite literal. When the little girl revises the original idea, adding a specific, practical distinction—not just waffles, but making waffles—the two drift off, suggesting that their different natures are not necessarily entirely incompatible. Kids will enjoy the increasingly magical scenarios as well as the final resolution. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.