Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/15/2019 *Starred Review* “Joni Mitchell painted with words,” begins Alko’s intensely composed and illustrated picture-book biography. Colors burst across each page, with layers of collage-work emphasizing the richness of Mitchell’s influences and imagination, song lyrics drifting in ribbons or lying precisely inside paisley tear-drop speech bubbles. We follow Mitchell from her Canadian childhood, through her early interest in visual art, to folk-festival days, Greenwich Village cafés, and California at the height of her career, but the book doesn’t stop there. Instead, Alko shows how Mitchell continued experimenting with music beyond her heyday, morphing to take in jazz influences and create what pleased her. The emphasis on Mitchell’s ability to be open to myriad influences and adjust her creativity will speak to readers just starting their own exploration of artistic expression. The author also carefully highlights the origins of Mitchell’s most recognizable songs, like “Big Yellow Taxi,” which stemmed from her noticing the pollution around her, or her lightly alluded-to romantic disappointments that gave rise to the album Blue. The final pages picture a Chagall-like illustration of Mitchell taking flight into an indigo sky, strumming a guitar, the happiness of artistic expression clear and joyful. Young people will be inspired to explore Mitchell’s discography—listed in the back matter—and, like Alko, to appreciate the influential singer. - Copyright 2019 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 03/01/2020 PreS-Gr 3—Canadian author-illustrator Alko offers an homage to fellow countrywoman Joni Mitchell. This portrait delves into the experiences that influenced her career, spotlighting the heartfelt, poetic lyrics that spoke to and defined a generation. Even today, long after she first gained a devoted international following in the 1960s and 1970s, Mitchell's albums—showcasing her impressive vocal range, quirky melodies, and driving piano and guitar riffs—still appeal to nostalgic listeners. This is an admiring, fact-filled, though not entirely successful book. The author aims for lyricism but sometimes the descriptions seem vague. The targeted audience is far removed from Mitchell's heyday. Therefore, young readers will likely not have heard her songs or even heard of her. Some may believe the appeal of Mitchell's music to young children is questionable except, perhaps, for bouncy classics like "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Chelsea Morning." Regrettable omissions are QR codes and/or links in the back matter to Mitchell's tunes, though a discography is included. Alko employs collage, acrylics, found objects, and wildflowers to create the colorful illustrations, which are are appealing and inventive. Numerous snippets of Mitchell's lyrics playfully drift through the pages. VERDICT Nonessential. Recommended for school and large public collections. Use in units on music appreciation and women recording artists.—Carol Goldman, formerly at Queens Library, NY - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.