Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 05/01/2026 K-Gr 3—A riotous exploration of avian evolution through the eyes of one very determined hen. The comedy begins in the front matter with a "reverse evolution" chart—dinosaur to chicken—that sends the protagonist into a spiral of righteous fury. After printing out the evidence from her computer, the hen gathers her eggs to explain their formidable heritage, insisting she once possessed a "mighty roar." While the main text utilizes a bouncy, rhythmic rhyme, Lyall expertly uses prose breaks for comedic timing, particularly as the hen laments the "teeny-tiny arms" she inherited from her T. rex ancestors. With sparse text and high-energy illustrations, this is an ideal read-aloud for younger students. Keller's signature style is on full display, and her clever visual subplots are just as vital to the storytelling as the text. Observant readers will delight in the small, humorous details tucked into the margins—like the chicken hanging a "Back in 10 Minutes" sign on her coop while she steps outside to throw a tantrum over her evolutionary discovery. The story concludes on a high note of "reclaimed birthright" as the newly hatched chicks trade their expected "cheeps" for full-throated roars. Back matter includes a clever interview between the author and the chicken, providing scientific context on the link between theropods and modern birds. VERDICT A hilarious, surprisingly informative standout. Fans of Douglas Rees's Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna the Very First Chicken will find this an equally funny companion.—Heidi Dechief - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Publishers Weekly - 05/18/2026 A plucky chicken takes the idea of heritage breed all the way back to the Cretaceous in this rousing picture book by Lyall (Vampire Jam Sandwich) and Keller (Bears Are Best!). Sporting handsome yellow and red speckled feathers and a bright red comb, the chicken deems her egg-sitting farm life "quite fowl," but she refuses to let domesticity diminish her dino DNA. Musing, "I used to be a dinosaur with huge and powerful jaws," she imagines herself nose-to-beak with a mighty T. rex ancestor and considers how she’d "flash my giant, pointy teeth and wave my sharpened claws." Clean rhyming verse bounces consistently along, while well-strutted mixed-media illustrations evoke crayon, collage, and other crafty textures that lend a homespun dimensionality to scenes focused on both eras. Returning to the present day, final spreads turn the dino-dreaming into a moment of defiance: "What if I’m still a dinosaur// ’cause that’s who I choose to be?" Legacy is nothing to cluck at for the protagonist of this brassy story about unflappable confidence-no matter how many millennia are perched on the family tree. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4-8. (June) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.

Booklist - 06/01/2026 As a hen experiences a tongue-in-cheek existential identity crisis, she describes the ways in which she used to be a powerful, chomping, roaring, meat-eating dinosaur and now lives a boring life on a farm. A variety of art materials are used to create illustrations that establish a clear visual distinction between reality and imagination. The hen appears more dimensional and realistic, while her dinosaur counterparts are flat and childlike, reinforcing her role as both narrator and unreliable self-interpreter. Absurd exaggerations of her supposed past as a T. rex are paired with playful wordplay, including an Old MacDonald twist (“E.I. E.I. no”), adding to the humor and child appeal. Back matter connects the humor to real-world science by noting that chickens did evolve from dinosaurs (though not the T. rex). Read-aloud potential is high, thanks to the dramatic narration and the popular appeal of farm animals and dinosaurs. A concept-driven, humor-forward picture book in which illustration style and voice do the heavy lifting. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.