Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 06/01/2026 Fish has a hard time convincing Octopus that he has sprouted feet in this I Can Read Comics title. Readers will observe that Fish obviously has feet—with toes—but Octopus says his friend must be imagining things. He remains earnestly incredulous throughout the story while Fish enthusiastically says he can now wear colorful socks, stylish shoes, and dance. But when Fish gives his pal a surprise gift of socks and shoes for each of his tentacles, Octopus saves his seriousness for another day. Bubblegum-pink and citrus-orange characters stand out on their deep teal-green background spreads with easy-to-read white speech bubbles. A fun read-aloud could be achieved with a new reader taking the role of Fish, who has slightly easier to read dialogue, while a more experienced reader reads as Octopus, who uses more advanced words like impossible, ridiculous, and nonsense. Either as a shared reading experience or for graphic novel readers looking for a quick read featuring silly and serious characters, this buddy book is sure to please. - Copyright 2026 Booklist.