Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 03/01/2012 PreS-Gr 2—Just when it seems that there could not possibly be anything new to present about this trendy color, Seeger creates a tactile treat that yields surprise with every page turn. On a surface that brings its own nubby texture, the thickly applied oils produce luscious scenes, verdant and ripe. As the spreads open, whether the view is of a forest, a still life of limes, or a seascape, each one begs to be touched, and if the eye hasn't spotted the often cleverly concealed diecuts, the hand will find them. Thus the cutout leaves in the "forest green" landscape become the outlines of fish on the next page's "sea green." Sometimes words are disguised in a painting, so "jungle" (green), obvious when seen through the white frame next to a tiger, is camouflaged when the turn reveals Jackson Pollack-style drips across a lizard on the "khaki green" page. Some choices are "wacky": a green zebra. Others give pause; the stop sign is "never" green. The penultimate composition of a child planting a seedling is wordless, inviting listeners, propelled by the internal rhymes, to participate. The conclusion displays a massive trunk leading up to "forever green." Perfectly paced and visually exciting, this title introduces concepts, humor, and the joy of looking to young children; it represents picture book making at its very best.—Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Bulletin for the Center... - 04/01/2012 In this concept book from the author/illustrator of First the Egg (BCCB 12/07), every spread evokes a different kind of green. The spare text (only two words, one of them “green,” per spread) starts out literally, with depictions of forest green (a forest) and lime green (limes), then moves towards more abstract representations, such as a caterpillar for “slow green,” a stop sign for “never green,” and a wintry white scene for “no green.” Each spread includes a small die-cut hole (or holes) on the recto that reveals the next page, allowing a coordinating part of the upcoming spread to peek through; conversely, when the page is turned, the aperture now on the verso coordinates with the previous spread. While not all of the interpretations are equally successful, this is overall an enticing project in color exploration and language, and the use of the die-cuts to knit each spread to others is a cunning device. The acrylic paints in the full-bleed spreads are heavily applied to textured canvases, and there is subsequently a great deal of texture in each painting, and the large scale would share well with a crowd. There may not be enough heft here to stand alone as a group readaloud, but listeners will likely want a closer examination of the rich paintings and the intricate workings of the die-cuts when storytime is through. HM - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 05/01/2012 *Starred Review* If you think of green—well, which green are you thinking of? As Seeger shows in her latest beguiling picture book, green is a color that stretches the mind. On the forest green spread, a bunny meanders. Sharp little eyes will spot the cutouts of two leaves on a tree branch. Turn the page, and the leaf cuts have now become small fish on a sea-green spread. With each turn of the page, something becomes something else when viewed through the beautifully designed paper cuts: a night sky becomes a violet; a red barn becomes apples on a tree. The clever transformations extend to letters, too; on one page, Khaki is formed by the jungle fronds of the previous spread. Seeger often varies her artistic style; those expecting the simpler, childlike shapes found in the Dog and Bear books will find a lusher offering here. Water, fruit, forests, and ferns come alive, but although Seeger could have pushed her greens onto a predictable ecological pathway, she doesn’t force an environmental message, letting the richness of the natural world speak for itself. Finally, after a white winter, spring comes: a boy plants, a girl gazes, and green, once more, sings its eternal song. This is a book for turning pages, pointing, looking, talking—fun! - Copyright 2012 Booklist.

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