Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 06/01/2025 Whether due to the homemade dog biscuit he eats, thinking it’s a cookie, or some other cause, Gio Barker discovers that he can converse with dogs. Better yet, led by a schnoodle named Millie, the eager pooches that crowd the doggy day care center set up by Gio's single mother turn out to be pretty smart—not only bilingual in both “human-speak” and “Bark” but also quite capable of helping him break through the isolation of being the new kid in fifth grade and to sharpen his rudimentary soccer skills. And so it is that by episode’s end, Gio has not only become part of a new “pack” of two and four legged “fur-ever” friends but has also excelled in a practice match on the pitch in the wake of a rousing “pup talk” from Millie. Catalán stocks her occasional illustrations with lively pooches of diverse breeds and mixes. Along with resolutely losing no opportunity for puns, Alfano further enriches the flavor of the dialogue with occasional Spanish words and expressions. A fetching series kickoff with a waggish premise. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.