Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/15/2024 Dramatic illustrations and minimal text convey the story of a lonely, anthropomorphic star who befriends a comet. The comet crosses paths with the star every 76 years, which is not so long for them. As the celestial tale unfolds, a second story is told visually: On the ground, small human figures with telescopes observe the night sky. Next, a hand is shown opening a scrapbook about the comet. The two stories combine as the fictional book’s pages expand to fill the actual pages. Toward the end, those full-bleed images shrink back into the scrapbook pages. Now two hands are shown—one perhaps of an older adult, the other belonging to a child. The author’s note explains the comet was inspired by Halley’s Comet, which passes Earth at 76-year intervals. Did the adult first see the comet as a child? Has the person been keeping a scrapbook the whole time and is now sharing it with a younger person? Readers may pore over the images and come up with their own ideas, inspired by the vivid and imaginative art. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.