Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 06/21/2024 PreS-Gr 2—In this charming, first-ever children's book from acclaimed novelist Allende, a little dog inspires her owner to stand up to a bully. Perla is a rambunctious and small dog who was adopted by Nico and his family. She narrates this story with confidence and the type of cheekiness that will have kids giggling. The puppy introduces herself to readers and declares that she has two superpowers—the ability to make anyone fall in love with her because of her kindness and a super loud roar. One day, as she takes her family to the park, Perla meets a squirrel. During her quarrel with the critter, a big, scary dog starts chasing her. Everyone is afraid for the little dog, but the title character scares him off with her second superpower—a deafening roar. This inspires Nico to face his own bully at school with the same response. Rodríguez's whimsical illustrations are fun and bright. The watercolor-and-ink images are cheerful and will entice kids to keep turning pages. The silly figures of a small wizard and mouse scampering around on each page makes for a cute seek-and-find that adds another layer of engagement for observant kids. The conflict is resolved pretty quickly, and the message that learning karate will help resolve bullying is a bit murky. Still, children will want to read more Perla adventures. Nico wears glasses. His mom and older sister have pale skin and his father has light brown skin. VERDICT A fun purchase where puppy stories are popular, especially as a read-aloud pick.—Shelley M. Diaz - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 05/01/2024 In a debut picture book from renowned Chilean author Allende, Nico finds courage, thanks to the help of his rescue dog, Perla (Spanish for pearl). In her first-person narrative, Perla describes her two superpowers: cuteness and roaring. She uses superpower number one the moment she meets Nico at the shelter; her adorable skill melts his heart. When Perla comes home with Nico, she discovers a magical hiding place, which she shares with him. Observant Perla also notices that, even though he doesn’t say anything, Nico's being bullied. One day at the park, a large dog viciously charges toward her, and Perla uses her enormous roaring and growling to intimidate the bigger dog, which runs away. Her bravado inspires Nico to confront his bully at school using Perla's tactics, and it works! The bully backs off, and Nico's mom supports his newfound courage. Allende's story emphasizes not only the importance of standing up to bullies but also that being small doesn't mean you have to feel small. Rodriguez's expressive and playful watercolor-and-ink illustrations give Perla fittingly large personality. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.