Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 10/24/2025 Gr 1–3—In alliterative language as lyrical and atmospheric as her moonlit, starlit accompanying scenes of northern forest, water, and sky, Goade (We Are Water Protectors, Berry Song) evokes both the wonders of the natural world and her own Tlingit and Haida cultural background. Living with her extended family on an island "at the edge of the shimmering sea," a child responds to a wakeful cousin's request for a nighttime story with an imaginary outing as the Moon sings: "Come! Haagú!/ Follow the light./ Slip under spruce,/ slink past cedar,/ delve deep into a velvety hush." All aglimmer, the trees and ocean sing too, until a greater glow beckoning from the starry skies overhead—"Daa sáyú? What could it be?"—sends the two fur-clad explorers soaring to join the swirling northern lights, and then at last floating back to their cozy beds to "drift and dream/ of moon song." The poetic narrative practically begs to be read aloud, joining these luminous pictures to invite viewers and listeners in groups large or intimate to echo the young storyteller's thanks "for the dark and the light: "Gunalchéesh, hó hó,/ gunalchéesh!" VERDICT A lovely, immersive outing, equally apt for sharing with groups or one on one.—John Peters - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 08/01/2025 *Starred Review* This companion to the Caldecott Honor–winning Berry Song (2022) revisits the close-knit Tlingit family that lives on “an island at the edge of a shimmering sea.” In this wintry tale, the child narrator comforts her cousin who “doesn’t trust the dark” by telling him a nature-filled bedtime story about the wonders of a “shivery-cold and shadow-cloaked” night. Illuminated by the moon’s soft glow, the young storyteller opens with an irresistible invitation of “Come! Haagú! Follow the light,” and leads the exploratory adventure with inquisitive, repeated phrases of “Daa sáyú? What could it be?” As the children walk into the “velvety hush” of the snow-covered forest, they see icicles glistening on tree branches. Beyond the beach, bioluminescent waves glitter, and “fish spin and spark like shooting stars.” In the sky, the cousins take in the opulence of the aurora borealis. After enjoying their revelatory reverie, they return to their cozy beds with a newfound appreciation of the “sparkling, shining, splendid night.” Rich with metaphor, the poetic language conveys a deep connection to the land and shares Indigenous teachings of respect. In the dead of winter, nature is active, alive, and singing. Stunning artwork brings the beauty of the environment into brilliant view, including hibernating animals beneath the ground. Moon Song is an exquisite picture book about seeing darkness and wintry nights in a new light. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.