Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/01/2023 *Starred Review* Watkins turns his zany energy up to 11 in this tale of bedtime mayhem. Deploying his squat art style, he zooms in on three cube-shaped, shifty-eyed kids tucked into bed as they announce that they’re Go-Go Guys, whose restless brains never sleep. Instead, they GO! Bouncing from under the covers, they decry the practices of counting sheep and stars, wanting instead to be vrooming. And those unenumerated sheep? They helpfully drive in with a wrecking ball that smashes the house and kids into space, where the children cavort on the moon until even it has enough of their antics and sends them home. Watkins opts for panel art in this book, and it cleverly allows him to keep up with the kids’ hyperactivity and busy brains. Dynamic scenes tap into the kids’ imaginations and make for a rollicking journey among the stars. Aside from the occasional sound effect, the text appears exclusively as speech-bubble dialogue, and its simple, repetitive, and playful nature will entertain prereaders in addition to serving those beginning to read on their own. This wild read certainly won’t soothe little ones to sleep, but they’ll have a blast go-go-going with these irrepressible tots. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.