Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 04/01/2026 Gr 2–4—Young vampire Maud, who has white skin and black hair, takes readers on a weeklong adventure through her ordinary life. Maud's week begins on Monday in a shop of curiosities called the Night Market. While there, Maud comes across a teapot. She finds the teapot to be somewhat strange but not alarming. However, upon waking the next morning, Maud discovers that the teapot has moved. As it comes to life, Maud becomes increasingly concerned that something sinister lurks in the teapot. Each subsequent day is filled with an excitement all its own. From spider and juice selling to finding a giant tooth and an invasion of ghosts in her dollhouse, Maud embarks on a young vampire's ordinary adventures, culminating in the purchase of a new, hopefully "better behaved" teapot at the Night Market on Sunday. The hand-drawn illustrations are lovely, done with pen, ink, gouache, and digital color. Gentle spreads done in muted tones make conventionally scary things like skeletons and cursed teapots seem charming, rendering the story more accessible for younger readers. This book is cozy but feels disjointed, moving from one day to the next without connecting each one; it may leave readers in confusion as to who new characters are and how they became a part of the story. VERDICT Promising in appeal, this story is a secondary purchase for children's book collections.—Misty Schattle - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Publishers Weekly - 06/08/2026 In Anchin’s dapper series launch, which unfolds across seven breezy chapters, gently deadpan text chronicles the adventures of a busy young vampire. Pink-cheeked Maud, whose pale skin echoes the white of the page, confidently flows through the highlights of her week’s days, which include Monday’s run-in with a haunted teapot, Tuesday’s "spiders and juice" stand, Wednesday’s comically brief encounter ("Maud found a tooth! What an exceptional day"), and Saturday’s successful yard sale. Alongside anecdotal third-person passages, quirky, slightly uncanny details in cozy limited-palette mixed-media illustrations-a coffin bed, a dragon-shaped wagon, a haunted dollhouse, and ample toadstools-invite readers into Maud’s almost-familiar world. It’s a perfect seasonal setting for humor, curiosity, and a bit of creepiness to take wing. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 5-8. (July) - Copyright 2026 Publishers Weekly used with permission.