Bound To Stay Bound

Publishers Weekly - 11/10/2025 Following his reimagining of "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," Barnett retells "Rumpelstiltskin," his wisecracking lines (the miller is "a nice enough guy, but he had a big mouth") joined by the medieval elegance of gouache spreads by Caldecott Honoree Ellis. After the miller jests to the visiting king about his own daughter’s ability to spin gold from straw, the daughter is shown hunched in despair within a royal room. The small, cunning man who appears out of nowhere will spin the king’s ever-larger piles of straw into gold, but he demands rewards in return-she offers first her jewelry, then her firstborn. After she weds the king and bears a child, the little man promises mercy if she can guess his name. A list is made and read aloud, and hilarity bubbles to the surface ("Jay? Shawn?" "No! No!" "Danladi? Octavius? Cuthbert?" "No! No! No!") as the scroll of names is shown drifting and looping around the page. Short, punchy text juices the tale’s momentum ("Deal," the girl replies to the wily man’s offers), while portraits trace the miller’s daughter’s journey from frog-catching child to regal royal and back again in this haunting tale about the power of knowing someone’s name. Most characters are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly used with permission.

Booklist - 01/01/2026 *Starred Review* Barnett kicked off his fairy-tale retellings memorably with The Three Billy Goats Gruff (2022), illustrated by Jon Klassen. Now, he’s teamed up with Caldecott honoree Ellis to spin the tale of Rumpelstiltskin, that gold-producing trickster. Theirs is a pleasing alchemy, with Barnett employing conversational language anchored in understated humor and Ellis’ rich gouache illustrations evoking both wood-block prints and Renaissance portraiture. The original story, as told by the Brothers Grimm, isn’t much altered here; rather, it is filled out with creative details that enrich the narrative and give context to the life of the woman at the center of the whole debacle. Barnett takes full advantage of the challenge to guess Rumpelstiltskin’s name, gleefully spouting off a litany of names that range from silly to ostentatious to mundane, which will elicit cackles from young readers and listeners. Meanwhile, Ellis sets the historical tone with her fantastic artwork. The scenes within the castle are cast in shadows but full of patterns, from the tiled floors and grain of wooden beams to hanging tapestries and textured window glass. Blues and greens stand in vibrant contrast to the earthier indoor palette, though the landscapes are decidedly lush. And flitting his way through all these is wee Rumpelstiltskin, clad in a blue cap, a red coat, and harlequin tights—an unforgettable sight for characters and readers alike. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 04/17/2026 Gr 2–5—This is a retelling of the original story about a miller who bragged to the king that his daughter could spin straw into gold. The king locks the daughter in the room, and she negotiates with a small man who keeps appearing and demanding more from her until she has nothing left to give except the promise of her firstborn child. Once the son is born, new negotiations commence. Barnett stays true to the fairy tale, save for the addition of one brilliant question at the end. While the text is in long paragraphs and the typeface is small, it is well-paced and easy for school-age children to follow. Ellis's colorful Byzantine-style illustrations, the small detailed black-and-white drawings interspersed throughout the text, and the decorated endpapers will have readers feeling as if they have an old medieval manuscript in their hands, which ties in well with the story. VERDICT This is an excellent book from a stellar team, for children who enjoy comprehensive fairy tales and any collection looking for updated versions of beloved classics.—Angela Warsinske - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.