Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 11/01/2018 Caldecott Honor Book creator Stein introduces a sweet variation on the Appalachian lullaby “Hush, Little Baby.” This time, Papa is a bunny advising his little one after winter’s end. He assuages little bunny’s fears when he offers him a patch of clover (“And when that clover is done, I’ll give you a meadow where you can run”). They snuggle, hiding in an underground nest from a gliding hawk, before hopping back into the light. Children and adults will be inspired to create more variants on the classic words. Cameo illustrations and single- and double-page spreads using mixed media on watercolor paper show brown bunnies enjoying nature’s bounty: flowering trees, grassy hills, turtle ponds, and singing birds in gentle pastels. The long-eared Papa and his bunny have a close relationship: their expressions exhibit the love for any species of father and child. It’s a fun romp. Share and sing this version along with the original lullaby as the children delight in finding the differences. Pair with Margaret Wise Brown’s classic The Runaway Bunny. - Copyright 2018 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 12/01/2018 PreS–When a bunny is sad that winter is over and spring has arrived, his father promises him wonderful adventures. Read or sung to the tune of "Hush, Little Baby," the rhyme scans perfectly and becomes a fresh, new song of spring. "Hush, little bunny, don't you cry,/Papa's gonna give you the big blue sky./ And if that big blue sky clouds over,/Papa's gonna give you a patch of clover." The illustrations, using mixed media on watercolor paper, are charming and reveal the love and camaraderie between father and child. Some of the vignettes are framed while other pictures flow to the page margins or simply fade to white around the edges. This sweet slice-of-life story shows the exuberance of a youngster discovering the wildflowers, blooming trees, and fireflies of spring while Papa watches protectively. One humorous illustration depicts the two hidden by tall grasses with only their long ears visible to readers. VERDICT Add this delightful tale to The Runaway Bunny and Guess How Much I Love You for a charming storytime or lapsit sharing.—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.