Bound To Stay Bound

Publishers Weekly - 05/18/2026 This shrewdly structured and true to life picture book by Straub (Gaga Mistake Day) and Semirdzhyan (Hilwa’s Gifts) chronicles a child’s beach vacation entirely through video calls to his grandmother Mimi-one "RING RING" at a time. In a sequence that extends from a Sunday to the next, each call ends abruptly with the child’s bold "CLICK!" establishing a recurring flow that gives the book an infectious readaloud rhythm. The conversations are brief and intensely personal: travel minutiae, a loose tooth, a Band-Aid worn like a badge of honor, and more. Through each one, Mimi remains a warm, steady presence, opening with some variation of "Hello, my love" and drawing her grandson out with simple prompts ("Tell me"; "What happened?") that feel true to the way grandparents can listen. Loose, slice-of-life digital vignettes capture the sandy, sun-bleached feel of a beach vacation while zeroing in on telling details such as goggles, a scraped knee, and a donut run. That approach keeps Mimi peripherally pivotal while anchoring the point of view in the child’s world. Making a quietly persuasive case that a screen can carry real intimacy, it’s a personal-feeling ode to child-led connection. Protagonists are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 4-7. Author’s agent: Janine Kamouh, WME. Illustrator’s agent: Christy Ewers, CAT Agency. (Aug.) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.