Bound To Stay Bound

Publishers Weekly - 03/30/2026 A Black child dives deep into an ocean and its history in a contemplative picture book from Grant (Bright Lights and Summer Nights) and Caldecott Honoree Minter that considers themes of inheritance and loss. Across vertically oriented spreads, neatly rhyming lines follow the youth and other divers from the water’s surface into "the biggest, brightest, bluest blue." As the figures descend, the deep water goes "black as night"-except for a light emanating from a sunken ship that’s superimposed with images of chains and shackles. Questions follow ("What happened here? Where did they go?"), as do musings on the kind of loss caused by "the traders and the tides." Indigo-rich illustrations combine striated oceanic backgrounds and crisp white etching-like patterns. Spreads take on sky blues and myriad purples as the child is seemingly buoyed upward by figures that suggest ancestral spirits, encounters "the rhythmic rap of dancing drums;/ Asante, Bono, Fanti tongues," then gathers with others "on a sandy shore/ to honor those who came before." This abstract, visually immersive work invites discussion about ideas of cultural connection and communal memory. Ages 4-8. Author’s agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rick Margolis, Rising Bear Literary. (June) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.

School Library Journal - 05/29/2026 PreS-Gr 3—Grant delivers a lyrical and visually stunning exploration of a scuba dive beneath the sea. As readers descend into the ocean's depths through the eyes of the diver, a young person with brown skin, they encounter the haunting beauty of a sunken ship. This image invites questions about its past. Who traveled aboard it? What caused its fate? How does its story linger in history? Following this thread of curiosity, the text gently connects the modern diver to ancestral narratives and collective memory. Grant's language is rich and evocative, with phrases like "buoys bounced," "quiet hue," and "treasure trove," creating a rhythmic, almost musical quality. Alliteration and sound play enhance the sensory experience, making the text especially engaging when read aloud. Complementing the prose, the illustrations immerse readers in a palette of deep blues, purples, and greens, evoking both calm and mystery. While abstract in its treatment of history, the book invites reflection and wonder rather than providing direct answers. VERDICT A beautifully crafted read-aloud that encourages an appreciation for language, sound patterns, and historical connections.—Tracey Hodges - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2026 *Starred Review* Here's a book you can read again and again, relishing the alliterative language and layered, glowing illustrations. A girl invites us to join her as she dives deep into the ocean. Above and below the surface of the sea, a sankofa bird accompanies her as she moves towards the ocean floor amid a multitude of creatures. The text is as lyrical as the art, following a slightly irregular rhyme scheme and alliteration that echoes through the undulating ocean currents: “What happened here? Where did they go? / What were their names? I want to know / the knowings that the old ones knew / (the rarest, realest kind of blue).” The girl encounters a sunken slave ship aglow with the spirits of ancestors, pale filigree against warm mauve and deep purple hues. As the spirits reach their hands to hers, her face is filled with calm knowledge of her past traced to the Asante and Fanti people, talking drums, and “eyes as dark as mine.” Deepest Blue comes to a natural end when the girl surfaces and joins companions on the beach in celebration of history, knowledge, time, and self. This stunningly beautiful book is a must-read for all ages and can be a mentor text for writing and art activities. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.