Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 09/20/2024 Gr 1–3—Tumblebaby isn't fenced in by a crib or closed doors. They are free to tumble about the house and right out the front door. Mama says, "everybody's got to make their own way in life," and Tumblebaby does that in spades. A whimsical and humorous tall tale about a free-spirited baby who rolls out into the world, outwitting kidnappers, leading coyotes, and even winning Olympic gold, all before returning home. With wild adventures and vibrant illustrations, this fast-paced story captures the chaotic joy of childhood exploration and independence. Rex's clever use of language and rhyming plot summaries adds to the fun, though some words and even some ideas will certainly need explaining. In the meantime, the illustrations double down on the story's energy. Weber's illustrations are a riot of color, movement, and storytelling that are true to the text and the Tumblebaby ethos. VERDICT A quirky, imaginative tall tale for adventurous young readers unafraid of stretching their vocabularies, this is recommended as an additional purchase for the humor section.—Catherine Callegari - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 10/01/2024 *Starred Review* Even with its leading character sleeping its way through the entire story, this quixotic tall tale from the brilliant, prolific Rex is no drowsy lullaby. With a purple body and an ever-smiling rainbowed face, the somewhat otherworldly Tumblebaby rolls away from its bemused parents toward a series of rollicking adventures. The folktale voice of Rex’s text shifts smoothly from bouncy rhythms to preposterous exposition delivered with a wry, dry wit (the coyotes are particularly hilarious). Set in larger type, exuberantly silly rhyming refrains punctuate the action, just begging to be chanted aloud. Bringing a distinctly Chagallesque vibe, Weber’s dreamy, naive folk art style uses gouache in blotted textures and streaky strokes; undulating pastel landscapes are populated with characters bobbing up and down among the rolling scenery. At the tale’s end, a bespectacled pig appears to narrate the fates of all: the happy return of the much-traveled Tumblebaby and the dubious fortunes of scoundrels and coyotes alike. The narrator’s final revelation is that YOU are Tumblebaby, promising to tell you later about your further nighttime escapades. Rex is at his quirky best here, blending inventive charm with his signature playfulness and goofy sophistication for an offbeat fable to be relished over and over. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.